Uber nears deal with Grab to pull back in south-east Asia
Grab, the southeast Asian ride sharing app（词汇）, is close to signing a deal with Uber Technologies that would see the two combine forces in the region, with Uber conceding the market in return for a mid-20 per cent share in Grab as consolidation in the sector intensifies, two people familiar with the matter say.两名知情人士称，东南亚共享出行应用Grab接近于与优步(Uber Technologies)签署一份协议。在该行业整合加剧之际，这两家公司将依据该协议在该地区联合起来，优步以让出市场为代价，换得Grab 25％左右的股权。
V-T If you concede something, you give it to the person who has been trying to get it from you. 【ALSO】V-T If you concede something, you admit, often unwillingly, that it is true or correct. N the act of consolidating or state of being consolidated
The transaction, which has been in the works for many months, is likely to make Grab the most valuable internet firm in South East Asia with a definitive agreement expected on March 18 or 19.
这笔交易已运作了好几个月，它很可能会使Grab成为东南亚估值最高的互联网公司。预计最终协议将在3月18日或19日签署。
ADJ Something that is definitive provides a firm conclusion that cannot be questioned. 【ALSO】ADJ A definitive book or performance is thought to be the best of its kind that has ever been done or that will ever be done.
The transaction is similar to that Uber struck（句型）in China in 2016, taking a stake in Didi Chuxing rather than continue to engage in a brutal struggle for market share.这笔交易类似于优步2016年在中国达成的交易：入股（句型）滴滴出行，而不是为争夺市场份额与之展开肉搏战。
ADJ If someone expresses something unpleasant with brutal honesty or frankness, they express it in a clear and accurate way, without attempting to disguise its unpleasantness.
The deal underscores the way Masayoshi Son’s SoftBank is becoming the dominant player worldwide in the space. Mr Son put $5.5 bn into Didi Chuxing and is one of the largest shareholders in what is now the dominant ride sharing app in China.该交易凸显了孙正义的软银正如何成为世界范围内该领域的主导玩家的。以55亿美元入股滴滴的孙正义，是如今在中国市场上占主导地位的这款共享出行应用的最大股东之一。
Then, last summer Softbank and Didi put a combined $2 bn in Grab, giving it a valuation of $6bn.而后在去年夏天，软银和滴滴又合计对Grab投资了20亿美元，那笔交易对Grab的估值为60亿美元。
Subsequently, Softbank became the largest shareholder in Uber. Mr Son was given an attractive price on the stake in Uber in part because he has major stakes in Uber’s Asian rivals, which include Indian ride sharing app Ola as well as Grab, people familiar with those negotiations say.接着，软银成为优步的最大股东。了解入股谈判的人士称，孙正义能以有吸引力的价格入股优步，部分原因是，他是优步的亚洲竞争对手——包括印度共享出行应用Ola以及Grab——的大股东。
Grab’s co-founder and chief executive, Anthony Tan declined to comment. Grab联合创始人、首席执行官陈炳耀拒绝置评。
The proposed transaction also illustrates how complicated alliances can become in Asia as the two dominant Chinese players and Softbank take their partnerships and rivalry across the region.这笔拟议中的交易还表明，随着两个占主导地位的中国玩家和软银在亚洲各地展开合作与竞争，该地区的联盟关系可以变得多么复杂。
Thus Grab’s biggest competitor in Indonesia is Go-Jek, which is backed by Tencent (as well as Sequoia Capital and international private equity firms KKR and Warburg Pincus.) Tencent’s greatest competitor both at home and abroad is Alibaba and while Alibaba is not an investor in Grab, it is so close to Softbank that the two are regarded as partners.Grab在印尼的最大竞争对手是Go-Jek，后者得到腾讯——以及红杉资本（词汇）和国际私人股本公司KKR、华平投资（词汇）——的支持。腾讯在国内外的最大竞争对手都是阿里巴巴(Alibaba)，尽管阿里巴巴并未入股Grab，但它与软银的关系是如此密切，以至于两者被视为合作伙伴。
The competition is a good thing for the rest of Asia. As the deep pockets（句型） of Ali, Softbank and Tencent expand across southeast Asia and India, they are becoming a positive catalyst for change, backing local players that may lack capital, creating jobs and improving the lives of both their staff and consumers generally.这种竞争对亚洲其他地区而言是一件好事。随着资金雄厚的阿里巴巴、软银和腾讯在东南亚和印度扩张，它们正成为一种积极的、促进变革的催化剂，资助当地可能缺少资本的玩家，创造就业机会，并改善它们的员工和全体消费者的生活。
N-COUNT You can describe a person or thing that causes a change or event to happen as a catalyst.
Previously Southeast Asia has lacked the engineers and computer scientists that have powered the rise of tech in China. For example, Grab is based in Singapore because engineers from China are willing to move there according to Mr Tan.东南亚以往缺少推动中国科技崛起的（句型）工程师和计算机科学家。举例来说，陈炳耀称，Grab把总部设在新加坡，就是因为来自中国的工程师愿意搬到那里。
Unlike most Chinese entrepreneurs, though Mr Tan did not start from humble origins（句型）. He is the third generation of the Tan Chong Motor family that controls the Nissan franchise in several countries in the region while his grandfather kickstarted（句型）the Japanese automobile industry in his native Malaysia. An, while he says he built his app before getting government licenses, the fact is that in Southeast Asia it is still hard for a first generation entrepreneur without connections to get the necessary permits.不过，与多数中国创业家不同的是，陈炳耀并非出身卑微。他是陈唱汽车家族的第三代，该家族控制着（句型）几个东南亚国家的日产(Nissan)经销权。他的祖父在母国马来西亚启动了日产汽车业务。尽管他说他在取得政府牌照前就建好了他的应用，但事实却是，在东南亚，没有关系的第一代创业家仍很难拿到必需的许可证。
Still, Mr Tan has built an impressive business. Today, Grab functions in six Asean countries. It also has research centers in Singapore, Beijing and Seattle.尽管如此，陈炳耀已打造出了一家令人印象深刻的企业。如今，Grab在6个东盟国家开展运营。它还在新加坡、北京和西雅图设有研发中心。
V-I If a machine or system is functioning, it is working or operating.
The deal is likely to give rise to（句型）speculation about whether Mr Son will attempt to broker a similar arrangement between Ola and Uber in India.这笔交易很可能会让一些人猜测孙正义是否会尝试撮合Ola和优步在印度达成类似的安排。
V-T If a country or government brokers an agreement, a ceasefire, or a round of talks, they try to negotiate or arrange it. 【ALSO】N-COUNT A broker is a person whose job is to buy and sell securities, foreign money, real estate, or goods for other people.