The English language has a lot of words which can be used in many different ways and in many different expressions.
One such example is the word matter. In fact, matter can mean just about anything. It could be one of the most useful words in the English language.
Let's get to the heart of the matter—a matter of principle (原则).
If someone says that you owe (欠) him $50, but you don't, a friend might say, "Well, you could pay him the $50. It's not that much money. Then you won't have to hear him say it anymore." But if you do not owe him the money, do not pay him the money. It's a matter of principle.
There is another way to use the word matter. But be careful with your choice of words.
If you ask someone, "What's the matter?" it shows you are worried about the other person. But saying, "What's the matter with you?" has a completely different meaning. And it usually sounds rude (粗鲁的). In fact, when you say, "What's the matter with you?" you are suggesting that the person did something wrong or stupid.
Another expression that could sound rude is to say, "It doesn't matter to me." Here, it depends on the context, and how you say it.
Let's say you tell someone that a friend just got a big raise at work. That person answers with, "It doesn't matter to me." Here, it means he or she does not care. And it sounds rude.
But saying, "Oh, you pick where we eat dinner. It doesn't matter to me." does not sound rude. In this situation, "it doesn't matter" shows you are easy-going (随和的).
No matter how you look at it and what you say, matter is a very useful word. And it's only a matter of time before you will become an expert on the use of matter.
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