F1. The Language

While there are arguably more people on earth that speak English mildly well than there are decent Mandarin speakers, the vast majority of China’s population (like America’s) is monolingual, so if you want to talk to a Chinese person, odds are you’ll need to have your putonghua down pat. This is immensely helpful in the business sphere, but I prefer to look at it this way: if you speak Mandarin, that’s 1.2 billion more people you can chat with, including some 600 million more men/women (or whatever you’re into), many of whom are very nice and charming and good-looking. You gotta love those odds!

5. Confidence and Cajones

I’m not going to beat around the bush here: Chinese is a tough language to learn for us native English speakers. The tones, the characters, etc, it’s just tricky. BUT, in a way, that’s the best part of learning Chinese: the confidence and satisfaction you can derive from something as simple as using a word you’ve just learned smoothly in casual conversation is hard to match. The other day I was getting into the elevator in my building and a woman rushed on with her motorbike in tow and got off on the 3rd floor (of a 30 story building), profusely apologizing for the inconvenience. “Méi shì (没事),” I told her, “Zhège bùnéng suíshēn dài ba (这个不能随身带吧)!” “It’s OK, you can’t really carry that with you!” I’d just learned the term "Suíshēn dài" (随身带) that week, and to have been able to slip it into a conversation and, for once in my life, actually make someone laugh in Chinese?! Forget about it, I was on cloud nine the rest of the day. That’s the sort of high you can get from a challenge like learning a new language, and for my money, Mandarin is one of the most challenging and rewarding languages to tackle, as well as the one with possibly the most practice opportunities.

How to Address a Stranger in Chinese

By Julie Tha Gyaw | Date: July 7th, 2014 | Category: Chinese Culture

Introduction - “qīn (亲)" vs. “qīn ài de (亲爱的)"

If you’ve ever shopped on Taobao, a Chinese website that’s kind of like Amazon or eBay, then you’ve probably been called “qīn (亲)" by a complete stranger before.

Vendors on Taobao call buyers “qīn,” which is actually a term of endearment. Calling someone “qīn” is like calling them “dear,” and it’s short for “qīn ài de (亲爱的)".

Let me explain why I think this is interesting.

Actually, calling someone “qīn” is really just an abbreviated form of a standard polite letter salutation, as in “Qīn ài de [name], nín hǎo! (亲爱的 [name], 您好!)", which means “Dear [name], hello!”

But the thing is, by shortening it to just “qīn,” it becomes much more casual and much more personal, like something that would normally be used between people who are actually very familiar with and fond of each other.

Before I get into why I think complete strangers online use the word “qīn” with each other, let me give you another example of an odd word choice.

Addressing people by “měi nǚ (美女)" and “shuài gē (帅哥)"

One way that people in China often address women who they don’t know is “měi nǚ (美女)", as in, “Hey, měi nǚ, is my grande caramel latte ready yet?”

“Měi nǚ” means “beautiful woman” or “beautiful girl,” so the first time someone called me “měi nǚ (美女)", I was so flattered.

By calling me “měi nǚ” instead of “miss” or “madam,” the shop assistant instantly created a connection between us and made me feel good. But the nice, flattered feeling only lasted for about 10 seconds, until I noticed that she was calling every female in the shop “měi nǚ.”

As I learned that day, any girl or woman can be called “mĕi nǚ” these days, and when used this way, calling someone “měi nǚ” isn’t really a comment on her looks, despite the actual meaning of the word.

The same thing happens with males now too. Some people will call any random guy “shuài gē (帅哥)", which means “handsome man,” with no regard for whether he is actually good-looking or not.

So why do people use these words?

My guess is, if you’re trying to sound casual, friendly, and approachable towards someone who's name you don't know, it’s tough to come up with a better alternative. This is especially true if you’re trying to create a personal connection with him or her.

For example, I think “qīn” became the standard way for Taobao vendors to address customers because, compared to using other more traditional ways of addressing a customer, the term “qīn” is a clever way for the vendor to create a sense of closeness and familiarity with the buyer.

Besides, it also keeps the mood of the conversation light and casual, which is important when the interactions are happening online and you can’t rely on body language or tone of voice.

Even so, it is a bit strange to call just anyone “qīn” or “měi nǚ” or “shuài gē,” and there are plenty of people in China who cringe a bit when they hear others use these words so liberally, but let’s talk about the alternatives:

Alternative 1 – Xiǎo jǐe (小姐)

This term, which means “miss,” is not only restricted by age, but can seem overly formal and can have some negative connotations.

