biànjiě: 辩解 - To Justify, To Defend Oneself, To Provide an Excuse

• Keywords: 辩解, bianjie, bian jie, what does 辩解 mean, 辩解 vs 解释, Chinese for justify, Chinese for defend oneself, making excuses in Chinese, Chinese vocabulary, HSK 5
• Summary: Learn the crucial Chinese verb 辩解 (biànjiě), which means “to justify” or “defend oneself,” especially when accused of a mistake. This is not a neutral “explanation” (`解释`); it implies you are on the defensive, trying to get out of trouble. Understanding `辩解` is key to navigating social situations in China, where making excuses can be viewed more negatively than simply apologizing.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): biànjiě
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To offer an explanation or justification for one's own fault or mistake.
• In a Nutshell: Imagine your boss catches you leaving work early. The words you use to try and get out of trouble—“The traffic was going to be terrible,” “I finished all my work”—that's a `辩解`. It's a defensive explanation. It’s used when you are being blamed for something and are trying to argue your way out of it. The person listening is often skeptical, and the act of `辩解` itself can sometimes make things worse.

• 辩 (biàn): This character means to argue, debate, or dispute. The left-side radical 讠(yán) means “speech.” The right side 辡 (biàn) is a classic pictograph showing two parties in a dispute. So, 辩 is fundamentally about a verbal conflict or argument.
• 解 (jiě): This character means to untie, to separate, or to explain. It's composed of 角 (jiǎo) horn, 刀 (dāo) knife, and 牛 (niú) ox. The ancient image is of using a knife to dissect and understand the parts of an ox, “untying” its complexity.
• Combined Meaning: The characters combine to mean “to use argument/debate (辩) to untie/explain (解) a situation.” This perfectly captures the meaning of trying to verbally detangle yourself from a situation where you are being blamed.

`辩解` is deeply tied to the cultural concepts of face (面子, miànzi) and social harmony. In many Western cultures, explaining your reasoning (“let me explain my side”) is seen as a valid and even necessary part of resolving a conflict. However, in a Chinese context, especially in a hierarchical relationship (e.g., employee-to-boss, child-to-parent), launching into a `辩解` can be perceived very negatively. It can be seen as:

• Talking back: Challenging the authority of the person criticizing you.
• Lacking sincerity: Instead of showing remorse for your mistake, you are trying to shift blame or avoid responsibility.
• Causing the other person to lose face: By arguing, you are publicly disagreeing with them, which can be embarrassing.

Often, the culturally preferred response to criticism is not a `辩解`, but a sincere apology (道歉, dàoqiàn) and an admission of fault (承认错误, chéngrèn cuòwù). This shows respect, restores harmony, and can actually help you save more face in the long run than a weak excuse would. A quick, sincere apology is often valued far more than a long-winded justification.

`辩解` is a common word used to describe what happens when someone is on the hot seat.

• In the Workplace: This is a classic scenario. An employee who missed a deadline might `辩解` to their manager by blaming another department or unforeseen circumstances. The manager might reply, “别辩解了 (bié biànjiě le)” - “Stop making excuses.”
• In Personal Relationships: If a husband forgets his wife's birthday, his attempts to explain why he was so busy are a form of `辩解`. It's not a simple explanation; it's a defense against the accusation of being forgetful or uncaring.
• Parenting: When a child tries to explain why they got a bad grade (“The test was too hard! The teacher doesn't like me!”), they are making a `辩解`.

The connotation is almost always negative or defensive. You are admitting, by the very act of `辩解`, that you are perceived as being in the wrong.

