English–Chinese
“cannot really be called” in Chinese
Chinese
Pronunciation
Pinyintán bù shàng
Example
这个结果谈不上令人满意。zhè ge jié guǒ tán bú shàng lìng rén mǎn yì
This result cannot really be called satisfactory.
How to say “cannot really be called” in Chinese
“Cannot really be called” in Chinese is 谈不上 (tán bù shàng).
A judgment stops below the threshold needed to give something a particular name.
Example sentences with 谈不上
这件事的影响谈不上很大。zhè jiàn shì de yíng xiǎng tán bú shàng hěn dà
The impact of this matter cannot really be called very large.
Tips for using 谈不上
- English speakers may expect a direct yes-or-no judgment, but this expression leaves room for a middle position and is useful when an assessment is partly favorable but still falls short.