真牛屄 = awesome?

[yakeyglee]

Does anyone have any explanation for this word? Yellowbridge says it means "marvelous", and that 牛屄 means "awesome", but, uh, the literal translation seems a little off.

http://www.yellowbridge.com/chinese/wordsearch.php?searchMode=C&word=真牛屄&cache=32

[L-F-J]

It can have either positive or negative connotations depending on the context. The negative connotation should be obvious, but the positive is more likely written 真牛逼 or sometimes even 真牛B. In Mandarin it's equivalent to 很厉害.

[count_zero]

The best single word translation I could give for niubi would be 'badass'.

[count_zero]

I think the negative connotation is only obvious if you support the possible explanation that 牛逼 evolved from 吹牛.

[malanting]

You're right. But normally we don't type 屄. It's sort of insulting, though 牛逼 and 牛B both derives from 牛屄. I didn't really like this word since it comes from profanities. It reminds me of SB (傻逼), a common way of swearing in China. But many of my friends use it. 你真牛逼 can be translated as "You're amazing" or "You're awesome". So recently I've come around to the term.

[skylee]

Or just use 牛.

[malanting]

Or just use 牛.

That sounds much better. 你太牛了！

[custom_art365]

真牛X is better

[tooironic]

The best single word translation I could give for niubi would be 'badass'.

"Awesome" is fine as a translation. "Badass" is hardly ever used in Australia or the UK.

[icebear]

"Awesome" is fine as a translation. "Badass" is hardly ever used in Australia or the UK.

Regional issue. Either awesome or badass would be fine in the US.

[jiasen]

"Awesome" is fine as a translation. "Badass" is hardly ever used in Australia or the UK.

I think he was drawing a parallel, as badass is composed of 'bad' + 'ass'.

[count_zero]

Well, I'm from the UK. The ubiquity of American television programmes and movies is such that we are more than familiar with American slang. The same is true in Australia. I don't have a problem with translating Chinese slang into American English slang if it helps understanding within a mixed audience.

To support my “badass” theory, two examples from at work.

A guy wants someone from the office to go along to a client meeting (in China, more people, more face). Instead of one person, three can go. He says:

公司太牛逼了！这么多人。

So many people, our company is too badass!

In a car with a female coworker and a young guy in a sports car speeds past.

大哥！你太牛逼了！

Dude, come on! You are just too badass!

In this example “badass” of course means “trying to be badass” rather than actually achieving it, which I think comes across in the context. So, this is both the positive and negative use of 牛逼 (being excellent, showing off) translated using the same English word.

Also, I like the fact that badass includes the word “bad”. 牛逼 suggests a degree of rebellion, rather like how the 流氓 Chinese writers could be called “bad boys” of literature.

[艾紫茉]

Wow I never knew "awesome" and "badass" are only used in American English. These terms are definitely very common here. Although I think "badass" is used more often in jest. I've never heard anyone use it seriously except in movies maybe. For example, the other day one of my friends who is notoriously known for always being on a diet and eating almost nothing decided to come out with us after class for burgers so we were teasing her saying, "Woah! You're eating a burger? So badass!" The word implies you're doing something you're not supposed to, making you seem more cool.

The word awesome is often used more seriously when you think something is neat or cool in a positive way. "That movie was awesome!" Or "This game is awesome!"

I guess this is a little off topic from the original post but I thought I'd give my American input.

[peterlkj]

As a Brit I have to add my two pence here... Awesome is used very commonly In the uk - eg: "that's awesome news". Badass - not so much. So basically same as the US usage.

[tooironic]

For the record, I never said either word is only used in America. Awesome is pretty common here in Australia. And of course we are all familiar with American slang due to the ubiquity of American culture. But to me "badass" is a distinctly American word - even more so considering it has the word "ass" in it, which is expressed as "arse" in BrE. Thus if you use it in translation in a text meant for non-American readers - or you use it in conversation with non-American people - then you're kind of distancing them a little bit. But I'll admit it does convey the tone of "bad" in a way that "awesome" simply can't. In light of that, I have no idea what better options we have.

[艾紫茉]

I don't think using "arse" distances Americans. Americans love non-American English slang. At least, everyone I know does.

[tooironic]

Err.. what? I wasn't talking about distancing Americans. Maybe you should re-read my post.

[malanting]

The word awesome is often used more seriously when you think something is neat or cool in a positive way. "That movie was awesome!" Or "This game is awesome!"

If you simply like a movie and say " That movie was awesome!" . We won't say 那部电影太牛逼了. Because 牛逼 is used to describe something amazing, not just something you like. So if a movie has a lot of special effects like Avatar 3D version. Then you can use 牛 or 牛逼. But not in ordinary situations.

[Lu]

Further information: 牛X is pronounced niu2cha1. 屄 is hardly ever written that way anymore, sadly. Such a graphic character.