笔者曾在一篇文章中看到过一则“笑话”,说某位外国友人去我国某人家中作客。外国友人赞美男主人的妻子十分美丽。男主人忙说:“哪里,哪里。”——这本来是中国人惯用的谦辞。可那位外国友人以为自己赞美得还不够具体,主人在问“美丽在哪个部位”,便 I once saw an “joke” in an article saying that a foreign friend went to visit someone in my country. Foreign friends praise the male owner's wife is very beautiful. Man owner busy said: “Where, where.” - This is the usual modesty of Chinese people. Can the foreign friend think he is too praised enough specific, the owner asked “where beautiful”, then