• Example 1:
  • 事情已经很清楚了，你不用再辩解了。
  • Pinyin: Shìqing yǐjīng hěn qīngchu le, nǐ búyòng zài biànjiě le.
  • English: The situation is already very clear, you don't need to try and justify yourself anymore.
  • Analysis: This is a very common phrase used to shut down excuses. It implies that the listener is not interested in hearing any more justifications.
• Example 2:
  • 他为自己的迟到找了很多理由来辩解。
  • Pinyin: Tā wèi zìjǐ de chídào zhǎo le hěn duō lǐyóu lái biànjiě.
  • English: He found many reasons to justify why he was late.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights that a `辩解` is constructed from “reasons” or “excuses” (理由, lǐyóu). It frames his explanation as a defensive maneuver.
• Example 3:
  • 面对老师的批评，他一句话也说不出来，只是默默地接受，没有辩解。
  • Pinyin: Miànduì lǎoshī de pīpíng, tā yí jù huà yě shuō bu chūlái, zhǐshì mòmò de jiēshòu, méiyǒu biànjiě.
  • English: Facing the teacher's criticism, he couldn't say a word; he just accepted it silently and didn't try to defend himself.
  • Analysis: This shows the opposite of `辩解`. In this cultural context, his silence is seen as a sign of accepting responsibility, which is often considered more mature than arguing.
• Example 4:
  • 你越辩解，我越觉得你在说谎。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ yuè biànjiě, wǒ yuè juéde nǐ zài shuōhuǎng.
  • English: The more you try to justify yourself, the more I think you're lying.
  • Analysis: This directly links `辩解` with the suspicion of dishonesty. It shows how trying to defend oneself can sometimes backfire.
• Example 5:
  • 这不是辩解，这是事实。
  • Pinyin: Zhè búshì biànjiě, zhè shì shìshí.
  • English: This isn't an excuse, it's a fact.
  • Analysis: A person might say this when they feel their legitimate explanation is being dismissed as a mere `辩解`. They are trying to reframe their words from “defensive excuse” to “objective truth.”
• Example 6:
  • 证据确凿，任何辩解都是苍白无力的。
  • Pinyin: Zhèngjù quèzuò, rènhé biànjiě dōu shì cāngbái wúlì de.
  • English: The evidence is conclusive; any attempt at justification is pale and feeble.
  • Analysis: A more formal sentence, perhaps from a legal or official context. `苍白无力 (cāngbái wúlì)`—literally “pale and without strength”—is a common collocation with `辩解`, meaning “a weak/unconvincing justification.”
• Example 7:
  • 每次我指出他的错误，他总是辩解说不是他的错。
  • Pinyin: Měi cì wǒ zhǐchū tā de cuòwù, tā zǒngshì biànjiě shuō búshì tā de cuò.
  • English: Every time I point out his mistake, he always makes excuses and says it's not his fault.
  • Analysis: This describes a person's character flaw—an inability to accept responsibility. `辩解` is the key action showing this flaw.
• Example 8:
  • 我不想听你的辩解，我只想知道你打算怎么解决这个问题。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bù xiǎng tīng nǐ de biànjiě, wǒ zhǐ xiǎng zhīdào nǐ dǎsuàn zěnme jiějué zhège wèntí.
  • English: I don't want to hear your excuses, I just want to know how you plan to solve this problem.
  • Analysis: This is a classic management or problem-solving line. It dismisses the `辩解` as unproductive and pushes for a forward-looking solution.
• Example 9:
  • 在被冤枉的时候，人有权利为自己辩解。
  • Pinyin: Zài bèi yuānwang de shíhou, rén yǒu quánlì wèi zìjǐ biànjiě.
  • English: When falsely accused, a person has the right to defend themselves.
  • Analysis: This shows a scenario where `辩解` is not only acceptable but necessary. The key here is the context of being `冤枉 (yuānwang)` - unjustly wronged.
• Example 10:
  • 别急着辩解，先听我把话说完。
  • Pinyin: Bié jí zhe biànjiě, xiān tīng wǒ bǎ huà shuō wán.
  • English: Don't be in such a hurry to defend yourself, first let me finish speaking.
  • Analysis: This shows how people often defensively interrupt with a `辩解`. The speaker is asking for the space to lay out the full accusation or situation before hearing the defense.

The single most common mistake for learners is confusing `辩解` (biànjiě) with `解释` (jiěshì).

• `解释` (jiěshì) = To Explain (Neutral)
  • Use `解释` for explaining a concept, a word, a misunderstanding, or a plan. It is objective and does not imply fault.
  • Correct: 老师，你能解释一下这个词的意思吗？ (Lǎoshī, nǐ néng jiěshì yíxià zhège cí de yìsi ma?) - Teacher, can you explain the meaning of this word?
  • Correct: 我来解释一下我们的计划。 (Wǒ lái jiěshì yíxià wǒmen de jìhuà.) - Let me explain our plan.
• `辩解` (biànjiě) = To Justify / Make an Excuse (Defensive)
  • Use `辩解` only when you are explaining yourself to get out of trouble or defend against criticism. It implies you are at fault.
  • Correct: 他迟到了，然后开始为自己辩解。 (Tā chídào le, ránhòu kāishǐ wèi zìjǐ biànjiě.) - He was late, then started to make excuses for himself.

INCORRECT USAGE:

• You are asking a teacher to explain a math problem.
• Wrong: 老师，请你辩解一下这道题。 (Lǎoshī, qǐng nǐ biànjiě yíxià zhè dào tí.)
• Why it's wrong: This sounds like you are accusing the teacher of making a mistake in the math problem and are demanding that they defend their flawed question. The correct and neutral word is `解释 (jiěshì)`.

Think of it this way: `解释` is for clarity, `辩解` is for cover.

• 解释 (jiěshì) - The neutral word for “to explain.” The most important term to distinguish from `辩解`.
• 借口 (jièkǒu) - Noun. An “excuse.” This is often the content of a `辩解`. “别找借口了 (bié zhǎo jièkǒu le)” means “Stop looking for excuses.”
• 理由 (lǐyóu) - Noun. A “reason” or “justification.” Can be neutral, but in the context of `辩解`, it means the specific points used in the excuse.
• 争辩 (zhēngbiàn) - Verb. To argue or debate, often heatedly. It's more about the conflict itself than the act of explaining a personal fault.
• 道歉 (dàoqiàn) - Verb. To apologize. In many situations, this is the culturally appropriate alternative to `辩解`.
• 承认 (chéngrèn) - Verb. To admit or acknowledge. You `承认` your mistake before you `道歉`.
• 面子 (miànzi) - “Face”; social standing. The cultural concept that often makes people `辩解` to avoid embarrassment.
• 冤枉 (yuānwang) - Verb/Adjective. To be wronged; to be falsely accused. This is the main context where a `辩解` is seen as a legitimate and necessary act of self-defense.