Jian Ping's column
Evolution of language
Evolution of language
By Jian Ping
I am quite amazed lately by some changes that I noticed in the Chinese language, my mother tongue. Never
before have I encountered so many incidents and new colorful phrases that I start to pay particular attention so
as to keep up with the evolution.
The first time it hit me was a phrase used by a friend who came from China for a visit. I met him and his
colleague at the O’Hare International Airport. He was very excited that NBA teams would tour China. “Basketball
is very popular in China and the NBA star players have many ‘fen si’ there,” he said shortly after we got into a
taxi. “I’m one of them.” “fen si?” I was confused. The Chinese characters for “fen si,” is literally translated as a
type of noodle made from bean starch. “‘fen si’ means ‘fans,’” my friend laughed when he realized that I took the
word literally. “It’s a transliteration from the English pronunciation!”
I was dumbfounded. Could a better word be used than “noodle!” He shrugged.
Recently I went to China to visit my mother and other family members. Despite my frequent visits, I was struck
by the drastic changes everywhere I turned. More contemporary buildings, more cars on the streets, and more
westernized commercials on billboards and television. My sister Wen and I went shopping one day and I was
amazed to see all the name brands from the West in department stores and the high prices. Many products, such
as Rolex watches and Gucci bags, are more expensive than in the U.S. because of heavy taxes on luxurious
goods. “How many consumers can afford them?” I marveled. I knew a middle class was quickly
I am quite amazed lately by some changes that I noticed in the Chinese language, my mother tongue. Never
before have I encountered so many incidents and new colorful phrases that I start to pay particular attention so
as to keep up with the evolution.
The first time it hit me was a phrase used by a friend who came from China for a visit. I met him and his
colleague at the O’Hare International Airport. He was very excited that NBA teams would tour China. “Basketball
is very popular in China and the NBA star players have many ‘fen si’ there,” he said shortly after we got into a
taxi. “I’m one of them.” “fen si?” I was confused. The Chinese characters for “fen si,” is literally translated as a
type of noodle made from bean starch. “‘fen si’ means ‘fans,’” my friend laughed when he realized that I took the
word literally. “It’s a transliteration from the English pronunciation!”
I was dumbfounded. Could a better word be used than “noodle!” He shrugged.
Recently I went to China to visit my mother and other family members. Despite my frequent visits, I was struck
by the drastic changes everywhere I turned. More contemporary buildings, more cars on the streets, and more
westernized commercials on billboards and television. My sister Wen and I went shopping one day and I was
amazed to see all the name brands from the West in department stores and the high prices. Many products, such
as Rolex watches and Gucci bags, are more expensive than in the U.S. because of heavy taxes on luxurious
goods. “How many consumers can afford them?” I marveled. I knew a middle class was quickly
emerging in China and Deng Xiaoping’s call of “getting rich is glorious” had brought forth numerous tycoons. But the average per capita income is still
only approximately $5,000. “Consumers are getting more and more brand conscious,” my sister told me. “Especially the young! Many of them constitute
the emerging ‘yue guang zu.’” I had to ask her the words and meaning of “yue guang zu.” In Chinese, many different words have the same pronunciation,
and the meaning of each word can be completely different. Wen wrote down the three words on a piece of paper in chinese characters. “Yue” could mean
month or moon, and “Guang” could mean depleted or bright, pending on the context, and “zu,” race or group. I couldn’t make any sense of it. Wen smiled
and explained to me patiently.
“The phrase refers to those who spend their salary completely each month.”
Chinese are well known for their habit of savings. Regardless of the income level, people always manage to stack some money away for the rainy day.
Living from paycheck to paycheck is certainly a new phenomenon. Good or bad, I found the phrase coined to describe this new development quite clever.
It is a good use of pun and humor in language. I like it much better than “fen si.”
Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of meeting with two reporters: Ms. Zhi and Mr. Zhao from Jiefang Daily, a large newspaper in Shanghai, China.
Over dinner, we talked about the wired culture and Internet lounge in China and they used the term pronounced “zhai nan zhai nu.” Literally translated, it
says “house men house women.” I had to ask them to explain.
“That refers to those who are addicted to the Internet. They glue themselves to the computer screen, order food and interact with others only in the
cyberspace. They don’t leave their house or apartment.”
