介绍:
He-he\ Hē-hē\呵呵 Int. A response that indicates both disagreement with something or someone, and a desire to avoid conflict by not discussing or explaining the reason(s) for said opinion.
China, On one hand, is crowded, noisy and diverse, which means a lot of people have vastly different opinions and can argue all day long if they have the time. On the other hand, our culture puts such emphasis on social harmony and maintaining the image that everyone gets along, that it leaves little room for open disagreement. Cyber harmony is important too.
So, what do we do when we want to correct someone but at the same time feeling like we should probably shut up?
This is where the phrase he-he comes in. It is what you say to let others know that you strongly disagree with what’s being said but won’t openly challenge them.
Not to be confused with ha-ha (which is the sound of a genuine laugh), You use he-he when you just can’t possibly agree with what was said but don’t want to endanger the harmonious atmosphere.
Others in the conversation are then duly alerted of your dissent. If anyone wants to learn more about it, they will ask you and if the social harmony is destroyed, it wouldn’t be your fault. Such is the social contract of he-he.
Instead of that ‘dislike’ button that Facebook is working on, China’s social media has a ‘he-he’ button to express disagreement. Given that the ‘like’ button allows you to like something without having to specify why, the ‘he-he’ button the perfect opposite. Next time your web post gets a he-he response, you’ll know that someone just can’t agree with you, but is noble enough to sacrifice their opinion for the sake of a friendly atmosphere. (If you are up for some friendly debate, ask that person for their opinion and they might surprise you.)
So before you head out to your next dinner party, be sure to sharpen your he-he skills. Give face to your fellow party guests by having some pleasant and non-confrontational conversations and save the heated debate for private occasions. Your pointed remarks may show off your above-average intellect, but harmony is the real social currency in China.
