<p>&quot;Set something straight&quot; means &quot;make something clear&quot;</p>
<p>&quot;<strong>Set</strong> the priority <strong>straight</strong>&quot; = <strong>弄清</strong>首要的事 (<strong>make</strong> the priority <strong>clear</strong>)</p>
<p>&quot;<strong>Set</strong> the record <strong>straight</strong>&quot; = <strong>弄清</strong>事實 (<strong>make</strong> the fact <strong>clear</strong>)</p>
<p>&quot;Set someone straight&quot; means &quot;make someone understand&quot;</p>
<p>&quot;<strong>Set</strong> you <strong>straight</strong>&quot; = <strong>使</strong>你<strong>明白</strong> (<strong>make</strong> you <strong>understand</strong>)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-18T10:44:51.250Z
In this case, what I try to mean is somewhat different. I am not saying "your priority is unclear". But I want to say "your priority is wrong. You think A is more important than B, but I think B is more important than A".  That's the context in which I want to say "Set your priority straight". So I mean "Change your priority"
PPP
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-10-19T22:28:45.150Z
@PPP The use of 清(楚) to convey both _clarity, lack of ambiguity_ and _tidy, neatness, properness_ in this instance is a key to natural Chinese. If you wanted to be more specific, the most usual way in colloquial Mandarin would be straight-out criticism, something like [你]把事情搞得乱七八糟，先做的竟然排到后面 etc.
Michaelyus
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-14T19:37:20.447Z
2022-09-14T19:37:20.447Z
Tang Ho
<p>I prefer &quot;get your priorities right&quot;.</p>
<p>You need to get your priorities right.<br />
你需要确定事情的轻重缓急。</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-14T23:05:03.700Z
2022-09-14T23:05:03.700Z
Pedroski
<p>I believe what you're looking for is 搞清楚狀況 (gǎo qīng chǔ zhuàng kuàng).</p>
<p>Which roughly means &quot;Make oneself clear of the situation&quot;.</p>
<p>Please note that this phrase is not, strictly speaking, nice.</p>
<p>It somehow implies You know better than the listener (or whoever you're referring to), he/she is inferior to you and such.</p>
<p>And the worst of all, it has a little bit of meaning of &quot;Know your place!&quot;.</p>
<p>So, depending on how you used &quot;Set your priority straight!&quot;, this phrase could more or less means that.</p>
<p>If, say, an employee is slacking when there is obviously something in the tight schedule, the boss can definitely tell him &quot;搞不清楚狀況呀你！？&quot; (gǎo bù qīng chǔ zhuàng kuàng ya nǐ, Do you have any Fing idea what the situation is right now!? Set your priority straight!), and fire his/her ass!</p>
<p>Other uses of this phrase could be something like,</p>
<p>A smartass brat talking shit to a nice-but-hardcore gang member, then the gangster could surely say, &quot;搞不清楚狀況呀你！？&quot;.</p>
<p>Then, in this case, it obviously means &quot;Know your place! If you keep up, you will never see the light of day again!&quot;</p>
<p>There are many other uses of this phrase, just as &quot;Set your priority straight&quot;, it all depends on how and when you use it.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-10-20T18:14:45.897Z
2022-10-20T18:14:45.897Z
Piggy Chu
<p>&quot;Set the priority straight&quot; - I'll say it equals to say in Chinese &quot;確認優先權(or 次序)&quot;.</p>
<p><strong>Response to OP's comment:</strong></p>
<p>If you want to say &quot;Change your priority&quot; - &quot;你要把先後次序搞清楚(You shall set the priority straight)&quot;, which implies &quot;我是對的,你是錯的(I'm right, you are wrong)&quot;.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-18T10:45:07.500Z
In this case, what I try to mean is somewhat different. I am not saying "your priority is unclear". But I want to say "your priority is wrong. You think A is more important than B, but I think B is more important than A". That's the context in which I want to say "Set your priority straight". So I mean "Change your priority"
PPP
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-14T19:42:42.137Z
2022-09-19T21:02:19.283Z
2022-09-19T21:02:19.283Z
r13
<p>What is Chinese for &quot;Set the priority straight&quot; ?</p>
<p>Or is there any Chinese fable or ancient story that relates to the idea of setting the priority straight?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-10-21T06:09:29.640Z
I can think of a few sentence structure that may help you(a little less direct/more general reminder), but would require a subject for what you are getting your priority straight on (work, family, school, etc.)  If this may be what you want let me know and I'd be happy to help.
zagrycha
<word><idioms><expressions>
"Set the priority straight" in Chinese?
# "Set the priority straight" in Chinese?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-09-14)

