And the newest expression sweeping the Chinese internet: “I don’t give a $@*&; I’m just here to buy soy sauce.” (关我鸟事,我出来打酱油的)
一个最新的表达方式席卷中国的网络:”关我鸟事,我出来打酱油的“
It comes to us from Guangzhou TV last December, when an average man on the street was asked his opinion about a pressing social issue (the Edison Chen photo scandal if you must know). He gave a very, uh, candid and straight response.
This works very well with the Chinese sense of humor, and has just exploded in usage over the past few months. It’s taken on other meanings now without a clear definition… but I’d summarize it as: “I’m cynical as hell.” As rumors of official corruption after the earthquake were swirling, the emotional young Internet crowd often turned to this phrase when they felt frustration, but had little else to add… at least without having their post deleted by censors. (”More corruption? Whatever, who gives a $@*%, I’m just here to buy soy sauce.”)
This follows the “very pornographic, very violent” (很黄很暴力) expression which started sweeping the Internet a few months ago.
这个表达方式是随着几个月前“很黄很暴力”之后流行开来的。
网民英文评论:
# Clancy Says:
May 30th, 2008 at 4:12 am
My wife told me this comes from the days when people lived in one-room houses. When mom & dad wanted to get it on, they’d tell the kids to “go buy soy sauce.” Since the soy sauce is carried in a bowl, the children have to walk home veeeery slowly so they don’t spill it.
I thought the phrase was funny to begin with, but hearing the explanation makes it ten times funner.
我觉得“出来打酱油”已经很好笑了,不过听到“打酱油”的解释会十倍的好笑。
另一说英文的中国网民回复:
# DJ Says:
May 30th, 2008 at 7:25 am
Clancy! What are you doing?!
Clancy!你好吗?
You just changed the meaning of my very faint memory of being sent to buy soy sauce as a kid!
你篡改了我童年被送去打酱油的稀薄记忆!
But then again, the store was located right next to the apartment building; my younger sister was at home; the container was always a capped bottle instead of a bowl; and most importantly it always happened at the cooking time, which meant I needed to run … So probably not.