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How to Win Friends: Don't Kick the Beehive (Part 1)

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How to Win Friends: Don't Kick the Beehive (Part 1)

有yǒu一本yī běn很hěn有名yǒu míng的de书shū,叫jiào《人性rén xìng的de弱点ruò diǎn》。

There is a very famous book called How to Win Friends and Influence People.

它tā是shì一位yī wèi美国měi guó作家zuò jiā写xiě的de,很hěn多年来duō nián lái,很多人hěn duō rén都dōu在读zài dú它tā。

It was written by an American author, and for many years people everywhere have been reading it.

这zhè本běn书shū讲jiǎng的de是shì一个yī ge简单jiǎn dān的de问题wèn tí:怎么zěn me跟人gēn rén相处xiāng chǔ?

The book is about one simple question: how do we get along with people?

书shū里lǐ有yǒu一个yī ge很hěn有意思yǒu yì si的de说法shuō fǎ:批评pī píng就像jiù xiàng踢tī蜜蜂mì fēng的de家jiā。

There is a very interesting idea in the book: criticism is like kicking a beehive.

你nǐ什么shén me都dōu得不到dé bù dào,只会zhǐ huì被bèi咬yǎo。

You get nothing out of it — you only get stung.

为什么wèi shén me批评pī píng没有méi yǒu用yòng呢ne?

Why doesn't criticism work?

因为yīn wèi人rén被bèi批评pī píng的de时候shí hou,第一dì yī件jiàn事shì不是bù shì改变gǎi biàn,而是ér shì保护bǎo hù自己zì jǐ。

Because when people are criticized, the first thing they do is not change — it is defend themselves.

在zài自己的zì jǐ de故事gù shì里lǐ,每个人měi ge rén都是dōu shì好人hǎo rén。

In their own story, everyone is the good guy.

就算jiù suàn做错zuò cuò了事liǎo shì,人rén也yě会huì给gěi自己zì jǐ找zhǎo一个yī ge理由lǐ yóu。

Even when people do something wrong, they will find a reason to justify themselves.

所以suǒ yǐ,别bié急着jí zhe批评pī píng,先xiān试着shì zhe明白míng bai:他tā为什么wèi shén me会huì这样zhè yàng做zuò?

So don't rush to criticize — first try to understand: why did he act that way?

小李xiǎo lǐ的de公司gōng sī里lǐ有yǒu两个liǎng gè组长zǔ zhǎng,一个yī ge姓xìng王Wáng,一个yī ge姓xìng陈Chén。

At Xiao Li's company there are two team leads, one named Wang and one named Chen.

有一天yǒu yī tiān早上zǎo shang,王Wáng组长zǔ zhǎng的de组zǔ里lǐ有人yǒu rén迟到了chí dào le。

One morning, someone on Team Lead Wang's team came in late.

王Wáng组长zǔ zhǎng很hěn生气shēng qì,在zài大家dà jiā面前miàn qián大声dà shēng批评pī píng他tā:“你nǐ怎么zěn me又yòu迟到了chí dào le?”

Wang was furious and criticized him loudly in front of everyone: "How are you late again?"

那个nà ge同事tóng shì红着脸hóng zhe liǎn,一句话yī jù huà也yě没méi说shuō。

The coworker's face turned red, and he didn't say a word.

从cóng那天nà tiān起qǐ,他tā很少hěn shǎo说话shuō huà,做错zuò cuò了事liǎo shì也yě不敢bù gǎn告诉gào sù王Wáng组长zǔ zhǎng。

From that day on he barely spoke, and when he made mistakes he didn't dare tell Wang.

后来hòu lái公司gōng sī出chū了le一个yī ge大dà问题wèn tí,因为yīn wèi没有méi yǒu人rén早点zǎo diǎn说shuō出来chū lái。

Later the company had a big problem, because nobody had spoken up early.

同一tóng yī天tiān,陈Chén组长zǔ zhǎng的de组zǔ里lǐ也yě有人yǒu rén迟到了chí dào le。

That same day, someone on Team Lead Chen's team was late too.

陈Chén组长zǔ zhǎng把bǎ他tā叫jiào到dào旁边páng biān,小声xiǎo shēng问wèn:“发生fā shēng什么事shén me shì了le?”

Chen called him aside and asked quietly: "What happened?"

