Yvonne Yen Invitations to a Home

YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqW4h5iM0xc

Traditional Chinese

OK，Thank you. 啊，如果說你在中國人的社群裏頭，被邀請來吃飯呢，有時候並不是代表對方真的是這樣想。因為這變成是一個啊客套話。就是說他只是禮貌上這樣講。但是呢，在西方的國家來講的話，在我在我認知的噢，就是說當他邀請你的時候，他是認真的。可是對於中國人來講的話，他真是純粹的熱情喲。他就是給你講，有空來我家坐一坐呀，有空哎我們一起吃個飯哪。噢，那有時候這真的只是客套話。所以要很小心的去分辨說到底對方是不是真的希望你這麼做。那至於就是說，如果說對方邀請你去他家的話應該要怎麼辦哈。就是說，一般來講的話，我們通常就是去啊被啊，去受邀請到人家家裏吃飯。那我們會很高興的把菜吃完，而且要告訴人家說真的很好吃。那就是說在某些國家來講，他可能會認為說把食物吃完了，啊是不禮貌的。但是在在於東方國家來講的話，他都希望你吃得越多越好。因為這是代表說你對於他所他的烹飪的手藝的一個認可。那，啊，另外呢，就是說也可能會需要帶一點小禮物到對方的家裏，然後跟他表示謝謝。那，這個是很重要的。因為啊不能讓對方認為說我我我這樣子邀請你，這麼熱情的邀請你你來，那你只是啊吃完了，然後也沒有表達一點謝意。那我想這個對於中國人來講是很重要的。謝謝。

Simplified Chinese

OK，Thank you. 啊，如果说你在中国人的社群里头，被邀请来吃饭呢，有时候并不是代表对方真的是这样想。因为这变成是一个啊客套话。就是说他只是礼貌上这样讲。但是呢，在西方的国家来讲的话，在我在我认知的噢，就是说当他邀请你的时候，他是认真的。可是对于中国人来讲的话，他真是纯粹的热情哟。他就是给你讲，有空来我家坐一坐呀，有空哎我们一起吃个饭哪。噢，那有时候这真的只是客套话。所以要很小心的去分辨说到底对方是不是真的希望你这么做。那至于就是说，如果说对方邀请你去他家的话应该要怎么办哈。就是说，一般来讲的话，我们通常就是去啊被啊，去受邀请到人家家里吃饭。那我们会很高兴的把菜吃完，而且要告诉人家说真的很好吃。那就是说在某些国家来讲，他可能会认为说把食物吃完了，啊是不礼貌的。但是在在于东方国家来讲的话，他都希望你吃得越多越好。因为这是代表说你对于他所他的烹饪的手艺的一个认可。那，啊，另外呢，就是说也可能会需要带一点小礼物到对方的家里，然后跟他表示谢谢。那，这个是很重要的。因为啊不能让对方认为说我我我这样子邀请你，这么热情的邀请你你来，那你只是啊吃完了，然后也没有表达一点谢意。那我想这个对于中国人来讲是很重要的。谢谢。

Pinyin

OK，Thank you. Ah，rúguǒshuō nǐ zài zhōngguórén de shèqún lǐtóu，bèi yāoqǐng lái chīfàn ne，yǒushíhòu bìng búshì dàibiǎo duìfāng zhēnde shì zhèyàngxiǎng。Yīnwéi zhè biànchéng shì yígè ah kètàohuà。Jiùshìshuō tā zhǐshì lǐmào shàng zhèyàngjiǎng。Dànshì ne，zài xīfāng de guójiā láijiǎng de huà，zài wǒ zài wǒ rènzhī de òu，jiùshìshuō dāng tā yāoqǐng nǐde shíhòu，tā shì rènzhēn de。Kěshì duìyú zhōngguórén láijiǎng de huà，tā zhēnshì chúncuì de rèqíng yō。Tā jiùshì gěi nǐ jiǎng，yǒukòng lái wǒjiā zuòyīzuò yā，yǒukòng āi wǒmén yìqǐ chīgèfàn nà。òu，nà yǒushíhòu zhè zhēnde zhǐshì kètàohuà。Suǒyǐ yào hěn xiǎoxīn de qù fēnbiàn shuō dàodǐ duìfāng shìbúshì zhēnde xīwàng nǐ zhèmezuò。 Nà zhìyú jiùshì shuō，rúguǒshuō duìfāng yāoqǐng nǐ qù tājiā de huà yìnggāi yào zěnmebàn hā。Jiùshìshuō，yībān láijiǎng de huà，wǒmén tōngcháng jiùshì qù ah bèi ah，qù shòu yāoqǐng dào rénjiā jiālǐ chī fàn。Nà wǒmén huì hěn gāoxìng de bǎcàichīwán，réqiě yào gàosù rénjiā shuō zhēnde hěnhǎochī。Nà jiùshìshuō zài mǒuxiē guójiā láijiǎng，tā kěnéng huì rènwéi shuō bǎ shíwù chīwán le，ah shì bùlǐmào de。Dànshì zài zài yú dōngfāng guójiā láijiǎng de huà，tā dōu xīwàng nǐ chī de yuèduōyuèhǎo。Yīnwéi zhèshì dàibiǎo shuō nǐ duìyú tā suǒ tāde pēngrèn de shǒuyì de yígè rènkě。Nà，ah，lìngwài ne，jiùshìshuō yě kěnéng huì xūyào dài yīdiǎn xiǎolǐwù dào duìfāng de jiālǐ，ránhòu gēn tā biǎoshì xièxiè。Nà，zhègè shì hěn zhòngyào de。Yīnwéi ah bùnéng ràng duìfāng rènwéi shuō wǒwǒwǒ zhèyàng zi yāoqǐng nǐ，zhème rèqíng de yāoqǐng nǐ nǐ lái，nà nǐ zhǐshì ah chīwán le，ránhòu yě méiyǒu biǎodá yīdiǎn xièyì。Nà wǒxiǎng zhègè duìyú zhōngguó rén láijiǎng shì hěn zhòngyào de。Xièxiè。

English

OK, thank you. Uh, if you are among Chinese people, and are invited to eat, sometimes that isn’t what the person really means. This has become a, uh, polite formula. That is, they’re only saying something polite. But, in Western nations, in my, in my understanding, when someone invites you, they really mean it. But for Chinese people, it’s purely enthusiasm. They tell you, “Come by my place when you’re free. When you’re free, we’ll go eat together.” Um, sometimes this is really only a polite remark. So you have to carefully evaluate whether or not the person you’re talking to really wants you to do this. Now, what you should do when someone invites you to their house? What I mean is, typically, we usually go, ah, are, uh, receive an invitation to someone’s house to eat. Then we’ll polish off everything with a will, and have to tell their family that everything was delicious. What I mean is that in some countries, people might think that eating everything all up, uh, isn’t polite. But in, in East Asian countries, they think that the more you eat, the better, because it shows that you acknowledge their cooking skills. Now, uh, in addition, you probably also need to bring a little gift to their house and tell them thank you. Now, this is really important because, uh, you can’t make them feel that, “I, I, I invited you here, invited you, you so cordially, and you just ate your fill and didn’t even show any gratitude.” I think this is really important for Chinese people. Thank you.

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Authors: LouisPM, h.brinsko, orkelm.