![]() ![]() If you bump into a tough character on the street or insult somebody, they might say 你皮子痒, or “your skin looks itchy.” This expression is used when expressing a desire to beat someone up. Out of context (and within context as well), it’s nothing short of hilarious. Alternatively, the Chinese refer to the kiss-ass as one who 拍马屁, or beats a horse’s butt. You want to do what to my horse?! “Kiss-ass,” “suck-up” or “brown noser” are common terms used in the West to refer to someone who treats someone of authority with more kindness or generosity in order to fall into their good graces. Of course, most young Chinese people don’t throw this term from a centuries-dead poet around in real life, but it’s still bizarre enough that you just have to know it. However, it’s not quite as strange as the Mandarin version: 沉鱼落雁, which means “sink fish, drop goose” or “beautiful enough to sink the fish and make geese fall from the sky.” This idiom originates from the ancient Taoist author 莊子 (Zhuāng Zǐ), who, interestingly enough, has written a lot of stuff about fish. It’s an odd term ( with odd, vague origins) when you think about it: Describing people as so beautiful that they literally are murdering people with their looks is a strange compliment to give. We’ve all heard the phrase “drop dead gorgeous.” This term is typically used to describe incredibly beautiful women, though it can also be used to describe particularly handsome men. Check out our awesome list! 9 Funny Chinese Words and Phrases You’ve Gotta Learn 1. ![]() It’s worth mentioning that not all of them are necessarily in current, common use, but they’re all great for practice and giggles. The idioms and slang terms below range from painfully cheesy to actually pretty funny. Loosen up a bit and learn at the same time! Nobody wants to be the ultra serious Western foreigner. Learn what’s funny in China and you’ll make Chinese friends a bit more easily. Learning a funny phrase or two can not only give you something to say at an appropriate time, but can help you understand what a particular culture, in this case Chinese culture, finds funny. They can help you break the ice and make friends with native speakers.What a particular country or culture finds funny ties into understanding the language as well. Language as a whole is composed of accents, dialects and ready-made phrases. Learning another language is so much more than just learning phrases and words by the book. Being able to laugh at/in Chinese is an important part of mastering fluency. ![]() Why Bother Learning These Humorous Chinese Phrases? This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you It’ll help you learn new vocabulary, and it’s nearly vital to being able to communicate effectively with native Mandarin speakers. Learning funny Chinese phrases is an important (and enjoyable) part of one’s Chinese learning journey. You are already taking the time to learn the language, after all, and culture is a big part of language. What human beings find funny or catchy isn’t all that different across the globe, but it doesn’t hurt to put some effort into learning specifics that relate to Chinese language and culture. This is why it’s important, as a learner, to try and learn a bit more about Chinese slang and idioms. The average adult laughs at least four times a day at something.Īnd that something usually involves communication and, ultimately, language.īut what’s funny in English may not be quite as funny in Mandarin Chinese and vice versa.
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