It’s no longer really appropriate to use this term with a woman who has reached her thirties or so. It’s commonly used with someone’s last name, such as “Wáng xiǎo jǐe (王小姐)" without any connotations, good or bad.

But, when used on its own, it's often to either address someone formally or to call to women who work in the service industry, especially waitresses.

And in some parts of China, “xiǎo jǐe” is a term used to refer to a prostitute. So you can see why some people hesitate to use this word in some contexts.

Alternative 2 – Nǚ shì (女士)

This term means “madam” or “lady” and is generally used for women over 40 or so.

It’s very polite, and often too polite for many settings. Add that to the fact that it’s only used for older ladies, and you’ve got plenty of room for the possibility of having an awkward interaction or even offending someone.

It’s just not a word that you want to use when you’re trying to create a personal connection or keep the tone light.

Alternative 3 – Xiān sheng (先生)

This means “sir” or “mister.”

Just like the English equivalents, it can be used for males of all ages, married or unmarried, so there’s no worry about offending someone in that way.

But like “xiǎo jǐe” and “nǚ shì,” the word “xiān sheng” is just a bit stiff and mostly used in a polite situation, so not the best choice for a more casual interaction.

Alternative 4 – Tóng zhì (同志)

Okay, this is not really a viable alternative.

This means “comrade” and was commonly used in mainland China for a period, but hasn’t been used anymore for years. Actually, it’s now mostly used to refer to homosexuals.

I only list this word here because, purely from a linguistic standpoint, I think it’s a kind of a shame that “tóng zhì” isn’t used anymore. Back in the day, just about anyone could safely use it with anyone else, without any worry of offending someone.

As you can see, you’re not left with many choices if you want to get someone’s attention but don’t know his/her name, and you don’t want to just say “hey.”

So without many alternatives to choose from, people got creative and started using other words that originally had a different meaning or were used in different contexts.

Conclusion

Now, the final question is, should YOU start using words like “měi nǚ” and “shuài gē” to call out to strangers?

That depends on the situation and the message that you are trying to convey. Do keep in mind that a girl calling a girl “měi nǚ” and a guy calling a girl “měi nǚ” can come across quite differently. The same goes for “shuài gē.”

I don’t know if anyone actually gets offended by being called “měi nǚ” or “shuài gē,” but I do know that some people still find these terms a bit awkward, even though they can’t think of a better alternative.

As for me, maybe I’m just getting old, but personally, I rarely use these words. I generally find them to be a little too flirtatious for my style.

The only time I might use these words is, for example, in a bar or some place like that with a very casual atmosphere, and I’d only use it to joke around with people who are quite young, say 25 or younger.

In the right setting, it can be a fun way to get a smile from someone who’s not expecting to be called that by a foreigner. But if in doubt, and you just want to play it safe, you can always just say “nǐ hǎo” to get someone’s attention.

5 Common Chinglish Mistakes and Why They Happen

By Michael Hurwitz | Date: December 7th, 2013 | Category: Chinese Language

If you’re not familiar with Chinglish, it’s the alternately humorous and frustrating brand of English commonly spoken by native Chinese speakers around the world. Chinglish can result in some pretty wacky written translations, but you’re likely to encounter it most in the form of oddly worded and pronounced English that confuse the heck out of English-speaking listeners. So why and how did Chinese speakers end up with their own quirky form of English? The answer lies in the many linguistic and cultural differences between China and the English-speaking world.

1. Word Order

English (on a basic level) follows the subject-verb-object-time sentence structure: “I kicked Timmy yesterday.” Obviously it can get a lot more complicated (“Although I had meant to kick Timmy yesterday, he was too crafty and sucker-punched me first.”), but those are the basics. In Chinese, however, you cram all that ancillary where/when info in right after the subject, and before the verb and object: “wǒ zuótiān kàn xīnde diànyǐng/我昨天看新的电影” - I watched a new movie yesterday, or literally “I yesterday watched a new movie.” Chinese speakers, like most people when speaking a foreign language, tend to form a sentence in Chinese first and then translate in their heads before saying it, which is why you end up with sentences like “You tomorrow go to the Boston” (more on article misusage later!).

2. He/She

When people tell you Chinese grammar is simpler than English, they’ll often point to pronouns. In English there’s he/him/his and she/her/hers and there isn’t a ton of rhyme or reason to it. Chinese just has 他 and 她 for male and female respectively, and they’re both pronounced as “tā.” Simple as can be, but it leads to a lot of pronoun confusion for Chinese speakers, as they’re not used to gender differentiation. So you end up with your Chinese co-worker telling you about his wife’s weekend by saying, “he went shopping and bought a dress he looks really good in.”

