Become a channel member and get perks:
/ @austinguidry2
#chengdu #chineseslang #mandarinslang
What does "250" mean in China? NOT just a number! Chinese Slang and Cultural Stories
Feel free to subscribe to see more videos about what it is like to be an American (or any kind of foreigner) in China! All are welcome!
Facebook: / letchinasleep2
Twitter: @LetChinaSleep
我的微博:@懒惰老外
Did you know that the number 250 (二百五 èr bǎi wǔ) means “idiot” in China? In Chinese, 二百五 (two hundred and fifty) is a term used as an insult, which means stupid / simple?
Why?
One explanation is that it comes from diào, a currency unit of ancient China. The copper pieces were tied together through square holes in their centre. Originally, 1000 was a unit of the currency called a diào 吊.
Bàndiàozi (半吊子"half diào "), literally means half a diào (500 pieces), which also indicates a person with poor cognitive abilities. For that reason, modest Chinese sometimes called themselves “bàndiàozi” to humbly depreciate their intelligence. Over time, “250” (èrbǎiwǔ,"a quarter of diào") has become an offense and an insult in China.
Another explanation comes from the old times -- Warring States period, to be specific -- when the famous officer Su Qin was killed. He was a close friend of the king of the Qi kingdom. Pretending that Su was an enemy of the country, the king of Qi said he was grateful for the assassination. He put forth a campaign to find and reward Su Qin's murderer.
Once the campaign was unleashed, four guys came forward and said they had killed Su. The king said: “You must not lie!”, but each of these four people insisted that they were the assassin of Su. So the King asked: “1,000 gold pieces need to be shared by four. How much gets each of you?” They answered together: ”Two hundred fifty!” The King was furious and declared: ”Take these four, give them their “250 (èr bǎi wǔ)” and let them beheaded! From then on, 250 became a synonymous for "idiot".
It is good to know the meaning of 250 in China! It goes so far that you will not find products with a price of 250 RMB in the supermarket or other stores. Even house numbers with the number 250 are avoided in China. 250 is avoided in pretty much every aspect of life! Believe it or not, it's true!
Негізгі бет What does "250" mean in China? NOT just a number! Chinese Slang and Cultural Stories
No video
Пікірлер: 58