jat1 min6 zi1 ci4一面之詞一面之词
Jyutpingjat1 min6 zi1 ci4
Yaleyāt mihn jī chìh
Definition
One side of the story; a statement from only one of the parties involved that does not reflect the whole truth.
neutralpeoplecommunication
How it's used
This idiom carries a cautionary tone, often used to warn someone against making a hasty judgment based on incomplete information. It is frequently paired with verbs like 聽 or 信 to emphasize the danger of bias. While it sounds slightly formal, it is perfectly acceptable in everyday conversation when discussing disputes or arguments.
Examples
Don't just listen to his side of the story.
Related words
Common phrases
to listen to one side of the story
to believe one side of the story
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use this to mean a 'one-sided argument' in a debate, but it specifically refers to the act of hearing only one person's account of an event rather than the argument itself.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