3. Although….but

This is a bit more subtle, but if you’ve spent time in China or Taiwan you’ve likely heard a Chinese speaker tell you that “although he isn’t the manager, but he can still give good advice.” If you’re like me, that “but” jumps out at you like a frog on Christmas Eve (I assume, I don’t know, I’m Jewish). There’s a good reason for it though:

The Chinese structure analogous to “Although [statement 1], [statement 2]” is “虽然/suīrán [statement 1], 但是/dànshì [statement 2],” with dànshì usually translated as “but.”

Naturally, Chinese speakers tend to copy and paste the grammatical structure, so you hear a lot of “although...but” sentences. Fortunately, the meaning is still more or less intact!

4. “It’s a Colorful Life”

One of my all-time favorite Chinglish phrases is “It is a colouful life.” There’s something so cheesy, so movie-of-the-week about it that it always makes me chuckle. Why do so many Chinese people use this James Stewart-esque platitude? Well, it’s a pretty direct translation of the Chinese phrase “duōcǎi de shēnghuó/多彩的生活.” Shēnghuó just means life, but duōcǎi is often translated as “colorful,” whereas it really has more of a connotation of rich, deep, and fulfilling. While “colorful” does have those meanings, it’s not generally the first thing English speakers think of when they hear or see it, leading to chuckles and bewilderment when talking to certain Chinese speakers in English.

5. Articles - a/an/the

Chinese friends always tell me that one of the hardest parts of learning English is getting articles right - when to use a/an or the, if at all. I’ll admit, it’s tricky: “Bring me the cup” and “bring me a cup” can mean different things or the same thing, so I can see why it’s so hard to master. Still, though, articles have proven particularly difficult for Chinese speakers to grasp, in large part because there are no articles in Chinese. I find myself making the reverse mistake, saying something like “wǒ zài yīgè jiǔbā/我在一个酒吧” (“I’m at a bar”) rather than just “wǒ zài jiǔbā.” Still, though, it grates the eyes and ears to encounter something like, “Meeting was held in the Beijing,” which I mercifully corrected when helping a friend with translation recently.

Chinese Dialects: Do you need to know them?

By Melissa Judson | Date: September 27th, 2013 | Category: Chinese Language

If you have been studying Chinese for a little while, you may have noticed that you have an easier time understanding some Chinese speakers more than others. Of course things like gender and alcohol consumption are factors, but so is the fact that people from China speak with lots of different accents and dialects – much like the different kinds of English spoken by Americans, Brits, Australians etc. So maybe you understand the differences between Mandarin and Cantonese, but how do you navigate those other pesky dialects? Shanghainese? Beijing-er? Hunanese?

China speaks Mandarin. At any point in time, however, people will be slipping in and out of their local dialects. Think of it like sitting: you can lounge on a sofa watching TV or sit upright at the dining table. Speaking in your local dialect is like reclining on the sofa: subconscious and relaxed. Speaking Standard Mandarin in a formal setting is like dining. You sit upright, conscious and mindful of your posture and table manners (tones and grammar).

Beijing and the North are Special

Beijing residents pride themselves on living in the center for ‘proper Mandarin’. Beijing Chinese is seen as the benchmark for Mandarin. So Beijing Mandarin isn’t a proper dialect, just a heavily accented version of Standard Mandarin. The structure and vocabulary are basically the same, and the most important feature is the smooth, rounded pronunciation of each syllable.

You’ll also notice the Érhuàyīn. This is simply an exaggeration of the ‘er’ sound that appears at the end of many words. The phrase “nǐqùnǎr?” (where are you going?) might be lengthened at the end. It’s a playful way of stretching the sounds of the words. If you go North of Beijing, however you will simply hear standard Mandarin with a slight variation of accents.

When in Rome…

Hang around in Beijing or Shanghai’s tourist spots and you’ll notice that there are a range of accents and dialects. Chinese visitors switch from their regional accent to Standard Mandarin when talking with local residents. You’ll hear the difference when they converse with their tóngbāo 同胞 (buddies from their hometown):

“How much are the tomatoes?” they might ask (Standard Mandarin)

“These ones, 10 kuai a kilo” (Standard Mandarin with local accent)

“Damn, vegetables here are a rip-off” (speech cloaked in regional dialect).

You’ll hear Standard Mandarin with different accents (like British and American English) and then different dialects altogether.

