How to Say ‘Reasonable’ in Simplified Chinese
讲道理
jiǎng dào lǐ
[jiǎng dàolǐ]
💬 Usage Tip: [讲道理] doesn't just mean "speak reason" literally; it means being reasonable, or talking things through sensibly. You can use the same [讲 + noun] pattern in other set phrases too, like [讲中文] "speak Chinese."
🇨🇳 In China: Telling someone [讲道理] can sound like a plea for calm, but also a mild rebuke: "be reasonable." In a heated exchange, tone matters a lot so it doesn't come off as talking down to them.
Phrase Breakdown
讲
jiǎng
[jiǎng]
to reason
To explain logically or make sense.
他总是跟我讲道理。
He always reasons with me.
道理
dào lǐ
[dàolǐ]
logic
A system of reasoning.
讲道理是重要的。
It is important to use logic.
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