My friend complained that she aged five years in an instant and she posted some photos. I commented that she always has excellent skin and looks very young. Then she said:
是你太能說了
Does this mean something like, "you are such a skilled flatterer"?
Thank you!
能说, means be able to talk much literally, i.e. talkative, and maybe they're nonsense, unreasonable. e.g.
你太能说了，我再也受不了你了。
You are so talkative. I can't put up with you anymore.
So if your friend used this word correctly, here's a bit meaning of you're a little sophistical.
BTW: If I'm your friend, I'll say 是你太会说了.
会说, means be able to talk persuasively or eloquently, good at talking. Maybe not many words, but reasonable.
For reference only: 能说与会说的区别，最好举例
能说的人是话痨，话多，但不见得都有用…会说的人，话不一定多，但说的话有道理，有分寸
能, 会 doesn't mean can only, it has an implication of be good at. So if you say 我会xx, it means you can do sth, and can do it well. On the other hand, I think 能说 is a special case, it doesn't mean can talk only, but also talk too much. Maybe everyone can talk usually, just can talk doesn't make much sense, so it evolved into the meaning of talkative.
It's a kind of specifics of oriental culture. This is so called aimai(暧昧) in Japanese. Oriental culture is very implicative compares to western culture. The most common behavior is that people is shy to praise themselves or be praised by others. People may disagree the praise words directly although they perhaps quite enjoy the words.
In your example, firstly, I think your friend is not good at Chinese expression, because she used a very general and fuzzy character "说". She should use 夸奖(praise) instead in my opinion. Secondly, she seems disagree your praise, but I am sure she was laughing on the front of screen. Yep! She enjoy your words.
Literally yes, and its an adequate translation. But it is just being modest here. Actually it's kind of like flattering back at you.
Yes, your understanding is totally correct. She said you are a over skilled flatterer
I don't think so.
you are such a skilled flatterer = 你太会说话了
If you commented a (relatively) long paragraph for the post, she just wanted to say "what a long comment".
No, of course not! Just different cultures!!
Chinese is very very MODEST especially after 70's and after 80's! Let me replay it:
you: You are so kind!
your friend: I'm not!
you: You are so cute!
your friend: No,I'm ugly!
you: You look so good!
your friend: I'm not,because of the weather good!
you: You are so beautiful.
your friend: No no, 是你太能说了(chuckling ~)
It, in most cases, means you spoke too much. But I still need context to make it clear.
in the context it still has other possible meanings
Ludi praise the friend as good skin and young looking, and got this as reply. So it perhaps is a kind reply saying, Ludi is always good at encouraging people. If Ludi's friend is a native Chinese, it's reasonable. Chinese are always talking in this way to show modest. When you praise a Chinese, we were always saying 'oh you are not telling the truth, and I am not as good as you are describing', but in fact we like you words, and feel happy of hearing your praise. This should be a cultural difference for you to understand
