Jan 25 - 打底衫 (backing shirt)
Date:2009-01-24
打底衫 (da3 di3 shan1)
backing shirt
It refers to the shirt, usually with solid colors and simple styles, that is worn immediately under an outfit or suit to set the latter off.
爬梯 (pa2 ti1)
party
Chinese Netizens these days use this term, which literally means "ladder-climbing," as a substitute expression for "party" as the Chinese expression sounds just like the English word.
л型人才 (л xing2 ren2 cai2)
л-type talent
It is a kind of person that has good command of two fields of professional skills as well as having expertise in management and administration. The two professional skills are the two vertical strokes while the administrative expertise is the horizontal one.
百搭简历 (bai3 da1 jian3 li4)
all-fitting resume
It is a kind of resume that job seekers prepare in such an ambiguous way that it apparently meets the requirements of many kinds of job.
海投 (hai3 tou2)
resume flooding
As the job market turns grim, job hunters send their resumes in large numbers randomly to various companies in the hope of scooping a few chances of being interviewed.
悠客 (you1 ke4)
no-hurry tourist
Those who take their time and don't mind how long they linger at each tourist site or destination.
贺岁片 (he4 sui4 pian1)
New Year movie
"Hesuipian," which refers to movies celebrating the New Year, often premiere between Christmas and Spring Festival. Most such movies are comedies and often have an all-star cast. Chinese director Feng Xiaogang is the most famous in this genre. Total box office revenue of movies he directed has exceeded 1 billion yuan (US$146.26 million) with his latest hit "If You Are the One."
二维码 (er4 wei2 ma3)
QR Code
A QR Code is a matrix code invented by Japanese corporation Denso-Wave in 1994. The QR is derived from "Quick Response." Camera mobile phone users with code-reading software can scan the image of the QR Code and be relinked to a Website that this code represents.
Jan 18 - 道路百慕大 (terrestrial bermuda triangle)
Date:2009-01-17
Terrestrial Bermuda Triangle
Some local media use the phrase to refer to several street crossings in downtown Shanghai that often make drivers confused about which lane to take, like the one at Wujiaochang shopping area.
爆场 (bao4 chang3)
Raise the roof
More often than not, promotions that offer deep discounts for well-established brands will attract a huge crowd that raises the roof.
拗断 (ao2 duan4)
Separate/break away
It can refer to either the breakdown of good relations between a couple, or good friends, or the breakup of a showbiz artist from his or her broker.
撩菜 (liao2 cai4)
Entice a woman
It is slang used these days at nightclubs and cafes to refer to a man trying to engage the attention of a woman and make advances to her.
撩汤 (liao2 tang1)
Entice a man
The female version of seducing the opposite sex at an entertainment venue.
撩火腿 (liao2 huo3 tui3)
Go gigolo-ing
It refers to a man who is looking to link up with a rich woman for both a romantic relationship and to entice continuing financial support from her.
外挂 (wai4 gua4)
Stranger to a party
It refers to a person who is brought to a party by a friend, though he or she isn't acquainted with the other partygoers apart from the friend. The person in question also goes Dutch on costs associated with the party.
副卡 (fu4 ka3)
Party partner
He or she accompanies the opposite sex to a party as a lover, sometimes in the sense of an extramarital one which is clear to the other partygoers, though the relationship is not public or acknowledged.
自助自行车 (zi4 zhu4 zi4 xing2 che1)
self-service bicycle rental
The self-service bicycle rental facility has been introduced into a few cities around the country to ease traffic pressure and reduce noxious emissions.
口红效应 (kou3 hong4 xiao1 ying1 )
Lipstick effects
The term describes the tendency for consumers to purchase small, comforting items such as lipstick rather than large luxury items amid economic downturns. For example, Shanghai United Cinema Lines, the city's leading cinema chain, benefited from lipstick effect by taking more than 495 million yuan (US$72.4 million) in box office receipts last year, a 29-percent increase from 2007. The nation's movie theaters also took in 4.2 billion yuan in 2008, an increase of 888 million yuan from 2007.
