The audio sample and transcription is from RFI’s Revue de Presse Hebdomaires Français 04 May 2025 Episode. We do not own this content, nor do we pretend to.
The above audio sample and transcription is from RFI’s Revue de Presse Hebdomaires Français 04 May 2025 Episode. We do not own this content, nor do we pretend to. The above is for educational purposes only. Find the full text and audio here or on Google Podcasts or Apple Podcasts.
Les faits remontent
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The snippet in English
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Le jeune homme n’est pourtant pas « un opposant de premier plan ». « Ce qu’on lui reproche ? Un tweet ». Les faits remontent à 2016, lorsque Hong Min Yin, « apprend à contourner la censure » et visionne une vidéo du massacre de la place Tian’anmen, en juin 1989. Bouleversé, il poste cette vidéo sur Twitter, accompagnée de ces mots : « les assassins doivent payer ». « Une alerte s’allume, quelque part, sur un écran à Pékin », poursuit le Parisien-Dimanche. « Hongmin Yin vient d’entrer dans le viseur des autorités et n’en sortira plus ». « Il y a trois mois, il a reçu une convocation de l’ambassade de Chine à Paris. (…) il ne s’y est pas rendu. Il sait que ce genre de voyage ne prévoit pas de retour », conclut le Parisien-Dimanche.
The young man is not, however, “a leading opponent”. “What is he accused of? A tweet”. The facts date back to 2016, when Hong Min Yin “learned how to bypass censorship” and viewed a video of the Tian’anmen Square massacre in June 1989. Upset, he posts the video on Twitter, accompanied by the words: “the murderers must pay”. “An alert lights up, somewhere, on a screen in Beijing”, continues Le Parisien-Dimanche. “Hongmin Yin has just entered the authorities’ sights and will never leave them again”. “Three months ago, he received a summons from the Chinese embassy in Paris (…) he didn’t go. He knows that this kind of trip does not involve a return,” concludes Le Parisien-Dimanche.
Translated with Deepl.
What does “un opposant de premier plan” mean?
Un opposant de premier plan means a high-profile opponent or a leading critic.
Il est considéré comme un opposant de premier plan au régime. (He is seen as a leading opponent of the regime.)
Cultural note: The phrase de premier plan is formal and often used in journalism or political commentary to describe important figures, especially those who are: 1) well-known; 2) influential; 3) central to public debate It adds weight and visibility to the noun it qualifies. You can use it with other roles too: un artiste de premier plan, une chercheuse de premier plan, etc.
What does “on lui reproche” mean?
On lui reproche means he is criticized for or he is blamed for.
On lui reproche son manque de transparence. (He is criticized for his lack of transparency.)
On lui reproche d’avoir menti. (He is blamed for having lied.)
Cultural note: The verb reprocher carries a tone of moral or social disapproval. It’s stronger than simply noting a mistake—it implies you should have known better. Common in journalistic, political, and interpersonal contexts.
What does “les faits remontent” mean?
Les faits remontent means the facts go back or the events date back.
Les faits = the facts or the events
Remontent = go back, date back (from remonter)
Les faits remontent à 2019. (The events date back to 2019.)
Les faits remontent à plusieurs années. (The facts go back several years.)
Cultural note: This phrase is often used in journalism, legal contexts, or news reports when discussing incidents from the past that are only now being investigated or revealed.
What does “lorsque” mean?
Lorsque means when or while, and is used to introduce a time-based clause—often in written or formal French.
Lorsque je suis arrivé, il dormait encore. (When I arrived, he was still sleeping.)
Il a souri lorsque tu as parlé de ton voyage. (He smiled when you talked about your trip.)
Soyez prudents lorsque vous traversez la route. (Be careful when crossing the road.)
How it’s used: Interchangeable with quand in most cases → Lorsque sounds more formal or literary, while quand is more neutral or spoken
Cultural note: Lorsque appears often in news articles, literature, legal writing, or official documents, where tone matters. It adds a slightly more elevated or refined feel than everyday quand. Can express simultaneity, cause, or sequence in time.
What does “contourner” mean?
Contourner means to bypass, to go around, or to circumvent, depending on context.
Literal meaning:
Il a contourné le bâtiment pour trouver une autre entrée. (He went around the building to find another entrance.)
Figurative meaning:
Ils ont contourné la loi grâce à une faille juridique. (They circumvented the law thanks to a legal loophole.)
Elle a contourné le problème au lieu de l’affronter. (She avoided the problem instead of confronting it.)
Cultural note: Contourner is commonly used in politics, law, and tech to describe avoiding restrictions, rules, or obstacles—not always illegally, but often with a sense of clever maneuvering or workaround. It can be neutral, strategic, or slightly critical depending on tone.
What does “bouleversé” mean?
Bouleversé means shaken, overwhelmed, or deeply upset, depending on context. It’s the past participle of bouleverser, and can describe both emotional and situational upheaval.
Emotional use:
Elle était bouleversée par la nouvelle. (She was devastated by the news.)
Je suis bouleversé par ce film. (I’m deeply moved by this film.) → Here, it means emotionally shaken, often in a profound or sudden way.
Situational use:
L’ordre habituel a été bouleversé. (The usual order was disrupted.) → Can mean disturbed, turned upside down, or thrown into chaos.
Cultural note: Bouleversé is stronger than triste or ému—it suggests a deep emotional impact or disruption, whether through grief, shock, or intense joy. Often used in serious contexts: loss, powerful art, or major life changes.
What does “le viseur des autorités” mean?
Le viseur des autorités means the sights of the authorities—as in under scrutiny, under the watch, or targeted by authorities.
Cette organisation est dans le viseur des autorités fiscales. (This organization is in the sights of the tax authorities.)
Il est dans le viseur des autorités depuis ses propos polémiques. (He has been under scrutiny by the authorities since his controversial remarks.)
Le viseur = the sights, like the aiming device on a weapon or camera
Des autorités = of the authorities (police, government, etc.)
Figurative meaning:
Being dans le viseur des autorités means someone or something is being monitored, investigated, or about to be confronted. It suggests a targeted, deliberate focus—often in legal, political, or regulatory contexts.
What does “ce genre de voyage ne prévoit pas de retour” mean?
Ce genre de voyage ne prévoit pas de retour means this kind of trip doesn’t include a return or more figuratively, this kind of journey is one-way.
Figurative meaning:
While it can be taken literally (a one-way trip), it often has a deeper, symbolic tone—used in literature, philosophy, or journalism to suggest: 1) a point of no return; 2) death, exile, or escape; 3) a major life change, transformation, or rupture
Ce genre de voyage ne prévoit pas de retour — c’est un adieu au monde connu. (This kind of journey doesn’t include a return — it’s a farewell to the known world.)
Cultural note: French often uses this phrasing in dramatic or existential contexts, where the absence of return implies something irreversible, risky, or profound.
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The audio sample and transcription is from RFI’s Revue de Presse Hebdomaires Français 04 May 2025 Episode. We do not own this content, nor do we pretend to. The above audio sample and transcription is from RFI’s Revue de Presse Hebdomaires Français 04 May 2025 Episode. We do not own this content, nor do we…
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