Kilo Lingo

(shāng liáng) - to discuss, to talk over in Mandarin

shāngliáng

Traditional: 商量

#2824 of 5,000 Core 5000

Translation

to discuss, to talk over

Word origin

A compound of 商 (shāng, to consult, to trade) and 量 (liáng, to measure, to weigh up), so weighing a matter up together.

Origin
compound
Root
商 (shāng, to consult) + 量 (liáng, to measure)

Stroke order

Stroke order for 商

Stroke order for 量

Examples

I need to talk this over with my family.

They discussed it for ages without reaching a result.

If there is a problem we can talk about it.

The price is still negotiable.

The teacher and the students decided to change the time after discussing it.

商量 (shāng liáng) is discussing something with a view to settling it. Two or more people put their heads together and come out with a decision, which is why it collocates so happily with 一下 and with 以后.

It differs from 讨论 in temperature. 讨论 is a seminar or a committee working through a topic; 商量 is you and your partner deciding which flat to take. It also carries a strong note of negotiability, so 还可以商量 is exactly how a seller signals that the price is not final.

Two things trip English speakers up. The second syllable is often reduced in speech to a neutral tone, so you will hear shāng liang; and the person you are consulting takes 和 or 跟, never a bare object. Say 我和他商量 or 我跟他商量, not 我商量他.

Where this fits

Used in

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Mandarin · Free printables

商量: worksheet, infographic and listicle

Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "商量" (to discuss, to talk over): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.

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This word is part of lesson 57.