我是不该说死人的坏话
“I shouldn't speak ill of the dead.”
THE DIALOGUE REEL
而且他也是好意
“And he means well.”
我是 不该说 死人的 坏话
“I shouldn't speak ill of the dead.”
可是 你们这些年轻人啊
“But, you young people”
“I know etiquette says not to speak ill of the dead, but I have to say it anyway because you younger ones need to hear the truth.”
Traditional Chinese ethics emphasize respect and forbearance toward the deceased, holding that one should avoid speaking ill of someone who has passed away. By acknowledging this taboo beforehand, the speaker seeks to mitigate their own moral culpability while highlighting the gravity of what they are about to disclose.
LEARNING CHUNKS & PARTICLES
to speak ill of someone; to badmouth someone behind their back
A very common everyday expression, often paired with 'zai bei hou' (behind one's back), typically used in the structure 'shuo someone de huai hua'.
I really shouldn't... (acknowledging an inappropriate behavior as a concession)
Used in spoken Chinese as a concessive prelude before a contrast, typically followed by 'dan shi' or 'ke shi' (but) to introduce the speaker's true point.
