A new phrase for you and your loved ones

March 30, 2008

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I love a new word. You knew I would find some new things to say eventually. In Wu Han Hua, the local language with some differences from Mandarin (Pu Tong Hua), I learned how to call someone crazy. This phrase, “Feng Liao” in Wuhan or “Feng Le” in Mandarin is the way to call someone crazy. It only works for people, not clothes as I attempted to use it in a store to describe some jeans with a sideways zipper.

Example:
Er Bai Wu: “Wo Xi Huan Wang Li Hong.”
Bu Er Bai Wu: “Ni Feng Liao.”

Translation:
Idiot: “I like Lee Hong.”
Not Idiot: “You’re crazy.”