说服

§ What does it mean?

DEFINITION

To persuade, to convince.

说服 (shuō fú) is a verb in Chinese that means to persuade or to convince someone to do something, or to adopt a particular viewpoint. It implies a successful outcome – you managed to get the other person to agree with you or change their mind.

Think of it this way: when you say you '说服' someone, it means you've presented your arguments, explanations, or appeals in such a way that the other person has been swayed and now sees things your way, or is willing to act as you suggest. It's about influencing someone's thoughts or actions through communication.

Translation hint: I convinced him to stay.

Translation hint: Do you think you can persuade them?

§ When do people use it?

People use 说服 in a variety of situations where influencing another person's opinion or action is key. Here are some common scenarios:

• Negotiations and Debates: When you're trying to win an argument or get someone to agree to your terms.
• Getting someone to change their mind: If someone has a different opinion or plan, and you want them to reconsider.
• Encouraging action: When you want someone to do something they might be reluctant to do.
• Explaining and Justifying: Sometimes, to convince someone, you need to provide a lot of explanation and justification for your stance.

Let's look at a few more examples to solidify your understanding:

Translation hint: She spent a lot of time to convince her parents to agree to her decision.

Translation hint: I need a good reason to convince myself to do this.

The key is that an outcome of agreement or change has been achieved. If you just tried to persuade someone but they didn't listen, you might use verbs like 劝 (quàn - to advise, to try to persuade) instead, which doesn't carry the implication of success. 说服 is stronger because it signals that your efforts bore fruit.

§ 说服 vs. 说动

Let's talk about how 说服 (shuōfú) is different from another similar word, 说动 (shuōdòng). Both involve influencing someone, but in slightly different ways. 说服 means 'to persuade' or 'to convince'. It focuses on changing someone's opinion or belief through logic, reasoning, or argument. When you 说服 someone, you're trying to get them to agree with your point of view or to understand why your idea is good. The emphasis is on the mental shift, on them being convinced in their mind.

Translation hint

I used facts to persuade him. (He is now convinced by the facts.)

On the other hand, 说动 means 'to talk someone into doing something' or 'to get someone to agree to act'. While it might involve some persuasion, the main goal of 说动 is to get someone to take a specific action, not just to change their mind. It's about movement or action, often implying that the person was initially reluctant or hesitant. Think of it as 'moving' them to do something with your words.

Translation hint

It took me a long time to talk her into going to the party. (She agreed to go after I talked to her.)

§ Using 说服 in sentences

When you use 说服, you often want to show that you've successfully changed someone's mind. It can be used with a resultative complement, but it's often followed directly by the person you're persuading.

• Subject + 说服 + Object (person)

Translation hint

He tried to persuade his parents to let him study abroad.

You can also specify what they were persuaded to do or believe by adding a clause or phrase after the object.

Translation hint

The teacher successfully persuaded the students to study hard.

§ Other words to consider

While 说服 is great for general persuasion, sometimes you might hear or use other terms depending on the nuance:

• 劝 (quàn): This means 'to advise' or 'to urge'. It's usually softer than 说服 and doesn't always imply success. You can 劝 someone, but they might not be persuaded.

Translation hint

I advised him not to go, but he still went.

• 说动 (shuōdòng): As discussed, this is about getting someone to act.
• 说通 (shuōtōng): This implies successfully explaining something to someone so they understand it clearly. While understanding can lead to being convinced, the focus is on clarity and comprehension.

Translation hint

I finally made him understand this principle.

Choose 说服 when you want to emphasize that someone's mind or opinion has been changed through your words. It's a useful word to describe when you've successfully won someone over intellectually.