Jan 11 - 不折腾 (don't stir up turmoil)
Date:2009-01-10
不折腾 (bu4 zhe1 ten2)
don’t stir up turmoil
The term is colloquial and widely used to discourage someone from getting restless due to illness, worry or from just messing around. But when it was quoted by Chinese President Hu Jintao in his recent report, it referred to acts that would disturb society’s normal life. So, “don’t stir up (political or social) turmoil” reflects people’s desire for peace and harmony.
返聘 (fan3 pin4)
returnment
The term means inviting retired employees to return to the workforce, a phenomenon of an ageing society where fewer people are contributing to an occupational pension.
二手短信 (er4 shou3 duan3 xin4)
second-hand SMS
It refers to mobile phone messages received from, and sent to, others. There are many such messages of greeting in circulation during holiday seasons. Using them displays a lack of originality, and even sincerity, as they are never your own.
贱男 (jian4 nan2)
a loose man
It refers to promiscuous men, especially those in the entertainment industry, who hop from bed to bed or who never treat love or marriage seriously.
茭白 (jiao1 bai2)
worried white-collar
The Chinese term, originally the name of the wild rice shoot (a vegetable), is now used to describe a worried white-collar worker plagued by the fear of being laid off amid the global economic recession. The first character of this Chinese term sounds like the word “worried” and the second here stands for “white collar.”
影子艺人 (ying3 zi yi4 ren2)
showbiz doppelganger
This refers to an ordinary person whose facial features resemble a famous artist, allowing him to earn an income from masquerading as the star at low-end parties and gatherings to entertain the audience or guests.
读奏会 (du2 zou4 hui4)
reading-musical concert
The term refers to a concert that consists of episodes of both reading and musical performances. The term’s pronunciation in Chinese is the same as “solo concert” but with the word “solo” replaced by “reading.”
睡眠机器 (shui4 mian2 ji1 qi4)
sleep machine
The high-tech machine is designed to treat insomnia by physically stimulating some part of insomniacs’ brains to help them quickly enter a state of deep sleep.
Jan 4 - 嘻哈包袱铺 (hip hop crosstalk society)
Date:2009-01-03
hip hop crosstalk society
This refers to a group of mostly amateurish crosstalk performers who have won acclaim among young audiences in Beijing recently. Almost all the performers are in their 20s and they lard their comedy talk with hot buzzwords and pungent online terms.
谷歌依赖症 (gǔ gē yī lài zhèng)
discomgooglation
This term refers to the feeling of distress or anxiety at being unable to gain immediate access to information. It’s a portmanteau of discombobulate, meaning to confuse or frustrate, and Google. According to a survey, about 44 percent of Internet users in the UK said they were frustrated at being unable to go online and 27 percent said they experienced increased stress levels.
阴阳公告 (yīn yáng gōng gào)
yin-yang bulletins
In Chinese, yin and yang are used to describe the negative and positive energy in nature. The term may also mean opposing qualities of a phenomenon. So, yin-yang bulletins refer to contradictory statements made by persons or organizations.
婚奴 (hun1 nu2)
wedding slave
In some Chinese cities, especially large ones like Shanghai, quite a few young couples run into deep debt after throwing a luxurious wedding well beyond their means. So, after the marriage, the newly-weds have to slave away to pay off all the bills.
亚熟男 (ya4 shu2 nan2)
semi-mature man
Men who look mature but are actually a few steps away from being psychologically grown-up.
话题广告 (hua4 ti2 guang3 gao4)
paid blog comment
It is a way of advertising a product among the bloggers. Paid bloggers will post comments on certain products produced by the hiring company.
兰花指 (lan2 hua1 zhi3)
orchid fingers
This refers to a finger sign arranged by touching the tips of one's thumb and middle finger and aiming the pointing finger, ring finger and pinkie of the same hand into the air. The resulting "orchid fingers" are frequently used by actresses in Chinese operas, such as Peking Opera. A man will be considered sissy if he does "orchid fingers."
领便当 (ling3 bian4 dang1)
die, game over
During the shooting of a movie, a helper can get a meal box after he finishes his job. So, fetching a meal box, as this term means literally in Chinese, indicates that the play is over for the helper and he is no longer needed. It may also mean the death of somebody or the end of something.
坐家 (zuo4 jia1)
sedentary worker
This Chinese term, implying a “chair-bound professional,”refers to sedentary workers, such as typists, computer operators and paper pushers.
