make excuses for oneself; save face with humor
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesverb
to make excuses for oneself; to save face with humor; to explain away embarrassment
Often involves using self-deprecating humor, logic, or a plausible excuse to deflect mockery or alleviate one's own embarrassment, turning an awkward situation into a less serious one.
Tā他
kǎo考
shì试
méi没
jí及
gé格
，
zhǐ只
hǎo好
zì自
wǒ我
jiě解
cháo嘲
shuō说
tí题
mù目
tài太
piān偏
le了
。
He failed the exam and could only excuse himself by saying the questions were too obscure.
Kàn看
dào到
dà大
jiā家
dōu都
xiào笑
tā他
shuāi摔
jiāo跤
，
tā他
gān尴
gà尬
dì地
zhàn站
qǐ起
lái来
，
yòng用
yī一
jù句
wán玩
xiào笑
huà话
jiě解
cháo嘲
。
Seeing everyone laughing at him for tripping, he stood up awkwardly and used a joke to save face.
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Zhè这
bù不
guò过
shì是
wǒ我
liáo聊
yǐ以
jiě解
cháo嘲
de的
shuō说
fǎ法
bà罢
le了
，
bù不
bì必
dàng当
zhēn真
。
This is just my way of making excuses for myself, don't take it seriously.
Zài在
gōng公
kāi开
yǎn演
jiǎng讲
shí时
wàng忘
cí词
，
tā他
qiǎo巧
miào妙
dì地
jiāng将
huà话
tí题
zhuǎn转
xiàng向
yī一
gè个
gù故
shi事
，
chéng成
gōng功
jiě解
cháo嘲
。
When he forgot his lines during a public speech, he cleverly turned the topic to a story, successfully saving face.