有一本很有名的书,叫《人性的弱点》。
There is a very famous book called How to Win Friends and Influence People.
它是一位美国作家写的,很多年来,很多人都在读它。
It was written by an American author, and for many years people everywhere have been reading it.
这本书讲的是一个简单的问题:怎么跟人相处?
The book is about one simple question: how do we get along with people?
书里有一个很有意思的说法:批评就像踢蜜蜂的家。
There is a very interesting idea in the book: criticism is like kicking a beehive.
你什么都得不到,只会被咬。
You get nothing out of it — you only get stung.
为什么批评没有用呢?
Why doesn't criticism work?
因为人被批评的时候,第一件事不是改变,而是保护自己。
Because when people are criticized, the first thing they do is not change — it is defend themselves.
在自己的故事里,每个人都是好人。
In their own story, everyone is the good guy.
就算做错了事,人也会给自己找一个理由。
Even when people do something wrong, they will find a reason to justify themselves.
所以,别急着批评,先试着明白:他为什么会这样做?
So don't rush to criticize — first try to understand: why did he act that way?
小李的公司里有两个组长,一个姓王,一个姓陈。
At Xiao Li's company there are two team leads, one named Wang and one named Chen.
有一天早上,王组长的组里有人迟到了。
One morning, someone on Team Lead Wang's team came in late.
王组长很生气,在大家面前大声批评他:“你怎么又迟到了?”
Wang was furious and criticized him loudly in front of everyone: "How are you late again?"
那个同事红着脸,一句话也没说。
The coworker's face turned red, and he didn't say a word.
从那天起,他很少说话,做错了事也不敢告诉王组长。
From that day on he barely spoke, and when he made mistakes he didn't dare tell Wang.
后来公司出了一个大问题,因为没有人早点说出来。
Later the company had a big problem, because nobody had spoken up early.
同一天,陈组长的组里也有人迟到了。
That same day, someone on Team Lead Chen's team was late too.
陈组长把他叫到旁边,小声问:“发生什么事了?”
Chen called him aside and asked quietly: "What happened?"
那个同事说:“对不起,我的孩子昨天晚上生病了,我一夜没睡。”
The coworker said: "I'm sorry — my child got sick last night and I didn't sleep at all."
陈组长说:“先别担心工作,孩子现在怎么样了?”
Chen said: "Don't worry about work right now — how is your child doing?"
那个同事心里很感动。
The coworker was deeply moved.
从那天起,他工作得更认真,有问题也第一时间告诉陈组长。
From that day on he worked harder, and whenever there was a problem he told Chen right away.
同样是迟到,两种做法,两个完全不同的结果。
The same lateness, two approaches, two completely different results.
批评让人关上门,理解让人打开门。
Criticism makes people close the door; understanding makes them open it.
下次你想批评别人的时候,先停一下。
Next time you want to criticize someone, pause first.
问问自己:如果我是他,我会怎么做?
Ask yourself: if I were him, what would I have done?
想改变别人,先放下手里的批评。
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.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 有 | yǒu | to have; there is, there are |
| 一本 | yī běn | A measure word for books, meaning 'one book' |
| 很 | hěn | very |
| 有名 | yǒu míng | famous |
| 的 | de | possessive particle |
| 书 | shū | book |
| 叫 | jiào | to call; to be called |
| 人性 | rén xìng | human nature |
| 弱点 | ruò diǎn | weakness; weak point |
| 它 | tā | it |
| 是 | shì | to be; correct |
| 一位 | yī wèi | One person (polite measure word) |
| 美国 | měi guó | United States; USA; US |
| 作家 | zuò jiā | author |
| 写 | xiě | to write |
| 多年来 | duō nián lái | for many years; over the years |
| 很多人 | hěn duō rén | many people |
| 都 | dōu | all; both |
| 在读 | zài dú | to be studying (at a school or research institute) |
| 这 | zhè | this |
| 本 | běn | classifier for books; this; original |
| 讲 | jiǎng | to speak; to tell; to explain |
| 一个 | yī ge | a; an; one; the whole (afternoon, summer vacation etc) |
| 简单 | jiǎn dān | simple; easy |
| 问题 | wèn tí | question; problem |
| 怎么 | zěn me | how?; what? |
| 跟人 | gēn rén | to marry (of woman) |
| 相处 | xiāng chǔ | to get along with; to interact |
| 里 | lǐ | inside; interior; within |
| 有意思 | yǒu yì si | interesting; fun |
| 说法 | shuō fǎ | explanation; statement; way of speaking |
| 批评 | pī píng | to criticize |
| 就像 | jiù xiàng | Just like; as if |
| 踢 | tī | to kick; to play (soccer) |
| 蜜蜂 | mì fēng | bee; honeybee |
| 家 | jiā | home; family |
| 你 | nǐ | you |
| 什么 | shén me | what |
| 得不到 | dé bù dào | cannot get; cannot obtain |
| 只会 | zhǐ huì | only can |
| 被 | bèi | indicates passive voice; by |
| 咬 | yǎo | to bite |
| 为什么 | wèi shén me | why? |
| 没有 | méi yǒu | don't have; haven't |
| 用 | yòng | to use |
| 呢 | ne | question particle |
| 因为 | yīn wèi | because |
| 人 | rén | person; people |
| 时候 | shí hou | time; when |
| 第一 | dì yī | first; number one; primary |
| 件 | jiàn | item; piece; classifier for events, clothes, etc. |
| 事 | shì | matter; thing |
| 不是 | bù shì | no; is not; not |
| 改变 | gǎi biàn | to change; to transform |
