Chinese for Print Shops: Describe Scan Shadows and Quality Problems
Learn to point out scan problems in Mandarin: 有阴影, 不清楚, 太暗. Ask politely for a rescan or brightness adjustment at a neighborhood print and repair shop.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
You have a scanned document in front of you, and something is wrong: a gray band down one side, text that is hard to read, or an image that is too dark. At a Chinese print and repair shop, you need to describe the problem clearly and ask for a fix without sounding rude. This lesson gives you elementary-level Mandarin for exactly that situation. You will learn three problem descriptions—有阴影 (there is a shadow), 不清楚 (not clear), 太暗 (too dark)—and two polite requests: 能重新扫吗? (Can you rescan it?) and 调整亮度 (adjust the brightness). The focus is on speaking naturally with staff, using complete, speakable sentences. You will not learn generic travel phrases here; you will learn how to report a scan quality issue and ask for a specific action.
By the end, you can…
- describe a scan problem using 有阴影, 不清楚, or 太暗.
- politely ask a staff member to rescan a document or adjust the brightness.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
这里有一点阴影。
There is a little shadow here.
zhè lǐ yǒu yì diǎn yīn yǐng
Point to the area on the scan. 一点 softens the statement; 阴影 means a shadow or dark patch.
这个字不太清楚。
This character is not very clear.
zhè ge zì bú tài qīng chu
Use 不太清楚 to say something is not clear. 字 can be replaced with 图片 (tú piàn, picture) or 文字 (wén zì, text).
整张有点太暗。
The whole page is a bit too dark.
zhěng zhāng yǒu diǎn tài àn
整张 means the whole sheet. 太暗 is too dark; 有点 makes it less blunt.
能重新扫吗？
Can you rescan it?
néng chóng xīn sǎo ma
A polite yes/no question with 能 and 吗. 重新扫 means scan again.
可以调整一下亮度吗？
Could you adjust the brightness a little?
kě yǐ tiáo zhěng yí xià liàng dù ma
调整亮度 means adjust brightness. 一下 makes the request sound lighter and more polite.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To report a scan problem, use 有 (yǒu, there is) plus the problem word: 有阴影 (there is a shadow), 有问题 (there is a problem). To describe how something looks, use 太 (tài, too) plus an adjective: 太暗 (too dark), 太亮 (too bright), 太模糊 (too blurry). You can soften these with 有点 (yǒu diǎn, a little) or 不太 (bú tài, not very): 有点太暗 (a bit too dark), 不太清楚 (not very clear). For requests, start with 能 (néng, can) or 可以 (kě yǐ, could) and end with 吗 (ma): 能重新扫吗？ (Can you rescan?) 可以调整亮度吗？ (Could you adjust the brightness?) Adding 一下 (yí xià) after the verb makes the request sound lighter: 调整一下亮度 (adjust the brightness a little).
When to use it
Use these phrases when you are at the counter and the scanned file or printout is in front of you. Point to the problem area and say 这里有一点阴影 (there is a little shadow here) or 这个字不太清楚 (this character is not clear). If the whole page is affected, say 整张有点太暗 (the whole page is a bit too dark). After describing the problem, ask for a specific action: 能重新扫吗？ (Can you rescan?) or 可以调整一下亮度吗？ (Could you adjust the brightness a little?). If you are not sure what can be done, ask 可以怎么调整？ (How can it be adjusted?). Staff may answer with 可以 (can), 没问题 (no problem), or 我看看 (let me take a look). Stay polite and specific; avoid blaming the staff.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
你好，这个扫描件有点问题。
Hello, this scan has a bit of a problem.nǐ hǎo, zhè ge sǎo miáo jiàn yǒu diǎn wèn tí好的，哪里有问题？
Okay, where is the problem?hǎo de, nǎ lǐ yǒu wèn tí这里有一点阴影，而且整张有点太暗。
There is a little shadow here, and the whole page is a bit too dark.zhè lǐ yǒu yì diǎn yīn yǐng, ér qiě zhěng zhāng yǒu diǎn tài àn明白了。我帮您调整一下亮度，再重新扫一次。
Understood. I will adjust the brightness for you and rescan it once.míng bai le. wǒ bāng nín tiáo zhěng yí xià liàng dù, zài chóng xīn sǎo yí cìA little context goes a long way
In Chinese service settings, politeness often comes from softening words rather than adding please. Use 有点 (a little), 一下 (a bit), and 不太 (not very) to keep your tone gentle. Address staff as 您 (nín, you, polite) if you want to be extra respectful, though 你 (nǐ) is also common. When asking for a fix, focus on the object and the action, not on the person: 这个有点暗 (this is a bit dark) sounds more natural than 你扫得不好 (you scanned it badly).
One thing to watch for
Saying 有影子 (yǒu yǐng zi) for a scan shadow.
Try this instead: 影子 usually means a cast shadow from an object, like a person's shadow. For a dark patch or shading on a scan, use 阴影 (yīn yǐng): 这里有一点阴影。
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'This character is not very clear' in Chinese?
Show a sample answer
这个字不太清楚。
不太清楚 means 'not very clear'. You can also say 这个字不清楚, but 不太 makes it softer and more polite.
2You want to ask the staff to rescan the document. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
能重新扫吗？
能...吗 is a polite way to ask for an action. 重新扫 means 'rescan'. You could also say 可以重新扫吗？
3The whole page is too dark. How do you describe it and ask for an adjustment?
Show a sample answer
整张有点太暗，可以调整一下亮度吗？
整张 means 'the whole sheet'. 有点太暗 softens 'too dark'. 调整一下亮度 is a polite request to adjust brightness. You could also say 能调亮一点吗？
Describe the scan problem with 有阴影, 不清楚, or 太暗, then ask politely with 能重新扫吗？ or 可以调整一下亮度吗？. Point to the area, keep your tone soft with 有点 and 一下, and focus on the scan, not the person.
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