Zhen de in Mandarin Conversation in Response to Previously Expressed Opinion

Abstract

This research to examine how recipients use the zhen de (真的) to show agreement in response to previously expressed opinions. The analysis identifies two main patterns of agreement. In the zhen de→X pattern, recipients who have not previously shared their experiential standpoint in the conversation use zhen de to agree, and then make statements expressing their own experiential perspectives. And the standalone use of zhen de occurs when the participants already have a shared experiential basis in the conversation. These patterns illustrate how recipients assert agreement from a standpoint of shared experience.