I'm out just buying soy sauce

[blandmc]

Hi all!

This is totally not important at all... but I was out on the streets and saw a car with a bumper sticker that said:

我是出来打酱油的

Hmm... I was wondering why one would write something like that on their car. I guess it is supposed to be funny? Of course humor never really translates well.

With some quick research I saw that 打酱油 means both "to buy soy sauce" and also something like "minding your own business"... something in the context of being in a store and a clerk asks you if you need help to which you reply, "I'm just buying soy sauce". I guess the English equivalent would be something like, "I'm just looking."

My question is... is this a common phrase? Do you hear it a lot? I am still very new to China and Chinese language... wondering how useful it may be.

And also - for any native speakers out there... is that a funny thing to have on your car?

Thanks!

[gougou]

It's one of the many internet memes popular in China. See here for an illustrated overview.

[chrix]

Actually this is a Chinese internet saying that became very popular in 2008.

I don't know any details, here's a very detailed explanation in Chinese: http://baike.baidu.com/view/1601934.htm

If I understand it correctly, it relates to the attitude of Chinese netizens not to discuss political or any sensitive matters online, like "it's none of my business, I'm just buying soy sauce". But there are several angles to it, it seems.

[chrix]

Nice link, gougou. Now the question remains, how do you say "internet meme" in Chinese

[Meng Lelan]

That is such a great link gougou!

[Kenny同志]

See here for an illustrated overview.

Personally, I don't like some of the words, like "FT", "Man" and things alike. They are not characters in any sense and contaminate the Chinese language, not in any way good.

In addition, there're a number of hanzi variants on the internet, like 童鞋（同学），表（不要），偶（我）（words in the brackets are proper ones）and so forth. I am not sure how these bad words have come into being, maybe out of a longing for novelty, being different or looking cool. As a conservative others may consider me, I hate hanzis being used that way.

Edited January 8, 2010 at 04:17 AM by kenny2006woo

[blandmc]

Thanks all for the information - great stuff!

Kenny Woo - Actually there are similar feelings for many English speaking people about the changes to English language on the internet. Personally I hate seeing people spell words with numbers ( using 3 for e, etc) and I hate the overuse of acronyms like LOL, etc. But really there isn't anything you can do. Languages evolve and change and are influenced by many sources whether we like it or not. So - it's at least nice to be aware of the changes!

[Kenny同志]

To Blandmc

Personally I hate seeing people spell words with numbers ( using 3 for e, etc) and I hate the overuse of acronyms like LOL, etc.

It seems I am not the only person out there.

But really there isn't anything you can do. Languages evolve and change and are influenced by many sources whether we like it or not. So - it's at least nice to be aware of the changes!

No, we can do something about it. At least, we can use standard expressions ourselves. A language does change, but sometimes we need to settle down and throw the question to ourselves: are these changes really necessary? are they any better? If the answer is yes, then let the changes go ahead. Unfortunately, the above-mentioned words don't fall into the yes category. In my view, people using such words are simply 不好好说话，发嗲.

[imron]

What I always find amusing is watching Chinese learners of English using slang such as "u", "r" etc, thinking it makes their English somehow more authentic, when in reality it just comes across as childish and uneducated (well at least to me ).

[skylee]

What I always find amusing is watching Chinese learners of English using slang such as "u", "r" etc, thinking it makes their English somehow more authentic, when in reality it just comes across as childish and uneducated (well at least to me ).

Thanks for pointing that out. I use "u" "r" and "2" when texting to save spaces. I am now working with an Australian consultant and she probably finds me childish and uneducated.

[chrix]

I think it's different when texting. People do this to save space. Maybe Americans are also different from Australians in that regard, who knows. It's true though that over-excessive use of this kind of "short-hand" does come off as childish or at least too familiar.

[Kenny同志]

What I always find amusing is watching Chinese learners of English using slang such as "u", "r" etc, thinking it makes their English somehow more authentic, when in reality it just comes across as childish and uneducated (well at least to me ).

Thanks for letting me know that, Imron. I'll avoid such uses as possible as I can.

I must have appeared childish and uneducated to someone before.

[chrix]

Again, it depends on the context, situation and genre. In casual chatting or texting it might be quite appropriate to use them. Language use is about being able to adapt to a variety of different situations...

[Kenny同志]

Thanks, Chrix.

[Daan]

Say what you want about language degenerating as a result of the internet, that webpage is hilarious! I used 我是出来打酱油的 here in Taiwan once and was met with blank stares, after which I was informed that this was not a commonly known expression here. So if you want to use this at all, do so on the mainland

[chrix]

I showed the link provided by gougou to a Taiwanese friend, and was told that a lot of the expressions there was also used in Taiwan now, and conversely, due to the popularity of 台劇, a lot of TW expressions are now used on the mainland. Or maybe, "known" rather than "used".

[Daan]

I'm just trying to think who I used it on, but I can't seem to recall. It might have been an older speaker who would not necessarily have been familiar with such new and trendy idiomatic expressions.

[imron]

Thanks for pointing that out. I use "u" "r" and "2" when texting

Texting on a mobile phone is probably acceptable, but if you can avoid it (i.e. it's only a short message so you're not running into space limits) then all the better. For me, anything in email, IM, online forums etc, where there are no space restrictions and you have a full keyboard at your disposal, is just sloppy. Edited January 8, 2010 at 09:03 PM by imron

[jbradfor]

u r 2 rite

[animal world]

u r 2 rite

Fo'shizzle mah nizzle!