汉语新词新译系列-Z

周光族 (zhou1 guang1 zu2) weekly spend-all

Similar to, but worse than, people who spend all their monthly income well before pay day, this group spends their monthly wages within a week, sometimes because they earn too little to last through.

宅购族 (zhai2 gou4 zu2)  otaku shoppers

It refers to those who stay at home during holidays and do online shopping to avoid the crowd on the streets. The Chinese expression is a spin-off from a similar Japanese term otaku （御宅族).

植入式广告 (zhi2 ru4 shi4 guang3 gao4) product placement

This refers to the practice of intentionally showing the brand of a product in a movie to promote it in an unostentatious way. For instance, in the popular movie “If You Are the One,” certain brands of cell phones and an airline company are displayed.

桌游 (zhuo1 you2) board game

Board games didn’t gain popularity in China until recent years. The Chinese expression literally means a table game.

撞脸 (zhuang4 lian3) doppelganger, look-alike

The Chinese term literally means “clash of faces”, which refers to two people who look very much like each other.

走班族 (zou3 ban1 zu2) walk-to-work clan

The phrase refers to those who choose to go to work on foot instead of taking buses or cars in order to avoid traffic jams and to keep themselves fit.

抓手 (zhua1 shou3) handle, key issue

Originally meaning a handgrip or knob, the term is now frequently used to describe an opportunity or means for achieving a goal. It may also mean key issues or points for a breakthrough.

中美国 (zhong1 mei3 guo2) chimerica

Economist Niall Ferguson coined the word to emphasize the close and interdependent relations between the world’s two major economies, China and America.

砖家 (zhuan1 jia1) charlatan

The term, popular on the Internet and with a negative connotation, generally refers to those people who like to brag about their limited knowledge and promote themselves as “experts.” The pronunciation of the phrase in Chinese is exactly the same as “expert” and the first character means “brick” in Chinese, which implies these “experts” are so shameless that their faces are tough enough to withstand the force of a brick.

纸枷锁 (zhi3 jia1 suo3) paper yoke

In ancient China, some offenders were shackled with a pillory and made to hold a bowl of water with their enclosed hands. If they spilled the water they would be clubbed to death. Now people use paper pillory to refer to subtle oppression one may face in life.

蟑螂族 (zhang1 lang2 zu2) cockroach clan

The term is used to describe people who are unperturbed by any negative publicity about them and who insist on living in an environment that is unsuitable for them. Like cockroaches, they have the ability to survive in hostile conditions.

周边产品 (zhou1 bian1 chan3 ping3) peripheral goods

A concert by a popular band, a hit TV show, or even a designer’s exhibition can spin off a variety of consumer goods ranging from school supplies to fashion accessories, decorated with the characters’ figure or logo. The goods meet the needs of fans and are also a good way to cash in on the popularity of idols.

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.

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.

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.

中国宇航员 (zhong1guo2 yu3hang2yuan2) taikonaut

This is a hybrid word formed from the Chinese taikong, “space,” and Greek nautes, “sailor.” It distinguishes Chinese spacemen from the astronauts of the United States, cosmonauts of Russia and spationauts from French-speaking countries.

主旋律 ( zhu3xuan2lv4) mainstream ideology or trend

The Chinese term borrows from musicology, which literally means the “key melody.” It is now often used to stand for the mainstream (or government-backed) ideology or trend.

自闭症儿童 (zi4bi4zheng4 er2tong2) autistic child

There are reportedly more than 10,000 children suffering from autism in Shanghai and there is no know cure. Japan recently donated US$80,000 to a Shanghai kindergarten to improve the treatment for such children.

纸黄金 (zhi 3huang2jin1) paper gold

A general term to describe gold contrasts, which do not necessarily involve the delivery of physical gold. The International Monetary Fund invented “paper gold” in 1971. The Bank of China Shanghai branch now sells paper gold 24 hours a day.

装修房(zhuang1xiu1fang2) finished apartment

The city plans to promote marketing of more finished apartments, complete with flooring, bathroom and kitchen units and painted walls and windows, in an attempt to cut down noise pollution and prevent destruction of residential buildings resulting from individuals’ random plans of installing equipment in and decorating their new homes.

撞衫 (zhuang4shan1) clothing clashing

This Chinese term means two or more people appear in a gathering or a public place accidentally wearing identical clothing. So, all fashion-minded ladies would try their very best to avoid zhuangshan or “clothing clashing.” For them, clothing clashing is a disaster or an embarrassment, to say the least.

自由行 (zi4you2xing2) self-guided tour

This has become an increasingly popular form of travel with urban residents in China, especially among the young people. Having hotel and transport arranged by travel agencies and the itinerary totally controlled in their own hands, the travelers can enjoy the convenience of a package tour and the freedom of backpacking travel.

斩冲头 (zhan3chong4tou2) rip off a sucker

This is a Shanghai slang, meaning to treat someone as a pushover or foolish spender in a deal or transaction. If you were persuaded to buy something of poor quality at a high price, you would be called chongtou (sucker) by Shanghainese.

种源农业 (zhong3yuan2nong2ye4) seed variety cultivation

Plant varieties and seed cultivation are an important part of the so-called modern metropolitan agriculture that has been listed as a major goal of the city in developing its rural areas in the following five years.

做秀 (zuo4xiu4) publicity stunt

The term means some exaggerated or unusual behaviors people do to draw public attention to promote themselves, products or anything else. East China Normal University reportedly questioned a housekeeping service company’s recent attempt to hire students as temporary ayis was a publicity stunt.

招牌菜 (zhao1pai2cai4) signature dishes/house special

Dianping.com, a Website recommending famous restaurants and dishes, has recently become popular. You can easily find the most famous dishes of a restaurant on that Website.