(单词翻译:单击)
If one can afford to treat the other to a meal at an expensive restaurant and the other does not have enough money to do the same, it will cause problems in the relationship.
如果一个人能够支付起请朋友去昂贵餐厅吃饭的费用,而另一个人却没有足够的钱回请,那么这样的友谊会产生问题 。
Westerns expect friends to be independent.
西方人希望朋友间是相互独立的 。
Western people prefer people to be independent, so they do not feel comfortable in a relationship in which one person is giving more and the other is dependent on what is giving.
因为有了这样的独立意识,对于朋友间一方给予多,另一方难以对等给予的这种关系,他们觉得这种友谊会令人不舒服 。
Their friendship is mostly a matter of providing emotional support and spending time together.
他们的友谊更多意味着相互给予对方精神上的支持,一起度过一段时间 。
A westerner will respond to a friend's trouble by asking "What do you want to do?"
一个西方人在回应朋友的求助时,常会问:“你想怎么做?”
The idea is to help the friend to think out the problem and discover the solution he or she really wants and then to support the solution.
帮助朋友的办法是思考问题,寻求他或者她确实需要的解决办法,并且支持对方那么去做 。
Chinese friends give each other more concrete help. A Chinese will use personal connections to help a friend get something hard to obtain such as a job, or an appointment with a good doctor.
中国人给予朋友更多具体的帮助 。他或者她可能会利用自己的关系帮助朋友取得不容易得到的东西,比如一份工作,约见一位好医生 。
Chinese friends give each other money and might help each other out financially over a long time.
中国人可能会在经济上给予相互的帮助,比如给对方金钱帮助他或者她度过难关 。
Chinese usually expect more from their friends.
中国人期望得到朋友更多的帮助 。
In the West, you can certainly ask friend to do something with you, but you recognize that your friend may say no, if he/she gives you a reason.
在西方,你可以问朋友是否可以为你做点什么,但是你会发现他们可能会说不,他或者她可能会给你一个理由 。
You would not expect a friend to drop everything to respond to a non-urgent need such as shopping.
你不会指望一个朋友放下手头的事情陪你做些不要紧的事情,比如购物 。
Nor would you expect a friend to recognize and respond to your wishes without stating them.
也不会期待在你没有跟他们表明的情况下,了解和回应你的愿望 。
A friend in China is someone who offers help without waiting to be asked. There are few limits to what you can expect from a friend.
一个中国朋友当你遇到困难时,会主动伸出援助之手 。你对朋友的期望的限制很少 。
You can feel free to tell your friend what he/she can or should do to help or please you.
你可以随时告诉你的朋友他或者她应该怎么来帮助你或者让你高兴 。