One phrase everyone learns in China is "mei yo wen ti," which means "No problem." Like many phrases in Chinese, however, the words can imply several meanings depending upon the situation. People must figure out if someone saying, "No problem" really means "No problem," or if they mean "Big problem!"

We hear mei you wen ti constantly-from taxi drivers who are lost, from Bryan's staff describing business situations and from workman trying to fix our kitchen stove. Sometimes, of course, it means that there is really no problem. It indicates that the person can take care of the issue easily or will really find the hotel without using a map. But often times, mei you wen ti actually means that there is a problem and the person will not be able to solve it, but doesn't want to admit it. No one likes to admit that they can't handle things, in any culture, but in China this can be very embarrassing and mean a loss of face (honor). So many times, people will say "No problem" just to buy themselves time before they must admit that they cannot solve the problem.

The best thing to do if someone says is to try and figure whether they mean "No problem" or "Big problem," and if they mean "Big problem," to help them solve it without losing their honor. For example, when I am riding in a taxi and the driver is clearly lost, but says "No problem" when I ask him if he knows where he is going, I will say "You know, this place is really hard to find, and I even can't find it sometimes.., let's find it together on the map," or "I'll call the hotel and ask for directions for you." This way the driver doesn't lose face, and he will be much more willing to check a map. He will probably also appreciate that I properly understood his mei you wen ti!

(selected from 101 Stories for Foreigners to Understand Chinese People by Yi S. Ellis and Bryan D. Ellis, published by China Intercontinental Press in 2012)