Chinese “Face-saving Offramp” (台阶下) = Choosing Outcomes Over Ego! Artwork

China Myth Podcast

China Myth Podcast is a self-produced immersion experience of my journey through the fascinating and misunderstood dilemmas of Chinese business culture - a reaction, a behavior, even a suggestion - and asks whether I could have achieved a better outcome with a different attitude, mindset, and approach. Because sometimes, learning how to listen is a lost art of communication.

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Chinese “Face-saving Offramp” (台阶下) = Choosing Outcomes Over Ego!

August 01, 2022 • Gene Hsu • Season 8 • Episode 7

Practical Definition: 台阶下 Táijiēxià are the expressed words and gestures that allow someone to preserve their Face after a mistake and excuse, regardless of their intentions or shortcomings.

Mindset for China business:

Allowing someone to Preserve FACE goes beyond giving someone a benefit-of-the-doubt
FACE is only preserved when turning a ‘blind eye’ (睁一只眼闭一只眼) to something that’s otherwise inexcusable

English-Chinese translations in the proper cultural context:

表达 (biǎodá) “convey” | 表示 (biǎoshì) ATTITUDE to show “goodwill”
借口 (jièkǒu) ”excuse” | 狡辩 (jiǎobiàn) MINDSET to “deflect blame with dishonest story”
让 (ràng) “to permit” | 放过 (fàngguò) “let it pass” | 无所谓 (wúsuǒwèi) ATTITUDE of indifference

https://www.genejhsu.com/

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