Chinglish Explained
Chinese ideas that become confusing, funny, or misleading when translated literally.
Literal translation is useful for noticing an idea, but it is rarely the finished English sentence. These pages show what a Chinese expression accomplishes in its setting and how to carry that social function into natural English without flattening the original meaning.
A useful question: What should I say in English when a literal translation misses the interaction?
加油
jiā yóu•“add fuel / add oil”
加油 encourages someone to keep going, try hard, or hold on through a challenge; it is broader than any single English phrase.
#warm#energetic#and widely usable for encouragement.
beginnerRead explanation →
你吃了吗
nǐ chī le ma•“Have you eaten?”
你吃了吗 can be a casual mealtime greeting between people who know each other, or a literal question about a meal; it is not automatically an invitation.
#warm and familiar around mealtime; more natural with people who already know each other.
beginnerRead explanation →