What is Chinese for "Set the priority straight" ?

Or is there any Chinese fable or ancient story that relates to the idea of setting the priority straight?

**Tags:** word, idioms, expressions
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I can think of a few sentence structure that may help you(a little less direct/more general reminder), but would require a subject for what you are getting your priority straight on (work, family, school, etc.)  If this may be what you want let me know and I'd be happy to help.  

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## 4 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2022-09-14. Score: 2

"Set something straight" means "make something clear"

"**Set** the priority **straight**" = **弄清**首要的事 (**make** the priority **clear**)

"**Set** the record **straight**" = **弄清**事實 (**make** the fact **clear**)

"Set someone straight" means "make someone understand"

"**Set** you **straight**" = **使**你**明白** (**make** you **understand**)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: In this case, what I try to mean is somewhat different. I am not saying "your priority is unclear". But I want to say "your priority is wrong. You think A is more important than B, but I think B is more important than A".  That's the context in which I want to say "Set your priority straight". So I mean "Change your priority"  
> **username_3**: @PPP The use of 清(楚) to convey both _clarity, lack of ambiguity_ and _tidy, neatness, properness_ in this instance is a key to natural Chinese. If you wanted to be more specific, the most usual way in colloquial Mandarin would be straight-out criticism, something like [你]把事情搞得乱七八糟，先做的竟然排到后面 etc.  

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### Answer by username_4 on 2022-09-14. Score: 2

I prefer "get your priorities right".

You need to get your priorities right.  
你需要确定事情的轻重缓急。


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### Answer by username_5 on 2022-10-20. Score: 0

I believe what you're looking for is 搞清楚狀況 (gǎo qīng chǔ zhuàng kuàng).

Which roughly means "Make oneself clear of the situation".

Please note that this phrase is not, strictly speaking, nice.

It somehow implies You know better than the listener (or whoever you're referring to), he/she is inferior to you and such.

And the worst of all, it has a little bit of meaning of "Know your place!".

So, depending on how you used "Set your priority straight!", this phrase could more or less means that.

If, say, an employee is slacking when there is obviously something in the tight schedule, the boss can definitely tell him "搞不清楚狀況呀你！？" (gǎo bù qīng chǔ zhuàng kuàng ya nǐ, Do you have any Fing idea what the situation is right now!? Set your priority straight!), and fire his/her ass!

Other uses of this phrase could be something like,

A smartass brat talking shit to a nice-but-hardcore gang member, then the gangster could surely say, "搞不清楚狀況呀你！？".

Then, in this case, it obviously means "Know your place! If you keep up, you will never see the light of day again!"

There are many other uses of this phrase, just as "Set your priority straight", it all depends on how and when you use it.


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### Answer by username_6 on 2022-09-14. Score: 0

"Set the priority straight" - I'll say it equals to say in Chinese "確認優先權(or 次序)".

**Response to OP's comment:**

If you want to say "Change your priority" - "你要把先後次序搞清楚(You shall set the priority straight)", which implies "我是對的,你是錯的(I'm right, you are wrong)".

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: In this case, what I try to mean is somewhat different. I am not saying "your priority is unclear". But I want to say "your priority is wrong. You think A is more important than B, but I think B is more important than A". That's the context in which I want to say "Set your priority straight". So I mean "Change your priority"  

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