For the Foreign Learner

As a foreigner, the chances of you being met with a heavy regional dialect are very slim. A Chinese will likely speak to you in the most standard Mandarin they can muster. As with any language there are different accents which can take a week or two to get used to. Where possible train your ear to listen to people from different provinces speak Standard Mandarin. Ultimately, it is called pǔtōnghuà or “common speech” (普通话) for good reason – it’s standardized. Mandarin is Mandarin! English is still English, whether it’s spoken in Buckingham Palace or Miami. And so it is with Mandarin.

Chinese speakers worry far too much about American/British English. As a foreign student of Chinese it is best to avoid making too much of dialects. Substance over style is the order of the day. Mastering the language is the most important. Period. Having a good grasp of the language will equip you with the means to know what’s being said and pick up on nuances. As you flex your Mandarin you will see regional differences for the details and embellishments that they are. Consequently, they will cease to be a source of mystery and become a footnote in your linguistic adventures.

Practically speaking…

The bottom line for the Mandarin student is that you should just focus on the default language.

· Listen to CCTV (the national TV news network). The language used here is standard Mandarin that can be understood from the plains of Qinghai right over to the fishing ports of Fujian. If in doubt, ask: “Would this be used by the news anchor?”

· Improve your listening through practice. You will find that your ear becomes more attuned to the subtle variations of the language as you listen more. Watch videos on Baidu (the Chinese version of Youtube), listen to Chinese music and listen to authentic, every day speakers as much as possible. One great resource for this is our Chinese on the Street Series that interviews native speakers in different parts of China.

· Enjoy discovering regional dialects. Don’t worry about this too much. Instead, look forward to stumbling across regional dialects when you hear them in conversations and movies.

Chinese Dialects: Cantonese, Shanghainese and Putonghua

By Melissa Judson | Date: October 4th, 2013 | Category: Chinese Dialects

Last week I wrote about different dialects in China and why English speakers learning Chinese don’t need to worry so much because for the most part, Chinese natives will speak to you in standard Mandarin and reserve heavy accents and dialects for their fellow locals. Today, I will give you a real life example of what I like to call the “dialect dance”.

As you’ve probably noticed, China’s pretty huge. With 1.3 billion natives there’s bound to be diversity in how people talk with each other. At one end of the spectrum is the difference between Mandarin and Cantonese. At the other end of the spectrum is a pure version of Mandarin that is designed to be understood by everybody – such as newsreaders are trained to deliver. Everyday life is lived somewhere in between these two extremes. Sometimes Chinese can encounter language barriers within their own country. But don’t despair! I have already explained here why China’s rich linguistic mix needn’t be a problem for the non-native. Let me illustrate an example:

Introducing Mr. Wang…

Let’s follow the experiences of Mr. Wang, who works for a Beijing plastics manufacturer. Mr. Wang grew up in Beijing and his parents are both from the city. When he’s sharing beers with his work buddies on a Thursday night he’s going to be speaking with a heavy local accent. If you’re a Chinese not from Beijing you might not understand what he’s saying.

Cut to the next morning and he’s on official duty receiving a delegation from Shanghai. Here you’ll hear a more clipped, much more proper Mandarin. When he’s introducing himself to an out-of-towner he’s going to go easy on the ‘er’ and keep his language within a reasonable range. There will be small but noticeable differences between the two speakers. The Shanghai native might use a few different words here and there, and have a different accent. This is where it’s comparable to American and British English, the differences between a Shanghainese speaking Mandarin and a Beijing person speaking Mandarin.

The next week Mr. Wang needs to attend a plastics conference in Shanghai. He gets in a taxi in Puxi and states his destination. From his accent alone the driver’s going to know instantly that his fare isn’t from around these parts. During the journey the driver might natter away on the phone to his friend in the local Shanghai dialect and Mr. Wang - if he’s listening in - is unlikely to understand what he’s saying. When they arrive at the destination the driver will switch back to Standard Mandarin as he coolly looks at the meter and announces the fare. He might even be looking to supplement his 4,000 RMB ($600 or thereabouts) –a-month salary by taking the out-of-towner with the obvious accent on the ‘scenic route.’

This is the experience in many cities throughout China. Yes, there are differences but no more than you would expect from a country this large. Where there is a common ground: in the train stations and schools, waiting rooms and offices people speak as one. Anywhere you might see red banners with slogans and advertisements – people there are probably bustling through their day using Mandarin. A telephone call home presents the opportunity for Mr. Wu from Fujian to momentarily slip into the candid language of their youth. “Yeah, I’m in the doctor’s waiting room, as usual no decent magazines to read.” Upon entering the consulting room he will revert to standard Mandarin to describe his symptoms (excluding the small possibility that the doctor or nurse harks from the same region as them). It is more remarkable that there is a common language to unite so many people. Esperanto was created to be a universal language and has around one million. Mandarin has over one billion.

