100 Chinese Slang Words You Won’t Learn From Your Textbook [41-50]

In Chinese Slang, Practical Chinese Phrases by Angel Huang

This is part 5 of a 10 part series in which you'll learn a total of 100 Mandarin Chinese slang words and expressions!

How do you say that someone has stood you up in Chinese? And when would you refer to yourself as a 菜鸟 cài niǎo (literally "vegetable bird")?

These are some of the popular expressions we'll cover in this part of my Chinese slang series.

Let's get started!

Common Chinese Slang Words [41-50]

Full lesson transcript of the 10 Chinese slang expressions from the video above.

#41 
 
没门儿 méi ménr

no way / impossible
lit. no + door

See examples of how to use 没门儿 méi ménr in conversation:

Example 1:

Ricky:

你可以告诉我你的手机密码吗?

nǐ kě yǐ gào sù wǒ nǐ de shǒu jī mì mǎ ma?

Can you tell me your phone password?

Angel:

没门儿!

méi ménr!

No way!

Example 2:

Angel:

你可以帮我溜狗吗?

nǐ kě yǐ bāng wǒ liū gǒu ma?

Can you help me walk my dog?

Ricky:

没门儿!

méi ménr!

No way!

#42
 
菜鸟 cài niǎo

newbie / beginner
lit. vegetable + bird

See examples of how to use 菜鸟 cài niǎo in conversation:

Example 1:

Angel:

Ricky, 你的篮球打得怎么样?

Ricky, nǐ de lán qiú dǎ de zěn me yàng?

Ricky, how good are you at basketball? 

Ricky:

我是个菜鸟

wǒ shì gè cài niǎo.

I am a newbie.

Example 2:

Angel:

你怎么老是投不进球啊?

nǐ zěn me lǎo shì tóu bù jìn qiú a?

Why do you always fail to score goals?

Ricky:

对不起,我是个菜鸟

duì bù qǐ, wǒ shì gè cài niǎo.

Sorry, I'm a newbie.

#43 
 
不感冒 bù gǎn mào

not interested

lit. no + cold

See examples of how to use 不感冒 bù gǎn mào in conversation:

Example 1:

Angel:

我很崇拜你!

wǒ hěn chóng bài nǐ! 

I adore you! 

我已经爱上你了!

wǒ yǐ jīng ài shàng nǐ le!

I'm already in love with you!

他对我不感冒

tā duì wǒ bù gǎn mào.

He is not interested in me.

Example 2:

Ricky:

你要巧克力吗?

nǐ yào qiǎo kè lì ma?

Do you want some chocolate?

Angel:

我对巧克力不感冒

wǒ duì qiǎo kè lì bù gǎn mào.

I'm not interested in chocolate.

#44 
 
哥们儿 gē menr

bro / bros

See examples of how to use 哥们儿 gē menr in conversation:

Example 1:

Ricky:

哥们儿,这个周末可以帮我搬家吗?

gē menr, zhè gè zhōu mò kě yǐ bāng wǒ bān jiā ma?

Bro, can you help me  move this weekend?

Björn:

必须的,哥们儿

bì xū de, gē menr.

For sure, bro.

Example 2:

Ricky:

拿去吧!

ná qù ba!

Just take it!

Björn:

哥们儿

hǎo gē menr

You're such a great bro!

#45 
 
夜猫子 yè māo zi

night owl
lit. night + cat

See examples of how to use 夜猫子 yè māo zi in conversation:

Example 1:

Angel:

你通常几点睡觉?

nǐ tōng cháng jǐ diǎn shuì jiào?

What time do you usually go to bed?

Ricky:

一两点吧。

yī liǎng diǎn ba.

01: 00 or 02: 00.

Angel:

啊!你是夜猫子啊!

a! nǐ shì yè māo zi a!

Ah! You're a night owl!

Example 2:

Ricky:

Angel,明天早上8点前把报告交给我。

Angel,míng tiān zǎo shàng 8 diǎn qián bǎ bào gào jiāo gěi wǒ.

Angel, send me the report by 8 tomorrow morning.

Angel:

天啊!我今晚要当夜猫子了。

tiān a! wǒ jīn wǎn yào dāng yè māo zi le

OMG! I'm going to have to be a night owl tonight.

#46 
 
马路杀手 mǎ lù shā shǒu

reckless driver
lit. road + killer

See examples of how to use 马路杀手 mǎ lù shā shǒu in conversation:

Example 1:

Angel:

诶,你知道我的车钥匙在哪吗?

nǐ zhī dào wǒ de chē yào shi zài nǎ ma?

Hey, do you know where my car key is?

我要出门了。

wǒ yào chū mén le.