I remember seeing such people at an “Internet lounge” when I was in Changchun, China. I had noticed the sign “Internet Lounge” in many places of the
city, serving those who do not have computers or broadband access to Internet at home. There was one a block away from my mother’s apartment. Every
time I walked by, I saw the glare of large computer screens through the door. The windows had curtains blocking out external light and the inside was
dimly lit. Lines of tables were set up as computer stations, and each station was equipped with a set of large headphone and a camera. Most of the people
in the lounge were young. They spent hours, if not days there playing video games. Most of these lounges provide cheap overnight accommodations.
One day I checked into this Internet lounge in the neighborhood to send a few emails with attachments that I couldn’t handle on my BlackBerry. The
cost was minimum — 2 yuan for an hour, about 30 cents. There were passes for various hours for sale. The longer the duration, the cheaper was the
hourly rate.
A clerk quickly set me up at an empty station. I noticed that the young people around me, mostly in their twenties, were very absorbed in their video
games. Some had food plates on the table, and some were smoking. They all had their headphones on and appeared oblivious to the real world around
them. The strong smell of cigarette smoke assaulted my lungs and eyes. I quickly sent out my documents and fled from this choking place.
Ms. Zhi told me a couple of other new phrases over the course of dinner. I was very intrigued to see how language evolves with the changes of
culture and lifestyle. Now that I have started to contribute articles to newspapers and magazines in China, I know I must read more in Chinese to keep up
with the change of language!
Jian Ping is author of “Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China.” Visit www.mulberrychild.com for more information or her blog www.smearedtype.com for
feedback and comments.
only approximately $5,000. “Consumers are getting more and more brand conscious,” my sister told me. “Especially the young! Many of them constitute
the emerging ‘yue guang zu.’” I had to ask her the words and meaning of “yue guang zu.” In Chinese, many different words have the same pronunciation,
and the meaning of each word can be completely different. Wen wrote down the three words on a piece of paper in chinese characters. “Yue” could mean
month or moon, and “Guang” could mean depleted or bright, pending on the context, and “zu,” race or group. I couldn’t make any sense of it. Wen smiled
and explained to me patiently.
“The phrase refers to those who spend their salary completely each month.”
Chinese are well known for their habit of savings. Regardless of the income level, people always manage to stack some money away for the rainy day.
Living from paycheck to paycheck is certainly a new phenomenon. Good or bad, I found the phrase coined to describe this new development quite clever.
It is a good use of pun and humor in language. I like it much better than “fen si.”
Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of meeting with two reporters: Ms. Zhi and Mr. Zhao from Jiefang Daily, a large newspaper in Shanghai, China.
Over dinner, we talked about the wired culture and Internet lounge in China and they used the term pronounced “zhai nan zhai nu.” Literally translated, it
says “house men house women.” I had to ask them to explain.
“That refers to those who are addicted to the Internet. They glue themselves to the computer screen, order food and interact with others only in the
cyberspace. They don’t leave their house or apartment.”
I remember seeing such people at an “Internet lounge” when I was in Changchun, China. I had noticed the sign “Internet Lounge” in many places of the
city, serving those who do not have computers or broadband access to Internet at home. There was one a block away from my mother’s apartment. Every
time I walked by, I saw the glare of large computer screens through the door. The windows had curtains blocking out external light and the inside was
dimly lit. Lines of tables were set up as computer stations, and each station was equipped with a set of large headphone and a camera. Most of the people
in the lounge were young. They spent hours, if not days there playing video games. Most of these lounges provide cheap overnight accommodations.
One day I checked into this Internet lounge in the neighborhood to send a few emails with attachments that I couldn’t handle on my BlackBerry. The
cost was minimum — 2 yuan for an hour, about 30 cents. There were passes for various hours for sale. The longer the duration, the cheaper was the
hourly rate.
A clerk quickly set me up at an empty station. I noticed that the young people around me, mostly in their twenties, were very absorbed in their video
games. Some had food plates on the table, and some were smoking. They all had their headphones on and appeared oblivious to the real world around
them. The strong smell of cigarette smoke assaulted my lungs and eyes. I quickly sent out my documents and fled from this choking place.
Ms. Zhi told me a couple of other new phrases over the course of dinner. I was very intrigued to see how language evolves with the changes of
culture and lifestyle. Now that I have started to contribute articles to newspapers and magazines in China, I know I must read more in Chinese to keep up
with the change of language!
Jian Ping is author of “Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China.” Visit www.mulberrychild.com for more information or her blog www.smearedtype.com for
feedback and comments.
