One week away from bloody hot, sweaty Shanghai. One week in good old Kunming where coffee is 5 kuai, food is 1/3 the price and shoe shiners are everywhere.
Wish you all a Happy Golden Week and don’t forget to spend, spend, spend..
September 30, 2005
September 29, 2005
Chinese Internet Slang | Last Chance
The Shanghai government is not very amused with all those new, modern words, mostly abbreviations, that have become part of the online vocabulary of young urban Chinese.
The government plans to “forbid the use of a series of new words and abbreviations made popular on the Internet, from both the schools and official documents,” according to an official statement from Shanghai Municipal People’s Congress.
Terms such as “MM” which refers to “beautiful woman”, and “PK” which means “player kill”, and “Konglong”(dinosaur), which means “ugly girl” are in common usage. These colloquialisms are alleged to infringe the purity of the Chinese language, and therefore should be limited in use, the government says.
In case you like to improve your online Chinese. Here are some words that will keep you communicating, for as long as it is allowed of course.
- “BT” (short for “Bian Tai”) means abnormal
- “Qingwa” (frog) ugly boy
- “GG” (short for “gege”) older brother
- “JJ” (short for “jiejie”) older sister
- “FT” (short for “faint”) faint
- “GF” (short for “girl friend”) girl friend
- “BF” (short for “boy friend”) boy friend
- “Kao” expletive
- “PF” (short for “pei fu”) admire
- “PP” beautiful
- “PLMM” beautiful girl
- “TMD” (short for “ta ma de”) expletive his mother
- “SB” (short for “Sha bi”) expletive
- “SF” (short for “xi huan”) to like
- “88” (pronunciation similar to “bye bye”) bye bye
- “3Q” (pronunciation similar to “thank you”) thank you
- “94” (short for “jiu shi”) that is
- “42” yes
- “PMP” (short for “pai ma pi”) to- bootlick
Source: Interfax China – Shanghai to ban the use of Internet slang …..
Update, some new Chinese Internet Slang
- “520” I love you
- “NB” (short for Bull’s dick- Somebody/something is super great
- “5555” (Short for ) Sound of crying
September 25, 2005
The Real Beggar | A Shanghai Guide
Shanghai has apparently published an illustrated guide, called “Recognizing Phonies” to help the citizens and visitors to distinguish real beggars from frauds. Although I have no idea whether it’s available in English it will be a sad read indeed.
“Amid the great army of city vagrants, there is a cadre of professional beggars who prey on the sympathies of citizens.” “There isn’t a trick they won’t try.” according to the manual
“We don’t want to discourage people from helping beggars,” said an official with the Civil Affairs Bureau, … “We just want to make sure they don’t get tricked and end up helping a cheat.”
It reminds me of when I was walking on Nanjing Xi Lu with a cousin of my girlfriend. The boy is 10 and saw me giving a kuai to an old woman sitting on the sidewalk. “Those people are bad, don’t give them anything”, was his reaction.
This sums pretty much up the average view of the Chinese towards beggars and from early on they have been told this “wisdom”.
I am sure there will be gangs, frauds etc but a big part of them just don’t have anything, let alone any chance to work. Some kuais for them means food, some kuais for me means not even a cup of coffee.
September 23, 2005
China | Random Chinese Food Thoughts
Random thoughts on eating in China for more than 3 years now.
The Xinjiang restaurant in Shanghai offers sheep balls. Great food although no by effects
This spring snake was on the menu in Yangshuo. It was hunted when we ordered, showed to us alive and for the photo-op we held it for a while. The drink was its blood mixed with alcohol and tasted like shit. The meat was not that special.
3 years ago I ate my first and last hot dog. A baguette, some salad, some dog froms the stalls in the street, some musterd. It tastes like beef so I stick to that.
2 years ago we tried turtle soup. The reptile was floating in a soup bowl and looked with sad dead eyes into mine. No more turtle since then.
In Kunming tripe was a favourite of many. It tasted nice but looked dodgy. Next to that I didn’t know what the word tripe meant. Now I know and still like it.
September 19, 2005
Media Regulations | Murdoch’s Brick Wall
Not so long ago regulations for allowing foreign investment in Chinese media companies were curbed. Basically reversing one year old Chinese regulations that opened up this market a bit.
One of the bigger foreign media players, Newscorp, has already some ventures in China. They have a license to operate in Southern China’s Guangdong province and in exclusive mainland hotels. All still small stuff but at least they are in.
The new regulations seem to have frustated the owner of Newscorp, mr. Murdoch, a bit as he been heard saying the Chinese authorities “were quite paranoid about what gets through.”
The thing is that he lashed out in 1993 as well which probably forced him to do a lot of buttering up. Now he may get his grease in line as these things won’t go unnoticed.
The media in China, whether it is newspapers, the internet, tv or for that matter anything that can carry a message is all state organized and controlled. Investing in it or creating the option is a long term strategy which will need a lot of patience, good will, timing, sensitivity and on forehand accepting you may loose out big time.
Lashing out may add up some extra years for the Murdoch empire before their toe-hold becomes a foot-hold.
source: Murdoch hits ‘brick wall’ in China, calls Beijing ‘paranoid’
September 15, 2005
Chinese Holidays | 5 Minus 2 = 3
The big October break is coming and today I read the official announcement.
For all those westerners with their fat holidays I wonder how they would react if they get 5 weekdays but have to hand back the weekend.
September 14, 2005
Xiang Yang | Real Shanghai Market Prices
or at least prices that come closer to what they should be.
Friends in my age group are still in their marriage stage, which follows the dating, living together for a bit, moving on and now wanting to really settle down period.
Flying back to Holland for all these events would be a bit costly so I have become a loyal customer of the Xiang Yang market. It’s a the walhalla for counterfeit products as well as typical chinese gifts nobody would buy at home even if they get extra money.
Lately I have assembled a number of so-called China Marriage Boxes and in case you are ever out of ideas here are the pics and the prices. Some of the prices will be close to their real retail value some might still have some space for bargaining.
We bought:
Bottle dresses – 6.25 Rmb/pc
Mini-traditional Chinese Emperor Attire to pull over a bottle. A different drinking experience for sure.
Pillow Cover – 10 Rmb/pc (price can go down, I guess)
Looks nice, pretends to be silk and actually usefull. The brighter the colors the less chance you will see it cover anything when you visit your friends
Chopsticks – 35 Rmb/set
Can the gift be more Chinese. Although some Chinese still can’t fathom the idea westerners can actually use these two pieces of wood it makes a perfect gift.
The X-mas Decoration – /7.5 Rmb/pc
It’s red rope, it’s some metallic (copper!) thing that wishes the receiver happiness, wealth and so on. The X-mas tree might be the best place for it to end up.
One thing to note though is that you might consider sending your gifts months before the wedding takes place. This way you can mail it using ships.
Mailing by air is the most costly part of the China Wedding Box. It will, depending on weight, at least double your spendings.
Please correct me by the way if you have gotten a better price or you have some other fine products that should be in the box.