I'm leaving now.

Luoluo:

嗯,在我这里。

en, zài wǒ zhè lǐ

Yup, here it is.

等一下你开车的时候,要注意安全。

děng yī xià nǐ kāi chē de shí hòu, yào zhù yì ān quán.

When you drive, pay attention to the safety.

现在马路杀手啊,特别地多。

xiàn zài mǎ lù shā shǒu a, tè bié de duō.

There are so many reckless drivers now.

Angel:

嗯嗯...

en en...

Yup...

Example 2:

Luoluo:

我今天早上遇到了一个马路杀手

wǒ jīn tiān zǎo shàng yù dào le yī gè mǎ lù shā shǒu.

This morning I encountered a reckless driver.

把我的车都刮花了!

bǎ wǒ de chē dōu guā huā le!

My car was scratched!

Angel:

哎呀!小心马路杀手!

āi ya! xiǎo xīn mǎ lù shā shǒu!

Damn! Watch out for road killers!

#47
 
给力 gěi lì

awesome
lit. give + power

See examples of how to use 给力 gěi lì in conversation:

Example 1:

Ricky:

Angel, 你的房子已经打扫好了。

Angel, nǐ de fáng zi yǐ jīng dǎ sǎo hǎo le.

Angel, your house has been cleaned.

Angel:

哇!真的吗?

wa! zhēn de ma?

Wow! Really? 

给力了!

tài gěi lì le!

You're truly awesome

Example 2:

Ricky:

Angel, 我给你抢到了世界杯的门票。

Angel, wǒ gěi nǐ qiǎng dào le shì jiè bēi de mén piào.

Angel, I got you a ticket for the World Cup.

Angel:

哇!

Wa!

Wow!

你真给力

nǐ zhēn gěi lì

You're really awesome

#48 
 
放...鸽子 fàng...gē zi

stand someone up
lit. release... pigeon

See examples of how to use 放...鸽子 fàng...gē zi in conversation:

Example 1:

Ricky:

Angel, 昨天你和帅哥约会怎么样?

Angel, zuó tiān nǐ hé shuài gē yuē huì zěn me yàng?

Angel, how was your date with that good looking guy yesterday?

Angel:

别提了!

bié tí le! 

Forget about it! 

放我鸽子了。

fàng wǒ gē zi le.

He stood me up.

Example 2:

Ricky:

你怎么还没到?

nǐ zěn me hái méi dào? 

Why are you still not here?

我已经等了一个多小时了。

wǒ yǐ jīng děng le yī gè duō xiǎo shí le.

I have been waiting for you over an hour.

什么?你不来了?

shén me? nǐ bù lái le?

What? You're not coming?

放我鸽子!?

fàng wǒ gē zi !?

You've stood me up!?

#49 
 
白菜价 bái cài jià

a great deal / a steal
lit. Chinese cabbage + price

See examples of how to use 白菜价 bái cài jià in conversation:

Example 1:

Angel:

哇!这口红不错呀。

wa! zhè kǒu hóng bù cuò ya.

Wow! This lipstick is good.

Luoluo:

这个是在双十一买的。

zhè gè shì zài shuāng shí yī mǎi de.

I bought it on Single Date Festival. 

特别白菜价

tè bié bái cài jià.

It was a steal.

Example 2:

Angel:

哇!这衣服真漂亮。

wa! zhè yī fú zhēn piào liàng.

Wow! These clothes are really nice.

很贵吧?

hěn guì ba?

Very expensive,right?

Luoluo:

不贵,就白菜价

bù guì, jiù bái cài jià.

Not expensive. It was a steal.

#50 
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收拾烂摊子 shōu shí làn tān zi

clean up the mess

See examples of how to use 收拾烂摊子 shōu shí làn tān zi in conversation:

Example 1:

Ricky:

老妈,我把老爸的车给撞花了。怎么办?

lǎo mā, wǒ bǎ lǎo bà de chē gěi zhuàng huā le. zěn me bàn?

Mom, I crashed dad's car. What should I do?

Angel:

什么?

shén me?

What? 

你又要我帮你收拾烂摊子了?

nǐ yòu yào wǒ bāng nǐ shōu shí làn tān zi le?

You want me to help you clean up the mess again?

Example 2:

Ricky:

老妈,我又把老爸的吉他给弄块了。

lǎo mā, wǒ yòu bǎ lǎo bà de jí tā gěi nòng kuài le. 

Mom, I broke dad's guitar again.

怎么办啊?

zěn me bàn a?

What should I do?

Angel:

你自己收拾烂摊子吧!

nǐ zì jǐ shōu shí làn tān zi ba!

Clean up the mess yourself!

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