# What you see is what you get



## gntlstp

Hi, 

Here is an English expression: _"what you say is what you get." _ How would you put it in Chinese?

Thank you.


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## Jenn08

Isn't it "what you see is what you get", also know as the wysiwyg ?


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## viajero_canjeado

你说的就是你 would probably be expressed like "you are what you speak", though I've never heard anyone say that, that I recall.

The correct expression is as Jerry said "what you see is what you get." 你所看到的就是你取得的. Sounds awkward, I know, but perhaps you as a native speaker could come up with better if you gave it a shot, gntlstp.


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## gntlstp

Oh my, I'm so sorry, there was a terrible typo. 

It should've read "what you SEE is what you get." It literally means 所见即所得. But this doesn't make a lot sense to me. I was just guess there might be some better version of the translation in Chinese; and someone out there might know it. 

Thank you.


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## Ghabi

You know it's an advertising catchphrase, and I don't think we say something similar in Chinese ads.


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## viajero_canjeado

Whoops, I gave credit to the wrong person - Jenn pointed out the typo. Perhaps there's a better version, gntlstp, but at least provisionally the one you've given should do in a pinch, if you need only to get across the bare meaning. If you're wanting to get across a more culturally apt statement, I'm afraid my vocab resources are too limited for the job..


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## viajero_canjeado

Ghabi said:


> You know it's an advertising catchphrase, and I don't think we say something similar in Chinese ads.



Ghabi, I can see how it could be used this way, as in "no it isn't too good to be true, you really will get all that you see here if you just buy now for $99.95!" However the tone I'm accustomed to hearing this phrase with is less cheery and more resigned to the fact that there's no hidden surprises or unanticipated benefits in the bargain. The idea is, "if you don't like it or it ain't good enough, too bad, cause what you see is what you get [and there's nothing more to it.]" Now that's in a business transactional setting.

There're other usages as well. A lyric from a song goes like this: "What you see is what you get / This is me, hey you if you want me don't forget / You should take me as I am cause I can promise you / Baby what you see is what you get." I think it's Britney Spears. Anyway, the meaning in this context is "I'm not hiding anything; this is the real, authentic and genuine me." You could still add to this the previously stated sentiment of "and if that ain't good enough then you can just keep walkin'."

Great subject, gntlstp, though if you're still wondering about the meaning of the phrase in English, perhaps you could consider asking in the English-only forum.


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## flenci

眼见为实， this is an idiom.


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## bamboobanga

应有尽有？    not really though :\


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## lyf817

所见即所得？


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## CatherineQiu

what you see is what you get means 你得到的就是你想到的。
I have searched some materials and found this translation fit best. And there is a popular saying: "If you looked at a tree long enough, it will move." We see what we want to see.


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## Wind Flower

My suggestion:入我眼即在我心。


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