百歩譲って
百歩譲って
ひゃっぽゆずって
(reluctantly) concede a point (and); agree to an opinion (opposite to one's own) (and)
Literally: “100 steps + yield / concede (and)”
百歩譲って is a phrase that you can use when conceding the opinion of another. If you try to find this phrase in a dictionary, you'll probably need to look up 百歩譲る (ひゃっぽゆずる). Doing so, you'll find a definition like this:
自説を引っ込め、相手の主張を大幅に認める。最大限に譲歩する。
じせつ を ひっこめ、 あいて の しゅちょう を おおはば に みとめる。 さいだいげん に じょうほ する。
to withdraw one’s personal opinion and largely concede to another’s; to concede the maximum amount
Literally: “one’s personal opinion + を + withdraw (and), + other party + の + claim / opinion + を + substantial / large + に + admit / accept. + maximum + に + concession / compromise + do.”
Source: goo辞書
I suppose the phrase kind of makes sense from a literal standpoint. When you "concede 100 steps," you are conceding quite a lot, yeah?
Thing is, you're probably never going to hear someone say 百歩譲る without putting it into て-form. The reason for this is that 百歩譲って (ひゃっぽゆずって) is used when you are willing to (at least hypothetically) concede someone else's opinion (which you disagree with), but also point out that doing so would not affect your unchanging, essential opinion about something.
In any case, the phrase makes a lot more sense when you see it in examples.
For example, let's say that a husband found out that his wife had cheated on him. Then she told him some elaborate story justifying how/why it happened. He doesn't believe her. Even if he were to believe her, though, it wouldn't change the fact that she cheated, which he can't forgive, so he says:
百歩譲って君の話を信じるとしても、許すことはできない。
ひゃっぽゆずって きみ の はなし を しんじる としても、 ゆるす こと は できない。
Even if I were willing to believe your story, I still wouldn’t be able to forgive you.
Literally: “(reluctantly) concede a point (and) + you + の + story + を + believe + としても (=even if [I] did), + forgive + thing + は + cannot do.”
Or maybe you think that marriage is a pointless custom with pretty much no merits at all.
You say "pretty much" because, after all:
So you are willing to acknowledge that there may be at least some merits, though they would only be financial:
百歩譲って結婚にメリットがあるとすれば、金銭面だけだ。
ひゃっぽゆずって けっこん に メリット が ある と すれば、 きんせん めん だけ だ。
Even if I were to admit that there are some merits to marriage, they would only be financial.
Literally: “(reluctantly) concede a point (and) + marriage + に + merit + が + there are / has + とすれば (=supposing), + money / cash + -face / -side + only + だ.”
You're a rather closed-minded chef, and you don't like the idea of people putting fruit in dishes in which it doesn't belong!
Still, you understand that some people might like it in some foods, and that this might be OK in some situations. You say...
百歩譲ってポテトサラダにリンゴはまあいいけど、酢豚にパイナップルは許せない。
ひゃっぽゆずって ポテトサラダ に リンゴ は まあ いい けど、 すぶた に パイナップル は ゆるせない。
While I might be able to agree that it’s OK to put apples in potato salad, I’ll never accept putting pineapple in sweet-and-sour pork.
Literally: “(reluctantly) concede a point (and) + potato salad + に + apple + は + well + OK / fine + but, + sweet-and-sour pork + に + pineapple + は + cannot forgive / cannot accept.”
That's all for this one. I think it might be a bit difficult to find chances to use this one... unless you find yourself debating opinions with people a lot, I suppose.
Anyway, best of luck practicing this phrase!
ひゃっぽゆずって
(reluctantly) concede a point (and); agree to an opinion (opposite to one's own) (and)
Literally: “100 steps + yield / concede (and)”
百歩譲って is a phrase that you can use when conceding the opinion of another. If you try to find this phrase in a dictionary, you'll probably need to look up 百歩譲る (ひゃっぽゆずる). Doing so, you'll find a definition like this:
自説を引っ込め、相手の主張を大幅に認める。最大限に譲歩する。
じせつ を ひっこめ、 あいて の しゅちょう を おおはば に みとめる。 さいだいげん に じょうほ する。
to withdraw one’s personal opinion and largely concede to another’s; to concede the maximum amount
Literally: “one’s personal opinion + を + withdraw (and), + other party + の + claim / opinion + を + substantial / large + に + admit / accept. + maximum + に + concession / compromise + do.”
Source: goo辞書
I suppose the phrase kind of makes sense from a literal standpoint. When you "concede 100 steps," you are conceding quite a lot, yeah?
Thing is, you're probably never going to hear someone say 百歩譲る without putting it into て-form. The reason for this is that 百歩譲って (ひゃっぽゆずって) is used when you are willing to (at least hypothetically) concede someone else's opinion (which you disagree with), but also point out that doing so would not affect your unchanging, essential opinion about something.
In any case, the phrase makes a lot more sense when you see it in examples.
For example, let's say that a husband found out that his wife had cheated on him. Then she told him some elaborate story justifying how/why it happened. He doesn't believe her. Even if he were to believe her, though, it wouldn't change the fact that she cheated, which he can't forgive, so he says:
百歩譲って君の話を信じるとしても、許すことはできない。
ひゃっぽゆずって きみ の はなし を しんじる としても、 ゆるす こと は できない。
Even if I were willing to believe your story, I still wouldn’t be able to forgive you.
Literally: “(reluctantly) concede a point (and) + you + の + story + を + believe + としても (=even if [I] did), + forgive + thing + は + cannot do.”
Or maybe you think that marriage is a pointless custom with pretty much no merits at all.
You say "pretty much" because, after all:
So you are willing to acknowledge that there may be at least some merits, though they would only be financial:
百歩譲って結婚にメリットがあるとすれば、金銭面だけだ。
ひゃっぽゆずって けっこん に メリット が ある と すれば、 きんせん めん だけ だ。
Even if I were to admit that there are some merits to marriage, they would only be financial.
Literally: “(reluctantly) concede a point (and) + marriage + に + merit + が + there are / has + とすれば (=supposing), + money / cash + -face / -side + only + だ.”
You're a rather closed-minded chef, and you don't like the idea of people putting fruit in dishes in which it doesn't belong!
Still, you understand that some people might like it in some foods, and that this might be OK in some situations. You say...
百歩譲ってポテトサラダにリンゴはまあいいけど、酢豚にパイナップルは許せない。
ひゃっぽゆずって ポテトサラダ に リンゴ は まあ いい けど、 すぶた に パイナップル は ゆるせない。
While I might be able to agree that it’s OK to put apples in potato salad, I’ll never accept putting pineapple in sweet-and-sour pork.
Literally: “(reluctantly) concede a point (and) + potato salad + に + apple + は + well + OK / fine + but, + sweet-and-sour pork + に + pineapple + は + cannot forgive / cannot accept.”
That's all for this one. I think it might be a bit difficult to find chances to use this one... unless you find yourself debating opinions with people a lot, I suppose.
Anyway, best of luck practicing this phrase!
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