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But Mandarin politeness register differs from English in ways that matter: ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":45,"children":46},{},[47],{"type":28,"value":41},{"type":28,"value":49}," is positionally fixed (it always comes at the beginning of a request), the formal ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":51,"children":52},{},[53],{"type":28,"value":54},"nin",{"type":28,"value":56}," (you) carries politeness that English-speaking learners often miss, and the softener ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":58,"children":59},{},[60],{"type":28,"value":61},"bu hao yi si",{"type":28,"value":63}," plays a politeness role that English ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":65,"children":66},{},[67],{"type":28,"value":17},{"type":28,"value":69}," does not have a clean parallel for. 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Mandarin uses ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":183,"children":184},{},[185],{"type":28,"value":41},{"type":28,"value":187}," at the start: \"",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":189,"children":190},{},[191],{"type":28,"value":84},{"type":28,"value":193}," zuo\" not \"zuo, qing.\"",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":195,"children":196},{},[197,199,203],{"type":28,"value":198},"This is the most consistent positional difference between English \"please\" and Mandarin ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":200,"children":201},{},[202],{"type":28,"value":41},{"type":28,"value":204},", and the most common error English-speaking learners make in early Mandarin politeness register.",{"type":22,"tag":71,"props":206,"children":208},{"id":207},"standard-mandarin-polite-formulas",[209],{"type":28,"value":210},"Standard Mandarin polite formulas",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":212,"children":213},{},[214],{"type":28,"value":215},"Mandarin politeness has several productive formulas:",{"type":22,"tag":217,"props":218,"children":220},"h3",{"id":219},"qing-verb",[221],{"type":28,"value":222},"Qing + verb",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":224,"children":225},{},[226],{"type":28,"value":227},"The standard request form:",{"type":22,"tag":93,"props":229,"children":230},{},[231,239,247,257,267],{"type":22,"tag":97,"props":232,"children":233},{},[234,238],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":235,"children":236},{},[237],{"type":28,"value":154},{"type":28,"value":156},{"type":22,"tag":97,"props":240,"children":241},{},[242,246],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":243,"children":244},{},[245],{"type":28,"value":144},{"type":28,"value":146},{"type":22,"tag":97,"props":248,"children":249},{},[250,255],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":251,"children":252},{},[253],{"type":28,"value":254},"Qing he cha",{"type":28,"value":256}," (请喝茶) - Please drink tea.",{"type":22,"tag":97,"props":258,"children":259},{},[260,265],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":261,"children":262},{},[263],{"type":28,"value":264},"Qing chi",{"type":28,"value":266}," (请吃) - Please eat.",{"type":22,"tag":97,"props":268,"children":269},{},[270,275],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":271,"children":272},{},[273],{"type":28,"value":274},"Qing deng yi xia",{"type":28,"value":276}," (请等一下) - Please wait a moment.",{"type":22,"tag":217,"props":278,"children":280},{"id":279},"qing-wen",[281],{"type":28,"value":174},{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":283,"children":284},{},[285],{"type":28,"value":286},"A distinctive Mandarin polite-request opener:",{"type":22,"tag":93,"props":288,"children":289},{},[290,299,309],{"type":22,"tag":97,"props":291,"children":292},{},[293,297],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":294,"children":295},{},[296],{"type":28,"value":174},{"type":28,"value":298}," (请问) - literally \"please ask\" - used to introduce a polite question.",{"type":22,"tag":97,"props":300,"children":301},{},[302,307],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":303,"children":304},{},[305],{"type":28,"value":306},"Qing wen, xi shou jian zai na li?",{"type":28,"value":308}," (请问, 洗手间在哪里?) - Please, where is the bathroom?",{"type":22,"tag":97,"props":310,"children":311},{},[312,317],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":313,"children":314},{},[315],{"type":28,"value":316},"Qing wen, nin gui xing?",{"type":28,"value":318}," (请问, 您贵姓?) - Please, what is your honourable surname?",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":320,"children":321},{},[322,326],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":323,"children":324},{},[325],{"type":28,"value":174},{"type":28,"value":327}," is the universal polite opener when asking strangers questions. 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Carries the apologetic-politeness register that ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":577,"children":578},{},[579],{"type":28,"value":61},{"type":28,"value":581}," also covers:",{"type":22,"tag":93,"props":583,"children":584},{},[585,595],{"type":22,"tag":97,"props":586,"children":587},{},[588,593],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":589,"children":590},{},[591],{"type":28,"value":592},"Ma fan nin gei wo cai dan",{"type":28,"value":594}," (麻烦您给我菜单) - Could I trouble you for the menu.",{"type":22,"tag":97,"props":596,"children":597},{},[598,603],{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":599,"children":600},{},[601],{"type":28,"value":602},"Ma fan nin yi xia, qing wen...",{"type":28,"value":604}," (麻烦您一下, 请问...) - Sorry to trouble you a moment, please may I ask...",{"type":22,"tag":31,"props":606,"children":607},{},[608,610,615],{"type":28,"value":609},"The ",{"type":22,"tag":37,"props":611,"children":612},{},[613],{"type":28,"value":614},"ma fan nin",{"type":28,"value":616}," opener softens a request by acknowledging the imposition. 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