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What does the phrase 尽量准备充分一些 mean?

I have this sentence: 并非每个人都适合创业,但有想法的人可以大胆去做,尽量准备充分一些。

As much as possible prepare ample a little 尽量准备充分一些 Should I prepare a little, or a lot??

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  • Functional-wise, "一些" here is something like "客套語" for politeness, making the sentence less aggressive/pushy.
    – Henry HO
    Mar 4, 2015 at 3:03

2 Answers 2

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First: 充分

I feel like the definition ample is slightly misleading, although it could be translated this way in specific contexts.

A Chinese-English Dictionary:

2 to the full; as fully as possible

充分利用

fully utilize; make full use of

Oxford actually translates, what most translate as ample, as abundant.


Second: 一些

Oxford

3 略微 [placed after an adjective, indicating a slight change in degree]

请走慢一些

Please walk more slowly

So, we can think of an 一些 suffix as "a little more....blah blah blah", it is adding to whatever is already there.

一些 = and some


Now we have 充分 + 一些 = a little more abundant (-or- a little more ample, if you really want to use ample) -or- with 准备 in mind: to prepare a little more fully


Now 尽量

KEY:

to the best of one's ability; as far as possible


尽量准备充分一些 = you should prepare a whole lot (more), as much as you possibly can

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  • I think 一些 is there to make it more polite. Does that seem right? Mar 1, 2015 at 10:09
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    so would a summary interpretation be: "as much as you can (尽量), you should prepare (准备) fully (充分), more fully than you might otherwise (一些) "? Mar 1, 2015 at 19:12
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    @ColinMcLarty Maybe you are thinking of 一下 which makes "commands" sound more like favors (让 vs. 让一下), 一些 doesn't really make anything sound more polite, at least I can't think of anything at the moment. Here, at least, 一些 function is basically "more 'X'-er"; 充分一些 could easily be understood as "more 充分er".
    – Mou某
    Mar 1, 2015 at 21:15
  • @MasterSparkles the "than you might otherwise" is more interpreted than actually written in the text. You can see the above comment I wrote to ColinMcLarty (i.e.: 一些 function is basically "more 'X'-er").
    – Mou某
    Mar 1, 2015 at 21:17
  • @user3306356: certainly - paraphrasing a lot here Mar 1, 2015 at 22:14
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It means "prepare as much as you can". Thank you.

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