I’ve been seated at the dinner table with three friends all calling home on their cell phones. My local Beijing friend and I were oblivious as to what any of our fellow diners were saying. We looked at each other dumbfounded as if to say “What are they going on about? Your guess is as good as mine…”

Hong Kong is the Exception

The following month Mr. Wang needs to go to Hong Kong on business (as a New Yorker might visit LA or Texas on business). This is where problems do present themselves. Street signs are in traditional Chinese and English is everywhere. Cantonese is the official language. In the same way that Mr. Wang can’t get what the taxi driver in Shanghai was saying, the conversation of the local Hong Kongers is also unclear – it sounds vaguely familiar but still sounds like a foreign language. The switch to Standard Mandarin is not as easy here as it was in Shanghai. Out and about he asks for directions in Mandarin and for the most part can make himself understood. When he has a business meeting Mr. Wang speaks his mind in Mandarin but wonders whether his partners got every word. Upon returning to his buddies in Beijing, they ask: “How was the trip down to Hong Kong?” “Man, I’ve got to get to my English up”

What does all this mean for you, the English speaking Chinese learner? Well, it means you have more insight into the colorful language of Mandarin and all it’s nuances. You don’t need to worry so much about understanding all these dialects, just take comfort in knowing that they are there and now you can recognize them for what they are: a brilliant reminder of the diversity of the people of China, all united under a common nation and common language.

Top 5 Chinese Food Related Slang

By Michael Hurwitz | Date: October 22nd, 2013 | Category: Chinese Language

Food is often the first way Westerners encounter Chinese culture – I mean, c’mon, who doesn’t like Chinese food? This is strangely appropriate, as food plays an outsized role in Chinese society and culture, arguably much more so than in others. Gathering around the table for dinner is a central part of Chinese family and business life, and passing down recipes and food preparation secrets is a family tradition for many. Food is such an important part of culture here in China, in fact, that Mandarin is chock-full of cool and unusual food-related terms. Here are five that we thought were the most interesting:

1. “nǐ chī le mǎ” (“你吃了吗?”) Literally, “did you eat?” A simple question, to be sure, but it’s not usually meant to be answered literally. Rather, it’s more of an extended greeting, a bit like asking “how are you doing?” or “how’s it going?”. Much like the English response of “good” or “fine”, you wouldn’t generally provide an accurate response, instead simply saying, “chī le.” (I’ve eaten), at least not to acquaintances. It’s a good example of how important eating, especially together in big groups, is in Chinese culture and daily life. When I first arrived in China, I had assumed that “你好吗?” was the standard follow up to “hello,” and while it is still used, it sounds fairly dated. Something like “你吃了吗” or “你怎么样?” (How’s it going?) would be much more common these days.

2.“chī cù (“吃醋”) Literally “to eat vinegar.” This one has a sweet origin story from the Tang Dynasty era (way, way back). According to the Shanghai Daily:

“Emperor Taizong decided to reward his chancellor Fang Xuanling by giving him a choice of beautiful women from his concubines.

Fang's wife was angry and jealous, however, and refused to accept a new woman to share her husband's bed.

The emperor himself was annoyed and gave Fang's wife a choice: either accept new, young lovers for her husband - or drink a cup of poisoned wine and end her life.

She chose to drink poison - which turned out to be vinegar in the emperor's test of her courage and devotion to her husband.

Hence, eating vinegar has come to signify a woman's romantic jealousy.”

To eat vinegar, then, essentially means to be jealous. The connotation is that it’s romantic and involves marital infidelity, but you can really use it in any context. It’s interesting that this classic story has maintained relevance and usage, given that there are who-knows-how-many-thousand stories from the Classical China era that haven’t? Perhaps it’s that same thing about food/food ingredients being so important? Being that it hails from the classical era, chī cù sounds a bit formal these days, but you will still hear it in common conversation: a colleague, for instance, once said that for lunch she’d have to “chī cù” after she wasn’t invited along with the others!

