gena0411 Posted October 29, 2017 at 04:38 PM Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 at 04:38 PM Hello, I am reading now Mandarin Companion graded reader "Emma". Could you please help with the following sentence? 我觉得很对不起你 I am not sure which one of the two meanings is correct: 1) I feel very sorry for you 2) I feel I need to apologize to you Thanks Genady 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edelweis Posted October 29, 2017 at 06:24 PM Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 at 06:24 PM 1 hour ago, gena0411 said: 对不起 is often used to express "I'm sorry", but basically it's a verb+potential complement phrase. I think it means something like "being unable to do right (by someone)", especially when it has a subject and object like in your example. So it's not at all like expressing your sympathy by saying "I'm sorry" about something that has nothing to do with you. It really means that you, personally, have wronged someone (and you regret it). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Publius Posted October 30, 2017 at 12:25 AM Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 at 12:25 AM Yes, the antonym of 对不起 is 对得起. E.g. 你不好好学习，对得起你父母吗？ -- If you don't study hard, how can you look your parents in the eye and not feel ashamed? The "I'm sorry" meaning of 对不起 comes from "I cannot face you, because I've done you wrong." Totally different from "I'm sorry to hear that / I'm sorry for your loss / I'm sorry my words have been misinterpreted..." 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gena0411 Posted October 30, 2017 at 04:34 AM Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 at 04:34 AM Thanks Edelweiss, Publius. Do I understand correctly then, that translation (2) is more close to the Chinese meaning? In the context, the speaker indeed did something wrong. Thanks Genady Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edelweis Posted October 30, 2017 at 06:49 AM Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 at 06:49 AM yes, 2 is better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gena0411 Posted October 30, 2017 at 09:43 AM Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 at 09:43 AM Thanks! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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