This is part 2 of a 10 part series in which you'll learn a total of 100 Mandarin Chinese slang words and expressions!
How do you say "foodie" in Chinese? And what's an informal way of describing a guy or girl who is single?
These are some of the popular expressions we cover in this part of my Chinese slang series.
Let's get started!
Common Chinese Slang Words [11-20]
#11 套路 tào lù
to deceive / to play tricks / trickery
See examples of how to use 套路 tào lù in conversation:
Dialogue Transcript
Example 1:
A:
用了这个面膜，痘痘全消失！还能年轻10岁！
yòng le zhè gè miàn mó, dòu dòu quán xiāo shī! hái néng nián qīng 10 suì!
All pimples will be gone after using this facial mask!And you will look 10 years younger!
B:
那些广告都是套路，骗人的！
nà xiē guǎng gào dōu shì tào lù, piàn rén de!
Those ads are deceiving. They trick people.
Example 2:
A:
Angel！你很漂亮，很聪明，而且特别可爱！对了，你可以帮我洗盘子吗？
Angel! nǐ hěn piào liàng, hěn cōng míng, ér qiě tè bié kě ài! duì le, nǐ kě yǐ bāng wǒ xǐ pán zi ma?
Angel! You're so beautiful, smart and really cute! By the way, can you help me do the dishes?
B:
你少点套路，多点真诚吧!
nǐ shǎo diǎn tào lù, duō diǎn zhēn chéng ba!
Play less tricks and be a bit more honest with me!
#12 键盘侠 jiàn pán xiá
Keyboard Warrior / Keyboard Man / Internet Troll
See examples of how to use 键盘侠 jiàn pán xiá in conversation:
Dialogue Transcript
Example:
A:
Angel, 你有看到网友的评论吗？
Angel, nǐ yǒu kàn dào wǎng yǒu de píng lùn ma?
Angel, have you seen the netizens' comments?
B:
在忙呢。
zài máng ne.
I'm busy right now.
A:
你快看一下嘛！
nǐ kuài kàn yī xià ma!
Take a look at them right away!
键盘侠 jiàn pán xiá:
Angel! 你的视频太无聊了！#无聊
Angel! nǐ de shì pín tài wú liáo le! #wú liáo
Your videos are so boring! #boring
Angel! 你写错了一个汉字！真失败！#失败
Angel! nǐ xiě cuò le yī gè hàn zì! zhēn shī bài! #shī bài
You wrote the wrong Chinese Character! Fail! #fail
太不公平了！他应该是冠军！#不公平
tài bù gōng píng le! tā yīng gāi shì guān jūn! #bù gōng píng
It's so unfair! He should be the champion! #unfair
#13 开撕 kāi sī
to have a beef with somebody / to be irritated with somebody / / to have a row
(literal meaning: to open + to tear)
See examples of how to use 开撕 kāi sī in conversation:
Dialogue Transcript
Example 1:
A:
快快快快快！快带上耳机！
kuài kuài kuài kuài kuài! kuài dài shàng ěr jī!
Hurry up! Put on the headphones right now!
B:
怎么了？
zěn me le?
What's going on?
A:
老爸和老妈又开撕了。
lǎo bà hé lǎo mā yòu kāi sī le.
What's going on? Dad and Mom are having a rough again.
Example 2:
A:
你看新闻了吗？
nǐ kàn xīn wén le ma?
Have you read the news?
B:
什么新闻呀？
shén me xīn wén ya?
What news?
A:
中国的两位大明星又开撕了。
zhōng guó de liǎng wèi dà míng xīng yòu kāi sī le.
The Chinese super stars are having a beef with each other again
#14 心灵鸡汤 xīn líng jī tāng
"chicken soup for the soul" /a soul soother/ a motivational speech
(literal meaning: soul + chicken soup)
See examples of how to use 心灵鸡汤 xīn líng jī tāng in conversation:
Dialogue Transcript
Example:
A:
我学中文一年多了。我怎么写不出一个汉字呢？
wǒ xué zhōng wén yī nián duō le. wǒ zěn me xiě bù chū yī gè hàn zì ne?
I have been studying Chinese for over a year. How come I can't write a single Chinese character?
B:
慢慢来！好好学习，天天向上！你行的！
màn màn lái! hǎo hǎo xué xí, tiān tiān xiàng shàng! nǐ xíng de!
Take it easy! Study hard and make progress every day! You can do it!
A:
好好好！你别给我灌心灵鸡汤了！
hǎo hǎo hǎo! nǐ bié gěi wǒ guàn xīn líng jī tāng le!
Okay! Don't give me a motivational speech!