3. “chī dòufu” (“吃豆腐”) Literally “to eat tofu.” I can hear you asking, “wait, just ‘to eat tofu’ means something else?” Yeah, that’s Chinese for you! It’s a steamy one, too: informally, 吃豆腐 means something like “to flirt” or “to tease” in a romantic or sexual manner, though in Taiwan and some other places it has a more negative connotation and could be translated as “to harass” or “to cop a feel.” As with a lot of slang terms like this, usage and meaning vary widely by location and age of the speaker. For Mainland China’s internet generation, 吃豆腐 has a somewhat different meaning! Modern Chinese slang is an interesting thing, and it’s cool how we’ve got a “to eat ___” phrase that dates from the 6th century as well as one given lewd meaning by China’s legions of young internet users!

4. “chī kǔ” (吃苦) Literally “to eat bitterness.” You actually run into this phrase pretty often in Mainland China, and it’s quite commonly used among both younger and older folks. As the literal meaning suggests, 吃苦 means something akin to “to endure hardship” or “suffer for a specific purpose.” It gets used a lot in both business and social contexts, and carries the connotation of paying one’s dues or taking one’s lumps. What’s cool is that it can apply to both big and small picture situations: a politician might decry the younger generations’ inability to 吃苦 and endure the adversity older generations dealt with (not “might,” actually; this happens all the time), but these guys I used to play pickup basketball with would also use 吃苦 (in a slightly ironic way) to refer to how new players had to put in their time on the court before they could get passed the ball regularly. It’s a phrase that is really at the core of Chinese society and values, and the ability to “eat bitterness” has gotten the Chinese people through five millennia of bumps in the cultural road.

5. “kāixīn guǒ” (开心果) Literally “happy fruit” or “happy nut.” This is the standard term for pistachio (which admittedly I don’t see that often here in China, though perhaps I just don’t travel in the right circles!), but also refers to a person that’s the life of the party or a source of fun. The nut gets its name from the smile-like appearance of a cracked pistachio shell, but apparently the taste is so good that the term has come to be applied to anyone that lights up a room or improves the moods of those around them.

9 Clever Chinese Translations for Foreign Names

By Michael Hurwitz | Date: April 3rd, 2014 | Category: Chinese Culture

Chinese is a fixed language – there are only a certain number of sounds and characters, so when new or foreign words get introduced, they generally can’t just copy and paste the words and make them “Chinese” –they have to make Chinese versions of them, taking both pronunciation and meaning into account.

This leads to some really clever and cool Chinese names for non-Chinese words, names and concepts, and I’ve collected some of my favorites here for your educational enjoyment:

Subway

赛百味 (sài bǎi wèi), literally “a competition of 100 flavors.”

The ubiquitous American sandwich chain is a common sight in Chinese cities, because hey, everyone likes sandwiches (also the cookies are 3 for 8rmb / US$1.28!). Its name is a nice touch – it’s a close phonetic approximation of its English counterpart and “competition of 100 flavors” is one possible interpretation of the name.

赛 can also mean “to surpass” or “be better than,” which is actually cooler when you think about it, and is probably the intended meaning here.

I do love the idea of green peppers and pickles facing off in a battle royale for my taste buds. What a fun name for a place with lots of flavor customization options to choose from!

San Francisco

旧金山 (jìu jīn shān), literally “old gold mountain.”

I love this one! San Fran was the arrival point for the majority of Chinese immigrants to the US in the 19th and early 20th centuries, most of whom headed to the mountains to take advantage of the Gold Rush.

The city became strongly associated with gold mining in the Chinese imagination, which led to the name 旧金山.

It’s actually particularly fitting these days, given that the city isn’t known for gold mining anymore: 旧 is frequently applied to former or past versions of things, e.g. “旧时代 (jìu shí dài)”, or “the olden days” (时代 meaning era or period of time).

While 旧金山 is commonly used here in the Mainland, I’m told that the more phonetic “三藩市” (sān fān shì) is the primary term used in Taiwan for whatever reason.

Coca Cola

可口可乐 (kě kǒu kě lè), literally “can amuse your mouth.”

This is a pretty famous example of a successful brand translation case study, and it gets bonus points from me because it’s easy to write.

Fun note: Diet Coke is called 建怡可乐 (jiàn yí kě lè), which I used to (and still do, frankly) mispronounce as 建议 (jiàn yì), or “suggestion,” so I was always asking for “Suggestion Cola,” which sounds like something from a Chuck Palahniuk novel.

Dallas Mavericks

小牛队 (xiǎo niú duì), literally “The Small Cows.”

Whoever came up with this must not be much of a Mavs fan, as 小牛 is the term usually used to describe baby cows, not exactly something that inspires fear (unless you’re a reckless adolescent cow! Sorry...). I can understand where they’re coming from, since an unbranded baby cow is one definition of “maverick,” but it’s rarely used that way in English and I get the sense it wasn’t the sort of vibe the team was going for when they chose the name.

