<p>成熟点。</p>

<p>“别跟个小孩子似的，迟到了还撒谎。成熟点，坦率地跟老板讲怎么回事。”</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-25T00:28:03.410Z
Can you expand a little bit? As is, your answer is not very informative, to non-native speakers, for example. :P
Alenanno
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-25T04:17:26.640Z
@Alenanno He just translated the first sentence. "成熟点" is how he translated "to be mature," or "mature a little." He also added a sentence at the beginning that says "Don't be/behave like a child, you were late and you are laying about it(?)"
Hiro
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-24T18:38:07.520Z
2012-02-24T18:38:07.520Z
WIZARDELF
<p>'Context' includes things like: Why does this friend want this translated? Is he/she translating a manga? Is he/she planning on texting someone with this? Unless you know the purpose it's kind of meaningless asking 'how to translate this phrase'. </p>

<p>Personally, I would say something like 我等他给我发短信。要不我主动一点，从我这边先给他发。Probably not terribly idiomatic, and in fact, 主动 is quite different in its connotations from 'mature'. It means 'be aggressive' rather than sitting around waiting for the other person to take the first step. 'Be mature' sounds like a young person admitting that they shouldn't be so sulky or resentful (setting emotional traps) and making a move from their own end. Quite a difference. But I really don't know what the Chinese equivalent for 'being mature' in a situation like this is.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-22T14:34:30.933Z
I actually thought of the same word "主动," but as you said it has a different connotation from "mature." Thanks anyways. Regarding what you said about context, I don't see how knowing why my friend wants to translate this is going to help with the translation.
Hiro
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-23T04:56:12.897Z
It ALWAYS helps to have context. If your friend is planning on texting a Chinese person, then there's likely no need to worry about the full connotations of 'mature'. If he/she is translating a manga, the connotations might be more important. The question is always, 'Who is this directed at? Who is going to read it? Is it for use in conversation or a written communication? Etc., etc.' These can all help in trying to figure out exactly what is needed.
Bathrobe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-23T05:21:31.557Z
If your friend is just asking an idle question like 'I wonder how someone would say this in Chinese?', without any intent to use it or send it to anyone, then the appropriate response might be to tell him/her that it would be hard to express that particular nuance in Chinese, and what situation did he/she have in mind.
Bathrobe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-23T05:21:55.533Z
A recent example, different but relevant. A friend asked me to look at her English translation of a Chinese-language divorce claim (international marriage). It was in American legal format but the grounds were subjective and likely to be thrown out by an American court. After lots of questioning I found it wasn't for an American court; the divorce was in China but Chinese law required an English translation to submit to the U.S. So, no need for an American format! A direct translation using Chinese format was fine -- and much clearer! To sum up, you absolutely need to know the purpose.
Bathrobe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-23T06:35:40.923Z
I understand. My friend asked me over QQ and I think she said she was translating the subtitles of a movie. I am guessing just for educational purposes, as in, she was watching a movie to practice listening or something like that, and she didn't understand what this sentence meant.
Hiro
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-23T09:21:28.103Z
So this is a Chinese friend studying English? Even that is useful context! She doesn't really need a translation into Chinese, she needs an explanation. To tell the truth, this is really rather off the purpose of stackexchange.
Bathrobe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-23T16:33:07.220Z
Yes, that's what I did, I explained to her what the sentence means, but then I also wanted to know how to translate "to be mature" into Chinese.
Hiro
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-23T23:06:02.047Z
Then people were right to pull you up. That's the question you should have asked. As for the answer, well I have no real answer. However, I knew a Chinese girl whose boyfriend used to tell her she was 幼稚 for being IMmature. Not much help, and not applicable to this occasion, but just a thought.
Bathrobe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-03-19T16:47:36.117Z
主动 is more like "proactive" and has a positive connotation.
gonnastop
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-22T04:50:53.957Z
2012-02-22T04:50:53.957Z
Bathrobe
<p>How do you say "be mature!", as in "grow up!" (a command or suggestion telling the listener to  take a more adult, responsible attitude to the issue)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"Don't lie to your boss about being late, just be mature and confess."</p>
  
  <p>"Why are you driving so fast!?!  Be mature and drive sensibly!"</p>
  
  <p>"Your mum does all your washing? Can't you me mature and do it yourself?"</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-22T03:19:43.240Z
Context please?
Laguna
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-22T03:40:05.947Z
Edited. That's all my friend gave me.
Hiro
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-22T08:41:56.267Z
Maybe ask separate questions phrased around the specific grammar involved, rather than whole sentence translation requests.
jsj
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-22T14:41:13.687Z
I will do that next time, but the sentence makes more sense like this, "maybe be mature and text him" is a lot more ambiguous than the whole sentence, and I thought it would be easier to translate like this.
Hiro
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-22T19:35:19.960Z
You may want to write a title that describes your question. If not, a lot of questions would be titled "How would you translate the following sentence?" and which one would we pick?
Petruza
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-23T19:51:17.423Z
@Daniel Did you try translating it yourself? I don't see any research effort in your question, which is required as stated in the [FAQ]. I'll wait a bit for you to edit your question and add the content, otherwise I'll have to close this.
Alenanno
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-23T20:40:47.320Z
@trideceth12 Thanks for editing the question.
Hiro
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-24T00:58:28.447Z
Except that the English-language examples trideceth12 gives aren't terribly idiomatic...
Bathrobe
<translation><word-requests>
How to translate "be mature" into Mandarin?
# How to translate "be mature" into Mandarin?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-02-22)