#15 为...打call wèi... dǎ call
to show one's support / to cheer for someone
See examples of how to use 为...打call wèi... dǎ call in conversation:
Dialogue Transcript
Example:
哇！你的吉他弹得太好了！我要为你打call。
wa! nǐ de jí tā dàn dé tài hǎo le! wǒ yào wèi nǐ dǎ call.
Wow! You're really good at playing guitar! I want to show my support for you!
#16 补刀 bǔ dāo
to attack someone who’s already under fire/ to rub salt in the wound
(literal meaning: Add knife)
See examples of how to use 补刀 bǔ dāo in conversation:
Dialogue Transcript
Example:
A:
靠！我的手机摔坏了。
kào! wǒ de shǒu jī shuāi huài le.
Damn! I broke my cellphone.
B:
哇！这一次摔得这么重啊！你的手机不能用了。你又得花一大笔钱买一台新手机了。
wa! zhè yī cì shuāi de zhè me zhòng a! nǐ de shǒu jī bù néng yòng le. nǐ yòu děi huā yī dà bǐ qián mǎi yī tái xīn shǒu jī le.
Wow! It fell badly this time! Your cellphone can't be used any more. You're going to have to spend a lot of money to buy a new phone.
A:
够了！你别再补刀了！
gòu le! nǐ bié zài bǔ dāo le!
Enough! Don't rub salt in the wound!
#17 戏精 xì jīng
a drama queen / a person who is good at acting
(literal meaning: drama + an expert)
See examples of how to use 戏精 xì jīng in conversation:
Dialogue Transcript
Example 1:
A:
我男朋友一会儿要闹分手, 一会儿要结婚。我该怎么办呢？
wǒ nán péng yǒu yī huì er yào nào fēn shǒu, yī huì er yào jié hūn. wǒ gāi zěn me bàn ne?
Sometimes my boyfriend says he wants to break up with me, and then sometimes he says that wants to marry me. What should I do?
B:
算了吧！别再和戏精交往了！
suàn le ba! bié zài hé xì jīng jiāo wǎng le!
Forget about it! Don't date that drama queen any more!
Example 2:
我的闺蜜是个戏精。她很会演。
wǒ de guī mì shì gè xì jīng. tā hěn huì yǎn.
My best friend is a drama queen. She is really good at acting.
#18 宅 zhái
to hang out at home / to prefer to stay at home rather than go out /a bit anti-social or "homebodyish"
(literal meaning: house / to reside)
See examples of how to use 宅 zhái in conversation:
Dialogue Transcript
Example 1:
A:
你这个周末打算做什么？
nǐ zhè gè zhōu mò dǎ suàn zuò shén me?
What are you going to do this weekend?
B:
我要宅在家里。
wǒ yào zhái zài jiā lǐ.
I'm going to hang out at home.
Example 2:
A:
你爸妈喜欢旅游吗？
nǐ bà mā xǐ huān lǚ yóu ma?
Do your parents like to travel?
B:
不喜欢。他们很宅。
bù xǐ huān, tā men hěn zhái.
No, they don't. They are homebodyish.
#19 单身狗 dān shēn gǒu
a single woman / a single man
(literal meaning: single dog)
See examples of how to use 单身狗 dān shēn gǒu in conversation:
Dialogue Transcript
Example 1:
A:
Angel, 你找到男朋友了吗？
Angel, nǐ zhǎo dào nán péng yǒu le ma?
Angel, have you found a boyfriend?
B:
没有，我还是单身狗。
méi yǒu, wǒ hái shì dān shēn gǒu.
No, I'm still a single woman.
Example 2:
又来了！我的闺蜜每天都在朋友圈上秀恩爱。她有考虑过我这个单身狗的感受吗？
yòu lái le! wǒ de guī mì měi tiān dōu zài péng yǒu quān shàng xiù ēn ài. tā yǒu kǎo lǜ guò wǒ zhè gè dān shēn gǒu de gǎn shòu ma?
Again! My best friend shares her lovey dovey moments onWeChat Moments every day. Has she considered my feelings as a single woman?
#20 吃货 chī huò
foodie
See examples of how to use 吃货 chī huò in conversation:
Dialogue Transcript
Example 1:
A:
你的梦想是什么？
nǐ de mèng xiǎng shì shén me?
What's your dream?
B:
我的梦想是吃遍天下美食。
wǒ de mèng xiǎng shì chī biàn tiān xià měi shí.
My dream is to eat delicious food all over the world.
A:
哦！原来就是想当个吃货。
ó! yuán lái jiù shì xiǎng dāng gè chī huò!
Oh! So you want to be a foodie.
Example 2:
美食街是吃货们必去的地方。
měi shí jiē shì chī huò men bì qù de de fāng.
The "Delicious food street" is a must go place for foodies.
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