Random new word of the day

[rob07]

有色 you3se4 - nonferrous

[Glenn]

Well, I just learned that 拖鞋 is the word for "slippers".

[skylee]

Then perhaps you would also like to learn that 人字拖 = flip flop?

Edit - Corrected typo as advised by the post below.

[Meng Lelan]

Uh, skylee, may I suggest flip flop not not filp flop. I think maybe you flipped around a couple of letters.

[Glenn]

Interesting. I assume that 人字 is there because of the shape of the strap? Was this one posted in the thread for words that have 字 in them?

[anonymoose]

Uh, skylee, may I suggest flip flop not not filp flop. I think maybe you flipped around a couple of letters.

That joke was a flop.

[creamyhorror]

Learnt the interesting bit of slang 闷骚 men1sao1 today. It's used to describe people who are reticent, thoughtful and cool on the exterior, but go wild in certain situations (possibly exposing their usually hidden inner personalities).

[Meng Lelan]

That joke was a flop.

I wasn't being flippant.

[heifeng]

In this article 禁放烟花爆竹背后理性的僭越

I bumped into these terms:

僭越 jiàn​yuè​ to usurp / to overstep one's authority ~ More here

义愤填膺; yì​fèn​tián​yīng​ righteous indignation fills one's breast (idiom); to feel indignant at injustice ; More here (which also gives similar chengyu: 天怒人怨、满腔义愤 & opposite: 麻木不仁)

[renzhe]

鸡肋 = chicken rib

Used to describe something that is not devoid of value, but not really what you want either. Too good to throw away, too bad to be satisfied with. A 鸡肋 can make a good backup if all your other options fall through.

[skylee]

雞肋 is such a good term. The Chinese explanation is simply 食之無味，棄之可惜.

I learnt it in the story of 楊修之死, a piece of very basic and famous classic chinese story for middle school students. Perhaps you would like to take a look.

[skylee]

I have just used this term in a PM - 孑然一身 (completely alone)

[Glenn]

I had just come across 孑 a week or so ago, and forgotten its meaning (had a good guess at the reading, though). Before that I don't think I had ever seen it. This should help it stick in there a little longer.

[Glenn]

八字鬍 (bāzìhú) -- a 八-shaped mustache. I'm not sure what the word for it is in English, but there seem to be lots of varieties.

[skylee]

Another term that has 孑 in it is 孑孓 (jie2 jue2) - larva of mosquito. I first came across the word 孑 (and of course also 孓) when I learnt this term.

[Glenn]

Alright, now this falls more into place: 孑. Although I'm still not sure what a mosquito wriggler is, I'm guessing it's probably the larvae.

[skylee]

Actually 孑 alone means solitary/single (thus 孑然). Take a look at this.

孑孓 is something that has to do with mosquitos. I think I learnt it in a science lesson or something.

[Glenn]

Yeah, actually I think 孑然 is the word I came across it in initially. Strange that the English gloss at the dictionary used at weblio would have the meaning as "mosquito wriggler", especially when the kun-yomi is clearly "alone".

[jbradfor]

長得 -- to look (pretty, the same etc)

From roddy's post over here. Reading the sentence "外国人也觉得我们都长得很奇怪" I translated 长得 as "grew up to the extent of", and thought that was a really weird way of saying that roddy is too tall.

[BeijingDaniel2011]

The last word I learned from a friend of mine:

暴发户: bao4fa1hu4. Means nouveau riche/newly rich. But in Chinese it has a negative connotation- new money but no taste/culture. Fun word.