This is particularly cool if you’re a Chicago Bulls fan, since it makes it seem like the Mavs are the inferior little brother of the Bulls, who are known as 公牛队 (gōng niú duì).

Speaking of the Mavs, Dirk Nowitzki is known as 德克 (dé kè) among Chinese fans, which is cool because he’s German and 德 is the common shorthand term for Germany. I swear I could talk about this stuff all day!

Pizza Hut

必胜客 (bì shèng kè), literally “customers must be victorious.”

Pizza Hut in China is a whole hilarious entity unto itself: much swankier than its American version, it’s more of a sit-down restaurant with a significantly bigger menu. People often go there for important occasions - I had Christmas dinner last year at a Pizza Hut on the 34rd floor of a building in Xiamen, for instance.

Anyway, 必胜客 is a weird choice because there’s already a commonly-used term for pizza in Chinese, 披萨 (pīsà), but you can’t deny that amazing meaning. I mean, how many restaurants guarantee a victorious experience every time? It’s such a blatant example of marketing that I can’t help but find it hilarious.

Paris

巴黎 (bā lí), a phonetic translation of its French pronunciation.

This one is really funny because the Indonesian island Bali is an increasingly popular holiday destination for Chinese travellers, and though it’s written differently, it is literally pronounced exactly the same as the City of Lights itself: 巴厘 (bā lí).

This confusion is a legitimate problem, so it’s becoming common to call Bali 巴厘岛 (bā lí dǎo), or “Bali island.” But c’mon, that’s no fun - I’d be pretty psyched if I’d meant to book a trip to Paris in the winter and ended up in tropical Bali instead, but maybe that’s just me.

Microsoft Bing

必应 (bì yìng), literally “must answer.”

It’s a clever name for a search engine, to be sure, but I couldn’t understand why 必应 was used when there are Chinese characters with the exact same pronunciation as “bing.”

However, the character most commonly associated with “bing” is 病 (bìng), meaning illness. That character (病)is featured in most terms related to sickness and being sick.

There are obviously plenty of other characters with the “bing” pronunciation in Chinese, and it’s not like “bing” in English has a tone attached to it that would necessitate it being pronounced with a 4th tone, but Microsoft nonetheless felt the connection was so strong that they should pursue another name.

LeBron James

(informal) 詹皇 (zhān huáng), literally “Emperor Zhan.”

Miami Heat star LeBron James is often called “King James” by English-speaking fans and media, and his formal Chinese name is 詹姆斯 (zhān mǔ sī), the common translation of the name James. It’s really interesting how the term 詹姆斯 has become so strongly associated with him in Chinese, though - look atthe image search results, for instance - even though it is such a common English name is used frequently in Chinese.

We don’t really do this in English, at least not to the same extent. Regardless, I love the nickname 詹皇, because it’s a uniquely Chinese twist on its English counterpart. China never really had kings, but they had plenty of Emperors, so calling him “Emperor James” makes perfect sense.

Sushi

寿司 (shòu sī), literally “Department of Long Life.”

Though the Chinese term 素食 (sùshí) would seem like a natural translation choice for sushi (at least for us English speakers), it in fact means “to eat a vegetarian diet” - in other words, to not eat sushi!

Which brings us to 寿司 as a much better alternative, at least in meaning.

Eating sushi is often associated with living a long and healthy life, for instance, and it comes, of course, from Japan, a country known for its residents’ longevity. That makes “department of long life” so much more appropriate!

I especially love this one because it suggests there’s actually a government department dedicated to making people live longer (I wouldn’t put it past China to actually have this).

5 Chinese Words With No English Equivalents

By Michael Hurwitz | Date: September 22nd, 2014 | Category: Chinese Language

If you’ve been studying Chinese for any period of time, you’re most likely painfully aware of how different it is from English and other Western languages.

Different writing system, different grammar and even different sounds that take months and months of practice to be able to say properly ("cù (醋)" is my personal demon, which is especially annoying because I love putting vinegar on everything).

Especially when you consider China’s unique and preposterously old culture, it’s not surprising that Mandarin also has a host of words that are really tough to translate into English.

So, below I’ve collected a handful of my favorite Chinese words you can’t find in English for you all to enjoy!

Rè nao (热闹)

“Rè nao (热闹)” usually gets translated as “lively” or “bustling,” but those don’t really convey the true meaning.

