I Lost a Translation Job Over “Face” (And Called My Boss a Bastard)

This week’s mailbag episode is… painful.

• A freelance translator loses a business contract because he didn’t understand 面子 (miànzi).

• Someone tries to compliment their manager… and accidentally calls him a bastard.

• Another listener’s Chinese name sounds dangerously close to “horse sh*t.”

We talk about cultural competence in business Mandarin, tone disasters, gaming as a language-learning method, and why choosing a Chinese name is more serious than you think.

If you’ve ever made a language mistake that keeps you awake at night, this one’s for you.

Don’t lose confidence. Just don’t translate “losing face” word for word.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.