# 还是



## yuechu

大家好！

My friend and I had the following conversation recently: (she was correcting me)
me: 明白（了？）
my friend: 这里还是说 明白了  

What does 还是 mean in this context?
Thanks!


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## NewAmerica

这里还是说 明白了 literally means _Here it *still *says "Understand?".  _
That is,_ 还是 _means _still; also._
More context would help to clarify the situation.


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## Skatinginbc

(我覺得)這裡還是說「明白了」(會比較適當)。


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## Wen24

oops! Sentence elements be omitted. It's very normal in speaking.

Your friend suggested you to use "明白了". 
"还是" is a word to give you a hint that he or she made a comparison. And he or she omitted reasons and repeating words in this sentence. 
Your friend gave you a result (choose "明白了") by his or her comparison ("还是").
If you are interested in what comparison did he or she make in his or her mind, you can ask him or her "why".

这里还是说 明白了  → (in his or her opinion)*这里*说 “*明白了*” *还是*比*说* “明白” 要好。（“明白了” is better than "明白"）
                              (in his or her opinion)*这里*说 “明白” *还是*不比*说* “*明白了*” 的好。（“明白了” is better than "明白"）


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## yuechu

Thank you all for your replies! They help me a lot


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## brofeelgood

What came before that? It could be：
(1) still - 我还是老样子。
(2) had better - 我们还是分手吧。


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## yuechu

I think I still have a lot to learn about "还是"!

Here are some sentences that I think I heard on a 电视剧 a while ago: (at least I think that's where I heard them...)
"其实，前一段*还是*有两家公司来找过我。工资也还不错。就是*给推*了"
I was wondering: What does 还是 mean in this sentence?
Also, what is the function of 给 here?
Thanks!


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## SuperXW

Most meanings and functions of 还是 are related to “still”.
"其实，前一段*还是*有两家公司来找过我。工资也还不错。就是*给推*了"
Literally: Actually, recently (there were) still two companies coming to contact me, the salaries were not bad either, just (I) have turned (them) down.

给 is quite flexible as a colloquial particle. It can be a particle to replace 把 or 被. It can also be a meaningless particle added to a verb.
就是给推了 = 就是我给推了 = 就是我把它们推了 = 就是它们被我推了 = 就是我把它们给推了 = 就是它们被我给推了


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## yuechu

Your explanations are an immense help to me. Thanks so much for your help, SuperXW!


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## luoruosi

还 is a versatile word. It can mean "still", "had better", "somewhat", and "or".
我还是想去 - I still want to go.
你还是走吧 - You better leave.
我今天还好 - I feel so-so today
你喜欢吃中国菜还是美国菜？ - Do you like Chinese food or American food?


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## yuechu

大家好！
How about in this context: "我愣了一下——老李在单位抽烟，我还是头一次见。"
I don't think that 还是 has the same meaning as in the examples above, does it? Does anyone know what it means here? I didn't think that "still" worked in this context.

Thanks!


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## SuperXW

yuechu said:


> How about in this context: "我愣了一下——老李在单位抽烟，我还是头一次见。"
> I don't think that 还是 has the same meaning as in the examples above, does it? Does anyone know what it means here? I didn't think that "still" worked in this context.


You are right. 还 is a bitch. It has so many usages that not even native speakers can explain.

According to this dictionary, there are 2 lines under 详细字义:
(17) *表示超出预料，有赞叹的语气 [notwithstanding]*。如:下这么大雨，没想到你还真准时到了
(18) *表示应该怎样而不怎样，名不副实，有责备或讥讽的语气 [unworth of]*。如:亏你还是大哥哥呢，也不让着点妹妹!

So, I'd say, here 还 is an adverb to* stess the mood of "contradictory feeling/experience/belief"*.
This function can usually be replaced by *倒dao4*.
For example:
我还是头一次见。(I've never seen this before, "however", I see it now.)
我还是第一回听说。(I've never heard this before, "however", I hear it now.)
我还真没见过。(I really haven't seen it before, "on the contrary", the current situation require me to know it.)
我还就不信了。(I won't believe it at all, "no matter" what happens.)


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## yuechu

SuperXW said:


> So, I'd say, here 还 is an adverb to* stess the mood of "contradictory feeling/experience/belief"*.


That make sense! Now that you mention it, I can "feel" the meaning here.

Thanks for your explanation, SuperXW!


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