A place or situation that is “rè nao (热闹)” is fun and lively, sure, but the connotation is that it’s something special, and there’s a vibe there that will help everyone have a good time.

I’ve heard parties and bars described as “rè nao (热闹)”, but also particularly fun offices and even university courses. Basically if something is “rè nao (热闹)”, you want to be there.

A friend once told me the best translation is “poppin’ off,” which definitely works for me.

If you want to understand how Chinese people use this word, and how it can be related to occassions like holidays in China, Yangyang did an Intermediate lesson where she also explained “rè nao (热闹)” as it was used in an interview by a native Chinese speaker:

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Shān zhài (山寨)

We actually talked about this a few weeks ago, but "shān zhài (山寨)" might be one of my favorite Chinese words.

It literally means “mountain stronghold” or “mountain village” but is used today to referred to the cheap knock-off goods you can find just about everywhere in China.

"Shān zhài (山寨)" is both hilarious and, if you know what you’re doing, a great way to get good stuff for incredibly cheap. People usually translate "shān zhài (山寨)" as “bootleg” or “knock-off” but that doesn’t really cover the whole concept.

"Shān zhài (山寨)" is its own subculture, really, and there just isn’t an English word or phrase that encapsulates the way there’s an entire industry and way of life built around unashamedly fake products.

Xiǎo chī (小吃)

Given that food is such a huge part of Chinese culture, it’s likely that there’d be some tricky-to-translate food words.

Interestingly enough, though, there’s a whole category of food we don’t really have a word for in English: “xiǎo chī (小吃)”, literally “small eat.”

When I first moved to China I thought “xiǎo chī (小吃)” just referred snacks, but I gradually realized it’s something about halfway between a snack and a meal.

In China, meals tend to be ritualized – scarfing down microwaved food in front of the TV wouldn’t really be considered dinner (at least until recently). Dinner’s reserved for sitting at a table with friends and family and sharing food.

So what we might consider a small lunch or dinner wouldn’t really be considered a meal at all in China. Instead, it’d be a “xiǎo chī (小吃)”.

Examples include smaller bowls of noodles, plates of dumplings, or anything else usually sold on the street that’s too big to be a snack.

If I had to translate “xiǎo chī (小吃)”, I guess I’d say “appetizer” or even maybe “tapas,” though that’s not even English to begin with.

Shàng huǒ (上火)

This is a tricky one to translate linguistically and culturally.

Understanding “shàng huǒ (上火)” requires a bit of knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), but, in short, it relates to the concept of balancing “yīn (阴)” and “yáng (阳)” within the body and spirit.

An imbalance can result in too much internal heat, which is manifested in fevers, coughs or even a flushed expression or two. This internal heat is “shàng huǒ (上火)”, which literally means “on fire” (as in, literally on top of a fire).

The antidote to “shàng huǒ (上火)” is “qù huǒ (去火)” or “jiàng huǒ (降火)”, both of which mean to reduce or extinguish the “internal fire.”

That’s really the best translation I can think of, but it’s still not great, since in English it refers to the sort of inner desire or competitiveness featured in many a Gatorade commercial.

It might help to think of your body like a computer actually – problems or too much activity can lead to a “shàng huǒ (上火)”-like overheating, which makes things more difficult and dangerous.

Sā jiāo (撒娇)

The closest English equivalent I can think of for sā jiāo would be "to throw a tantrum", or "to act like a spoiled child". But these descriptions alone don't do justice to what sā jiāo really means.

For one thing, sā jiāo isn't used to describe a child's behavior, it's used almost exclusively to describe a grown woman pouting and stomping her feet until her demands are met.

In most Western societies, sā jiāo might be unbearable to witness as women reduce themselves to pouting, infantile monsters who need to be "taken care of."

But in China, sā jiāo is a way for both men and women to play their gender roles – women who don't sā jiāo are often regarded as not being feminine enough.

Chinese men often want their significant others to sā jiāo once in a while so they could display their masculinity, whether it be in the form of buying that Hermes handbag his girlfriend/wife simply won't leave without, or carrying it for her while she shops because it's just "too heavy."

Indeed, sā jiāo comes in many shapes and forms, but it's easy to spot it when it happens. Just look for a grown woman pouting with hands akimbo as she stomps her feet. It's a sight that's hard to miss!

If you want a more in-depth article about what sā jiāo is and the social impact it's had in China, I've written one here.

These words are definitely not a complete list of untranslatable Chinese words. I've left room so we can start a discussion in the comments below! Let me know some of the Chinese words you've found that don't translate well into English, or vice versa.