Replies and backchannel
10 phrasesThese are the sounds of listening. A Chinese conversation expects the listener to keep making noise, and silence reads as disagreement or inattention. 原来如此 is the one to reach for when something has just clicked, 是吗 keeps the other person going, and 随便你 is worth handling with care: it means "as you like" but lands, depending on tone, anywhere between generous and cold.