话说…
the story goes …; so, speaking of …
Structure
话说 故事或新话题 …
What it means
The story goes …; so, speaking of …: a storyteller’s opening, and in chat a way to bring up a topic.
How it is built
话说 + story or new topic: 话说你周末去哪儿了？ (So, where did you go at the weekend?)
When to use it
From the 评书 storytelling tradition, it opens chapters of the classic novels: 话说刘备…. In chat it casually brings up a topic. 话说回来 means “then again; that said”.
Watch out
Keep the two apart: 话说… opens or switches a topic; 话说回来 turns back with a qualification: 话说回来，这件事也不能全怪他. Its chat use is informal, so avoid it in essays.
Examples
话说刘备为了请诸葛亮出山，三次到他的草屋拜访。
The story goes that Liu Bei called three times at Zhuge Liang’s hut to ask him to serve.
话说回来，这件事也不能全怪他。
That said, he cannot be blamed for all of it.
Learn this in Lesson 209 · HSK 9+: 四大名著 (The four great novels)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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