do a favor to save someone's face
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesverb
to do someone a favor out of consideration for their feelings or reputation; to accommodate
informalUsed in social contexts where one makes an exception or grants a request not strictly based on rules, but to honor a relationship and avoid causing someone to 'lose face' (丢面子). Often implies the favor is given somewhat reluctantly or conditionally.
Xíng行
ba吧
，
zhè这
cì次
wǒ我
jiù就
mǎi买
nǐ你
yī一
gè个
miàn面
zi子
，
xià下
bù不
wéi为
lì例
。
Alright, I'll do you this favor just this once, but it must not happen again.
Tā他
tuō托
le了
hěn很
duō多
rén人
lái来
shuō说
qíng情
，
lǎo老
bǎn板
shí实
zài在
méi没
bàn办
fǎ法
，
zhǐ只
hǎo好
mǎi买
zhè这
gè个
miàn面
zi子
。
He got many people to plead for him, and the boss really had no choice but to accommodate him.
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Bú不
shì是
wǒ我
bù不
mǎi买
nǐ你
de的
miàn面
zi子
，
shí实
zài在
zhè这
shì事
bù不
hǎo好
bàn办
。
It's not that I don't want to do you this favor, it's just that this matter is really difficult to handle.