How do you say "be mature!", as in "grow up!" (a command or suggestion telling the listener to take a more adult, responsible attitude to the issue)

> "Don't lie to your boss about being late, just be mature and confess."
>
> "Why are you driving so fast!?! Be mature and drive sensibly!"
>
> "Your mum does all your washing? Can't you me mature and do it yourself?"

**Tags:** translation, word-requests

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Context please?  
> **username_0**: Edited. That's all my friend gave me.  
> **username_2**: Maybe ask separate questions phrased around the specific grammar involved, rather than whole sentence translation requests.  
> **username_0**: I will do that next time, but the sentence makes more sense like this, "maybe be mature and text him" is a lot more ambiguous than the whole sentence, and I thought it would be easier to translate like this.  
> **username_3**: You may want to write a title that describes your question. If not, a lot of questions would be titled "How would you translate the following sentence?" and which one would we pick?  
> **username_4**: @Daniel Did you try translating it yourself? I don't see any research effort in your question, which is required as stated in the [FAQ]. I'll wait a bit for you to edit your question and add the content, otherwise I'll have to close this.  
> **username_0**: @trideceth12 Thanks for editing the question.  
> **username_5**: Except that the English-language examples trideceth12 gives aren't terribly idiomatic...  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_6 on 2012-02-24. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

成熟点。

“别跟个小孩子似的，迟到了还撒谎。成熟点，坦率地跟老板讲怎么回事。”

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: Can you expand a little bit? As is, your answer is not very informative, to non-native speakers, for example. :P  
> **username_0**: @username_4 He just translated the first sentence. "成熟点" is how he translated "to be mature," or "mature a little." He also added a sentence at the beginning that says "Don't be/behave like a child, you were late and you are laying about it(?)"  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2012-02-22. Score: 1

'Context' includes things like: Why does this friend want this translated? Is he/she translating a manga? Is he/she planning on texting someone with this? Unless you know the purpose it's kind of meaningless asking 'how to translate this phrase'.

Personally, I would say something like 我等他给我发短信。要不我主动一点，从我这边先给他发。Probably not terribly idiomatic, and in fact, 主动 is quite different in its connotations from 'mature'. It means 'be aggressive' rather than sitting around waiting for the other person to take the first step. 'Be mature' sounds like a young person admitting that they shouldn't be so sulky or resentful (setting emotional traps) and making a move from their own end. Quite a difference. But I really don't know what the Chinese equivalent for 'being mature' in a situation like this is.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I actually thought of the same word "主动," but as you said it has a different connotation from "mature." Thanks anyways. Regarding what you said about context, I don't see how knowing why my friend wants to translate this is going to help with the translation.  
> **username_5**: It ALWAYS helps to have context. If your friend is planning on texting a Chinese person, then there's likely no need to worry about the full connotations of 'mature'. If he/she is translating a manga, the connotations might be more important. The question is always, 'Who is this directed at? Who is going to read it? Is it for use in conversation or a written communication? Etc., etc.' These can all help in trying to figure out exactly what is needed.  
> **username_5**: If your friend is just asking an idle question like 'I wonder how someone would say this in Chinese?', without any intent to use it or send it to anyone, then the appropriate response might be to tell him/her that it would be hard to express that particular nuance in Chinese, and what situation did he/she have in mind.  
> **username_5**: A recent example, different but relevant. A friend asked me to look at her English translation of a Chinese-language divorce claim (international marriage). It was in American legal format but the grounds were subjective and likely to be thrown out by an American court. After lots of questioning I found it wasn't for an American court; the divorce was in China but Chinese law required an English translation to submit to the U.S. So, no need for an American format! A direct translation using Chinese format was fine -- and much clearer! To sum up, you absolutely need to know the purpose.  
> **username_0**: I understand. My friend asked me over QQ and I think she said she was translating the subtitles of a movie. I am guessing just for educational purposes, as in, she was watching a movie to practice listening or something like that, and she didn't understand what this sentence meant.  
> **username_5**: So this is a Chinese friend studying English? Even that is useful context! She doesn't really need a translation into Chinese, she needs an explanation. To tell the truth, this is really rather off the purpose of stackexchange.  
> **username_0**: Yes, that's what I did, I explained to her what the sentence means, but then I also wanted to know how to translate "to be mature" into Chinese.  
> **username_5**: Then people were right to pull you up. That's the question you should have asked. As for the answer, well I have no real answer. However, I knew a Chinese girl whose boyfriend used to tell her she was 幼稚 for being IMmature. Not much help, and not applicable to this occasion, but just a thought.  
> **username_7**: 主动 is more like "proactive" and has a positive connotation.  

---