那个nà ge同事tóng shì说shuō:“对不起duì bù qǐ,我的wǒ de孩子hái zi昨天zuó tiān晚上wǎn shang生病shēng bìng了le,我wǒ一夜yī yè没méi睡shuì。”

The coworker said: "I'm sorry — my child got sick last night and I didn't sleep at all."

陈Chén组长zǔ zhǎng说shuō:“先xiān别bié担心dān xīn工作gōng zuò,孩子hái zi现在xiàn zài怎么样zěn me yàng了le?”

Chen said: "Don't worry about work right now — how is your child doing?"

那个nà ge同事tóng shì心里xīn li很hěn感动gǎn dòng。

The coworker was deeply moved.

从cóng那天nà tiān起qǐ,他tā工作gōng zuò得de更认真gèng rèn zhēn,有yǒu问题wèn tí也yě第一时间dì yī shí jiān告诉gào sù陈Chén组长zǔ zhǎng。

From that day on he worked harder, and whenever there was a problem he told Chen right away.

同样tóng yàng是shì迟到chí dào,两liǎng种zhǒng做法zuò fǎ,两个liǎng gè完全wán quán不同bù tóng的de结果jié guǒ。

The same lateness, two approaches, two completely different results.

批评pī píng让ràng人rén关上guān shàng门mén,理解lǐ jiě让ràng人rén打开dǎ kāi门mén。

Criticism makes people close the door; understanding makes them open it.

下次xià cì你nǐ想xiǎng批评pī píng别人bié ren的de时候shí hou,先xiān停tíng一下yī xià。

Next time you want to criticize someone, pause first.

问wèn问wèn自己zì jǐ:如果rú guǒ我wǒ是shì他tā,我wǒ会huì怎么zěn me做zuò?

Ask yourself: if I were him, what would I have done?

想xiǎng改变gǎi biàn别人bié ren,先xiān放下fàng xià手里shǒu lǐ的de批评pī píng。

If you want to change someone, first put down the criticism in your hand.

Hover a word for its pinyin & meaning; click to pin it.