| 而是 | ér shì | rather |
| 保护 | bǎo hù | to protect; to safeguard |
| 自己 | zì jǐ | oneself; one's own |
| 在 | zài | to be (located); at; in |
| 自己的 | zì jǐ de | one's own |
| 故事 | gù shì | narrative; story; tale |
| 每个人 | měi ge rén | everybody; everyone |
| 都是 | dōu shì | all are; both are; it’s all (because of) |
| 好人 | hǎo rén | good person |
| 就算 | jiù suàn | (colloquial) even if |
| 做错 | zuò cuò | to make an error |
| 了事 | liǎo shì | to dispose of a matter; to be done with it |
| 也 | yě | also |
| 会 | huì | can; to know how to; meeting |
| 给 | gěi | to give; for, to (sb) |
| 找 | zhǎo | to look for; to seek |
| 理由 | lǐ yóu | reason; justification |
| 所以 | suǒ yǐ | therefore; so |
| 别 | bié | don't; other; do not |
| 急着 | jí zhe | urgently |
| 先 | xiān | first; before |
| 试着 | shì zhe | (coll.) to try to |
| 明白 | míng bai | to understand |
| 他 | tā | he; him |
| 这样 | zhè yàng | in this way; like this |
| 做 | zuò | to do; to make |
| 小李 | xiǎo lǐ | Xiao Li (nickname for someone with surname Li) |
| 公司 | gōng sī | company; firm; corporation |
| 两个 | liǎng gè | two |
| 组长 | zǔ zhǎng | group leader |
| 姓 | xìng | surname; to be surnamed |
| 王 | Wáng | king; monarch |
| 陈 | Chén | surname Chen; Chen (c. 1045 - 479 BC), a Zhou dynasty state |
| 有一天 | yǒu yī tiān | One day; someday |
| 早上 | zǎo shang | morning; early morning |
| 组 | zǔ | group; to form a group |
| 有人 | yǒu rén | someone; there is someone |
| 迟到了 | chí dào le | was/were late; arrived late |
| 生气 | shēng qì | to be angry |
| 大家 | dà jiā | everyone |
| 面前 | miàn qián | in front of; before |
| 大声 | dà shēng | loudly; in a loud voice |
| 又 | yòu | again; also |
| 那个 | nà ge | that one; that thing; that (as opposed to this); (used before a verb or adjective for emphasis) |
| 同事 | tóng shì | colleague |
| 红着脸 | hóng zhe liǎn | with a red face; blushing |
| 一句话 | yī jù huà | in short; in one sentence |
| 没 | méi | not; have not |
| 说 | shuō | to speak; to say |
| 从 | cóng | from |
| 那天 | nà tiān | that day; the other day |
| 起 | qǐ | to get up; to rise; up (after a verb); starting from (从…起) |
| 很少 | hěn shǎo | seldom; rarely |
| 说话 | shuō huà | to speak; to talk |
| 不敢 | bù gǎn | dare not; not dare to |
| 告诉 | gào sù | to tell |
| 后来 | hòu lái | afterwards; later |
| 出 | chū | to go out |
| 了 | le | (particle indicating completed action or change of state) |
| 大 | dà | big; large |
| 早点 | zǎo diǎn | earlier, sooner; breakfast |
| 出来 | chū lái | to come out |
| 同一 | tóng yī | identical; the same |
| 天 | tiān | day; sky |
| 把 | bǎ | to hold; (structural particle indicating the object before the verb) |
| 到 | dào | to arrive; to reach |
| 旁边 | páng biān | beside; next to |
| 小声 | xiǎo shēng | in a low voice; quietly |
| 问 | wèn | to ask |
| 发生 | fā shēng | to happen; to occur |
| 什么事 | shén me shì | what?; which? |
| 对不起 | duì bù qǐ | sorry |
| 我的 | wǒ de | My; mine |
| 孩子 | hái zi | child |
| 昨天 | zuó tiān | yesterday |
| 晚上 | wǎn shang | evening |
| 生病 | shēng bìng | to get sick |
| 我 | wǒ | I; me |
| 一夜 | yī yè | overnight; in one night |
| 睡 | shuì | to sleep |
| 担心 | dān xīn | to worry; to be anxious |
| 工作 | gōng zuò | to work; job |
| 现在 | xiàn zài | now |
| 怎么样 | zěn me yàng | how?; what do you think? |
| 心里 | xīn li | inside (one’s heart) |
| 感动 | gǎn dòng | to be moved; touched emotionally |
| 得 | de | used after a verb to indicate degree |
| 更认真 | gèng rèn zhēn | more serious; more diligent |
| 第一时间 | dì yī shí jiān | in the first moments (of sth happening); immediately (after an event); first thing |
| 同样 | tóng yàng | identical; same |
| 迟到 | chí dào | to be late |
| 两 | liǎng | two; both |
| 种 | zhǒng | kind; type |
| 做法 | zuò fǎ | method; way of doing something |
| 完全 | wán quán | completely; totally |
| 不同 | bù tóng | different; not the same |
| 结果 | jié guǒ | result; outcome; consequence |
| 让 | ràng | to let; to allow; to cause (someone) to feel something |
| 关上 | guān shàng | to close (a door); to turn off (light, electrical equipment etc) |
| 门 | mén | door; gate |
| 理解 | lǐ jiě | to understand |
| 打开 | dǎ kāi | to open |
| 下次 | xià cì | next time |
| 想 | xiǎng | to think; to want |
| 别人 | bié ren | other people; others |
| 停 | tíng | to stop; to halt |
| 一下 | yī xià | (after a verb) a bit; a little (indicating brief duration, or softening the tone |
| 如果 | rú guǒ | if; in case |
| 放下 | fàng xià | to put down; to let go |
| 手里 | shǒu lǐ | in one’s hand; at one’s disposal |