"No need to introduce me"?
Few weeks ago, I was having lunch with my friend. We were accompanied in the table by two other guys -- my friend's coursemates whom I didn't know. As my friend introduced the first guy and was going to come to the second, the second guy looked up from his plate of rice and said, "Bie jie shao wo" in Chinese which means "Don't have to introduce me". (Yes, I can understand Chinese now!)
So we ended up finishing that lunch in almost perfect silence, where me and my friend occasionally talked, and the rest, especially the second guy, with his head perpetually one degree lower, concentrating intently on his food.
This was the first time I've heard "Bie jie shao wo" uttered. And I can't help but wonder. Does this actually spark of arrogance, as in, "I don't wish to know you, you lowly Earthling", or does it actually say, "Oh, no need to trouble yourself introducing me. We'll get to know each other soon enough"? This is tricky, because the Chinese language has certain norms that are not completely translatable into English.
I was reminded of this, last week when I made a new friend. As I was talking to him, his colleague walked by and sat next to us. He was going to introduce her, "Now this is my colleague..." when she said -- you guessed it! -- "Bie jie shao wo", and my friend explained, almost apologetically, "Oh she says no need to introduce her". So I ended up chatting with my friend, and with the other girl we just gave and returned shy smiles. I don't even know her name. She didn't ask for mine.
Now to hear this same phrase uttered by two different people who have a low probability of knowing each other, at two separate occasions, has made me ponder on the real meaning of this utterance.
Can someone enlighten me on why some people can be so reluctant to make an acquaintance?
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4 comments:
one, they are shy.
two, they are boring people.
three, might be on a bad day.
four, have negative impression on you..
and the list goes on and on...
if they are not interested and wanna be like that it's their lost isn't it? so buat tak kisah la.
Jeez I've never heard of people saying that until now nor experienced it myself...never in my wildest imagination...ok that's a bit over the line...But then how can someone say so!?
haha at least i learn a new sentence today
'Bie jie shao wo' opps i dun mean that,make sure u introduce me.aahaah
bubbly soda - All of the above, maybe. You're right, it's their loss. I'm just thinking, maybe it's a "cultural" thing, among Chinese-educated people?
~shiawase~ - And we know how wild your imagination is... ;)
itchyhandseng - Don't worry, pal :)
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