How to Tell the Difference Between:客套話、委婉語、場面話

These three words look similar but have very different meanings. Let's learn how to distinguish between 客套話, 委婉語 and 場面話.

 

客套話 Pleasantries

• Refers to polite and conventional remarks made in social interactions to show courtesy and humility. These 'pleasantries' usually lack substantive information, as their primary function is to establish and maintain interpersonal relationships.

• 例句：
• A：我的美髮師說我這樣打扮看起來年輕了10歲。
  A: My hairstylist told me this look makes me look ten years younger.
  
• B：你知道那是客套話吧？
  B: You know that’s just flattery, right?

委婉語 Euphemism

• It refers to the use of mild or indirect words as substitutes for blunt, unpleasant, offensive, or taboo expressions. This technique is often employed when discussing sensitive topics, such as death, illness, bodily functions, or sex.
  
  "委婉"(To be tactful) means to express opinions, emotions, or facts subtly rather than bluntly. It can also describe a manner of handling things, such as "委婉行事"

• 例句：
• 她委婉的拒絕，既表達了立場，也沒有讓場面變得尷尬。
  Her refusal was made tactfully, which made her position clear without causing any awkwardness.
  
• 當處理裁員問題時要盡可能地委婉行事，安撫員工的情緒。
  
  When dealing with layoffs, it is important to be as tactful as possible and soothe employees' emotions.

場面話  Lip service

• To say that you agree with something but do nothing to support it

• 例句：
• 她不過是在對的時機點站出來說些場面話，大家就以為她說的是真心的。
  
  She stepped up at the right moment and paid lip service, which everyone mistook for sincerity.
  
  

Thanks for reading! If you want to hear the correct pronunciation and intonation, don't forget to watch the video at the beginning of this post. See you next time!