Dec 28
Date:2008-12-27
a hurry-up era
People in large cities always seem on a rush to meet all kinds of deadlines and demands because of market competition and high-paced work environment.
种草莓 (zhòng cǎo méi)
give a hickey
The term, meaning literally “planting strawberry” in Chinese, refers to the behavior of giving the skin a reddish mark through amorous kissing.
机车 (jī chē)
slow, picky, pesky
The term, meaning literally “train engine,” is often used in Taiwan to describe someone who’s either slow, picky or pesky. It may also be used to describe something annoying or vulgar.
发泄餐厅 (fā xiè cān tīng)
anger-venting restaurant
This refers to a special restaurant in Nanjing, which is perfect for anyone wanting to let off steam. It allows diners to smash anything in the restaurant, ranging from dishes and bowls to acoustic equipment, as long as they are willing to pay for the damages.
AB制 (AB zhì)
AB treat
In China, people tend to call “going Dutch” an “AA treat,” meaning dividing the bill equally among all the diners. But now “AB treat” has become a fad among young people as some males now choose to pay a bigger slice of the bill, say 70 percent, while female friends dining with them pay the rest.
冻薪 (dòng xīn)
salary freeze
Due to the ongoing global recession, many companies have been forced to cut their budgets in different ways. Some have sacked employees to save costs while others have imposed salary freezes for the coming year.
上网本 (shàng wǎng běn)
netbook
Netbook refers to a spate of newly popular laptop models that are light-weight, low-cost, power-efficient and highly portable. Netbooks are suitable for Web browsing, email and general purpose applications. They typically have weaker processing power, smaller screens and hard-disks than full-featured notebooks and have limited ability to run resource-intensive operating systems.
黑暗料理街 (hēi àn liào lǐ jiē)
night food street
The term, which literally means “preparing food in the dark” in Chinese, refers to small food stalls set up along streets, particularly at night. Despite the fact that these vendors sometimes are unlicensed, some people regard eating at them as a way to enjoy local delicacies.
名片鼠 (míng piàn shǔ)
name-card mouse
It is a new type of computer mouse in the shape of a name card holder. It is lightweight and extremely portable.
December 21
Date:2008-12-20
眼吧 (yan3 ba1)
eye-health bar
This is a kind of optometry clinic where a computer-manipulated environment claimed to be beneficial for eye health is created to help ease eye stress and disorders.
心灵超市 (xin1 ling2 chao1 shi4)
soul-soothing supermarket
This term refers to stores selling empty bottles, bags and containers bearing words such as "No more pressure!", "Sleep eight hours" or "Wanna happy weekend." The buyers use these containers to carry water or other daily necessities as a way to alleviate their mental stress.
钝感力 (dun4 gan3 li4)
power of insensitivity
It is the ability to face up to setbacks and failures by playing down the painful sting they actually inflict on the sufferer. It comes from the namesake novel by Japanese author Junichi Watanabe.
降价死 (jiang4 jia4 si3)
price-cut death
It refers to the phenomenon that once the government orders a price cut on a certain drug, the manufacturers will immediately stop making the product and then repackage the "dead" drug under a new name to sell for higher prices.
赤脚律师 (chi4 jiao3 lv4 shi1)
bare-foot lawyer
The term refers to "grassroots" consultants offering legal assistance to farmers. They usually have a secondary education background and some basic knowledge about the law but are not certified lawyers.
大肚子经济 (da4 du4 zi jing1 ji4)
pregnancy economy
Pregnant women have become a force in propelling today's economy as a result of a new baby boom in China. The pregnancy economy consists of child care products, maternity clothing, yoga or health care courses designed for mothers-to-be and particular support services during maternal confinement.
诛三 (zhu1 san1)
banish the mistress
This term refers to some wives' efforts to force mistresses to leave their husbands. The term comes from "zhu xian," meaning "killing fairies," which became popular after a fiction based on this topic became a bestseller. The word "zhu" means "kill" in Chinese, and the word "san" (three or third) implies mistress, since the "other woman" is often deemed as "the third party" in Chinese.
雷招 (lei2 zhao1)
outrageous measure
The Chinese term literally means a "shocking measure." It refers to any shocking, extraordinary measures, such as unexpected sales promotion schemes offered to buyers visiting housing exhibitions.