Vocabulary 164 words

ChinesePinyinEnglish
有 yǒuto have; there is, there are
一本 yī běnA measure word for books, meaning 'one book'
很 hěnvery
有名 yǒu míngfamous
的 depossessive particle
书 shūbook
叫 jiàoto call; to be called
人性 rén xìnghuman nature
弱点 ruò diǎnweakness; weak point
它 tāit
是 shìto be; correct
一位 yī wèiOne person (polite measure word)
美国 měi guóUnited States; USA; US
作家 zuò jiāauthor
写 xiěto write
多年来 duō nián láifor many years; over the years
很多人 hěn duō rénmany people
都 dōuall; both
在读 zài dúto be studying (at a school or research institute)
这 zhèthis
本 běnclassifier for books; this; original
讲 jiǎngto speak; to tell; to explain
一个 yī gea; an; one; the whole (afternoon, summer vacation etc)
简单 jiǎn dānsimple; easy
问题 wèn tíquestion; problem
怎么 zěn mehow?; what?
跟人 gēn rénto marry (of woman)
相处 xiāng chǔto get along with; to interact
里 lǐinside; interior; within
有意思 yǒu yì siinteresting; fun
说法 shuō fǎexplanation; statement; way of speaking
批评 pī píngto criticize
就像 jiù xiàngJust like; as if
踢 tīto kick; to play (soccer)
蜜蜂 mì fēngbee; honeybee
家 jiāhome; family
你 nǐyou
什么 shén mewhat
得不到 dé bù dàocannot get; cannot obtain
只会 zhǐ huìonly can
被 bèiindicates passive voice; by
咬 yǎoto bite
为什么 wèi shén mewhy?
没有 méi yǒudon't have; haven't
用 yòngto use
呢 nequestion particle
因为 yīn wèibecause
人 rénperson; people
时候 shí houtime; when
第一 dì yīfirst; number one; primary
件 jiànitem; piece; classifier for events, clothes, etc.
事 shìmatter; thing
不是 bù shìno; is not; not
改变 gǎi biànto change; to transform
而是 ér shìrather
保护 bǎo hùto protect; to safeguard
自己 zì jǐoneself; one's own
在 zàito be (located); at; in
自己的 zì jǐ deone's own
故事 gù shìnarrative; story; tale
每个人 měi ge réneverybody; everyone
都是 dōu shìall are; both are; it’s all (because of)
好人 hǎo réngood person
就算 jiù suàn(colloquial) even if
做错 zuò cuòto make an error
了事 liǎo shìto dispose of a matter; to be done with it
也 yěalso
会 huìcan; to know how to; meeting
给 gěito give; for, to (sb)
找 zhǎoto look for; to seek
理由 lǐ yóureason; justification
所以 suǒ yǐtherefore; so
别 biédon't; other; do not
急着 jí zheurgently
先 xiānfirst; before
试着 shì zhe(coll.) to try to
明白 míng baito understand
他 tāhe; him
这样 zhè yàngin this way; like this
做 zuòto do; to make
小李 xiǎo lǐXiao Li (nickname for someone with surname Li)
公司 gōng sīcompany; firm; corporation
两个 liǎng gètwo
组长 zǔ zhǎnggroup leader
姓 xìngsurname; to be surnamed
王 Wángking; monarch
陈 Chénsurname Chen; Chen (c. 1045 - 479 BC), a Zhou dynasty state
有一天 yǒu yī tiānOne day; someday
早上 zǎo shangmorning; early morning
组 zǔgroup; to form a group
有人 yǒu rénsomeone; there is someone
迟到了 chí dào lewas/were late; arrived late
生气 shēng qìto be angry
大家 dà jiāeveryone
面前 miàn qiánin front of; before
大声 dà shēngloudly; in a loud voice
又 yòuagain; also
那个 nà gethat one; that thing; that (as opposed to this); (used before a verb or adjective for emphasis)
同事 tóng shìcolleague
红着脸 hóng zhe liǎnwith a red face; blushing
一句话 yī jù huàin short; in one sentence
没 méinot; have not
说 shuōto speak; to say
从 cóngfrom
那天 nà tiānthat day; the other day
起 qǐto get up; to rise; up (after a verb); starting from (从…起)
很少 hěn shǎoseldom; rarely
说话 shuō huàto speak; to talk
不敢 bù gǎndare not; not dare to
告诉 gào sùto tell
后来 hòu láiafterwards; later
出 chūto go out
了 le(particle indicating completed action or change of state)
大 dàbig; large
早点 zǎo diǎnearlier, sooner; breakfast
出来 chū láito come out
同一 tóng yīidentical; the same
天 tiānday; sky
把 bǎto hold; (structural particle indicating the object before the verb)
到 dàoto arrive; to reach
旁边 páng biānbeside; next to
小声 xiǎo shēngin a low voice; quietly
问 wènto ask
发生 fā shēngto happen; to occur
什么事 shén me shìwhat?; which?
对不起 duì bù qǐsorry
我的 wǒ deMy; mine
孩子 hái zichild
昨天 zuó tiānyesterday
晚上 wǎn shangevening
生病 shēng bìngto get sick
我 wǒI; me
一夜 yī yèovernight; in one night
睡 shuìto sleep
担心 dān xīnto worry; to be anxious
工作 gōng zuòto work; job
现在 xiàn zàinow
怎么样 zěn me yànghow?; what do you think?
心里 xīn liinside (one’s heart)
感动 gǎn dòngto be moved; touched emotionally
得 deused after a verb to indicate degree
更认真 gèng rèn zhēnmore serious; more diligent
第一时间 dì yī shí jiānin the first moments (of sth happening); immediately (after an event); first thing
同样 tóng yàngidentical; same
迟到 chí dàoto be late
两 liǎngtwo; both
种 zhǒngkind; type
做法 zuò fǎmethod; way of doing something
完全 wán quáncompletely; totally
不同 bù tóngdifferent; not the same
结果 jié guǒresult; outcome; consequence
让 ràngto let; to allow; to cause (someone) to feel something
关上 guān shàngto close (a door); to turn off (light, electrical equipment etc)
门 méndoor; gate
理解 lǐ jiěto understand
打开 dǎ kāito open
下次 xià cìnext time
想 xiǎngto think; to want
别人 bié renother people; others
停 tíngto stop; to halt
一下 yī xià(after a verb) a bit; a little (indicating brief duration, or softening the tone
如果 rú guǒif; in case
放下 fàng xiàto put down; to let go
手里 shǒu lǐin one’s hand; at one’s disposal