(typically preceded by 就…[jiu4 xx5] or 對…|对…[dui4 xx5] etc) as far as ... is concerned; speaking in terms of ...
Definitions (Wiktionary)
verb
to be regarding; to be in terms of; to be speaking of; to be as far as something is concerned
誠偽是品性,卻又是態度。從前論人誠偽,大概就品性而言。
诚伪是品性,却又是态度。从前论人诚伪,大概就品性而言。
chéng wěi shì pǐn xìng , què yòu shì tài dù . cóng qián lùn rén chéng wěi , dà gài jiù pǐn xìng ér yán . Sincerity and hypocrisy make up our moral character, but they also inform our attitude. In the past, when talking of sincerity and hypocrisy, discussions centred mostly on moral character.
就目前而言
就目前而言
jiù mù qián ér yán as it stands
相比而言
相比而言
xiāng bǐ ér yán by comparison
從總體而言
从总体而言
cóng zǒng tǐ ér yán on the whole
對於世界經濟而言,狀況同樣如此。
对于世界经济而言,状况同样如此。
duì yú shì jiè jīng jì ér yán , zhuàng kuàng tóng yàng rú cǐ . As far as the global economy is concerned, the situation is the same.
你曾经对我而言是一个好老师。
你曾經對我而言是一個好老師。
nǐ céng jīng duì wǒ ér yán shì yí gè hǎo lǎo shī 。
You have been a great mentor to me.
Mandarin
一般而言,中国人将米饭视为重要的食物;而大部分的西方人则将速食视为重要的食物。
一般而言,中國人將米飯視為重要的食物;而大部分的西方人則將速食視為重要的食物。
yī bān ér yán , zhōng guó rén jiāng mǐ fàn shì wéi zhòng yào de shí wù ; ér dà bù fen de xī fāng rén zé jiāng sù shí shì wéi zhòng yào de shí wù 。
Normally speaking, Chinese people consider rice to be an important food; the majority of Westerners consider fast food to be an important food.
No licence shall be granted by the director with respect to a siu mei or lo mei shop unless the director is satisfied that the premises to which the application is made are not being used for the sale of fresh meat.
Examples (Wiktionary)
Mandarin
不幸而言中
不幸而言中
bù xìn gé r5 yán zhòng
to make an accurate prediction despite its unfortunate nature
Sincerity and hypocrisy make up our moral character, but they also inform our attitude. In the past, when talking of sincerity and hypocrisy, discussions centred mostly on moral character.
Mandarin
就目前而言
就目前而言
jiù mù qián ér yán
as it stands
Mandarin
于是,他用眼角的余光扫视了一下四周,发现旁边太监也纷纷向他使眼色,便顾左右而言他,用“人自然是怕鬼”的话敷衍了事。
於是,他用眼角的餘光掃視了一下四周,發現旁邊太監也紛紛向他使眼色,便顧左右而言他,用“人自然是怕鬼”的話敷衍了事。
yú shì , tā yòng yǎn jiǎo de yú guāng sǎo shì le yī xià sì zhōu , fā xiàn páng biān tài jiān yě fēn fēn xiàng tā shǐ yǎn sè , biàn gù zuǒ yòu ér yán tā , yòng “ rén zì rán shì pà guǐ ” de huà fū yǎn liǎo shì .
Thus, he scanned the surroundings with his peripheral vision and discovered that the eunuch beside him kept winking at him, so he tried to dodge the question and ended the discussion perfunctorily by saying, "People are naturally afraid of ghosts."