Dec 14
Date:2008-12-13
netroots
This term is a portmanteau of Internet and grassroots and refers to political activism organized through blogs and other online media. Many attribute US President-elect Barack Obama’s election victory last month partly to his “netroots” campaign.
装嫩 (zhuāng nèn)
act young
Some people, particularly middle-aged women, try to wear clothes, use language and flash gestures and act in a way that is more suitable to people of a much younger age. They are described as “pretending to be tender,” as this Chinese term means literally.
消费名片 (xiāo fèi míng piàn)
well-known tourist program (venue)
Many Chinese cities have made big efforts to promote their best programs and venues to tourists and visitors. They call them the “name card for consumption.”
休车日 (xiū chē rì)
alternate no-car day
Chinese cities like Shanghai and Beijing have enacted rules to curtail use of some official and private cars on certain days according to their license plate numbers in an effort to alleviate traffic congestion and pollution.
摘客 (zhāi kè)
patchwork bloggers
While some bloggers write their own articles and postings on the Internet, others are regularly copying or compiling others’ blogs.
苦手 (kǔ shǒu)
slouch, bungler
The two Chinese characters in this term literally mean "bitter"and "hand."The phrase, originating from the Japanese word "negate,"is used to describe a person who is not good at something or is inept in handling a situation.
书托 (shu1 tuo1)
book shill
Chinese Website Douban.com, a reputed social network service Website featuring online book reviews, is troubled by the intervention of professional shills. These people are hired either to boast about a certain book or attack books published by rivals.
婴儿舱 (ying1 er2 cang1)
baby hatch
It is a kind of incubator-like hatch into which mothers drop the babies they can't take care of. The facility, in use in Germany, Italy and mostly recently in Japan, is designed to protect abandoned babies.
晚尚 (wan3 shang4)
evening fashion
It's newly coined term with the same pronunciation as the Chinese term for "evening" but it actually means fashion activities in the evening.
耍大牌 (shua3 da4 pai2)
snub, put on airs
The word is often used in showbiz stories and gossip Websites to criticize a celebrity who is indifferent to staff, fans or media and tends to swagger in public.
December 7
Date:2008-12-06
自助自行车 (zi4 zhu4 zi4 xing2 che1)
self-service bicycle rental
The self-service bicycle rental service has been introduced into a few cities around the country to ease road congestion and cut emissions.
得体 (de2 ti3)
dirty
This Chinese phrase originally meant appropriate, decent and in good taste. But since it sounds like the English word "dirty," the phrase is now often used by Netizens to describe anyone who keeps an amiable facade but harbors a vicious heart.
试民 (shi4 min2)
product tester
This term refers to people who agree to test new products or services provided by manufacturers or companies. They are either paid for doing the test or allowed to keep the products provided to them. But they are usually required to submit feedback on the quality or usage suitability of such products and services.
宅内消费 (zhai2 nei4 xiao1 fei4)
at-home consumption
With a financial downturn sweeping across the world, it has become a new trend to switch from consumption away from home to consumption at home. It includes eating at home and watching movies at home.
百元周 （bai3 yuan2 zhou1）
100-yuan week
Some white-collar workers in Shanghai have started to change their bourgeoisie lifestyle for a more thrifty one in face of the ongoing financial crisis. Some put online posters among popular BBS communities to call on people to control their expenditure within 100 yuan from Monday to Friday, including costs on food, traffic, entertainment, shopping and sport activities.
抄底游 (chao1 di3 you2)
rock-bottom price travel
As many airlines and hotels have started to cut their prices amid the global financial downturn, some Chinese take advantage of the opportunity to embark on overseas travel at much lower costs than before.
山寨版 (shan1 zhai4 ban3)
cheap copy
This term, meaning literally the "mountain village edition," is widely used to describe cheap copies of any known products, programs, events or even architecture. It was first applied to cheap imitations of brand name cell phones produced by individuals or small shops in southern China and now it refers to an inexpensive copy of anything that’s well known or popular.
减副 (jian3 fu4)
reduce deputy posts
The Chinese term has the same pronunciation as that for "reducing burden," but it replaces the Chinese word for "burden" with one that means "deputy posts." In some Chinese cities and townships there are simply too many deputies allocated to a single administrative chief. Such bureaucratic padding has drawn wide criticism and actions to reduce the number of such deputies.
