真不是我看不起你
“I don't mean to look down on you.”
THE DIALOGUE REEL
谢谢
“Thank you.”
真不是我 看不起你
“I don't mean to look down on you.”
作为行政层的领班
“At this level, you're still managing to”
“Your performance is objectively disappointing, so don't take the harsh truth personally.”
In Chinese communication, framing harsh criticism with a disclaimer like 'it's not that I look down on you' attempts to preserve the listener's face while still asserting hierarchical authority.
LEARNING CHUNKS & PARTICLES
to look down upon; to underestimate
A common colloquial verb used when expressing disdain or perceived inferiority between people.
really not; it's truly not that...
Frequently used as a pragmatic disclaimer before stating an uncomfortable or critical observation.