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逢人只说三分话,未可全抛一片心

féng rén zhǐ shuō sān fēn huà, wèi kě quán pāo yī piàn xīn
Be guarded, not gullible.

When meeting people, only speak three-tenths; do not yet throw out your whole heart.

This version uses '未可' (not yet), suggesting that full trust...

This version uses '未可' (not yet), suggesting that full trust is something to be earned over time, not given freely. It advises a gradual, cautious approach to building relationships.

This phrasing is more nuanced, implying that trust can eventually be established, but only after careful observation. It reflects the Chinese value of 'jiāo rén jiāo xīn, jiāo huà jiāo shēng' (to make friends, exchange hearts; to exchange words, exchange voices).

Someone might say this when a new colleague seems friendly but you don't know them well enough to share personal stories.

It teaches a balanced approach to social interactions: be open but not reckless. It signals that wisdom lies in gradually building trust rather than being either overly secretive or overly naive.

#caution #social-rules #wisdom

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