简体 繁體 Pinyin Meaning(s), Literal and Figurative

酷 酷 kù cool (好酷喔 hǎo kù ō; that's cool!); lit., equiv. cool

帅 帥 shuài good looking, handsome (of a guy)

帅呆（了） 帥呆(了) shuàidāi(le) very good looking, a hunk (of a guy); very good, awesome (of a situation)

爽 爽 shuǎng satisfying, enjoyable, (as in 我昨天去按摩超爽(的)。 "The massage yesterday was very satisfying."

过瘾 過癮 guòyǐn entertaining; very pleasing; addictive

不行了 不行了 bùxíngle dying, at the point of death; lit. not OK anymore

超 超 chāo very, extremely, super, ultra- (as in 超冷 "very cold", 超酷 "very cool")

惹 惹 rě to annoy, provoke, offend, or get on someone's nerves(as in 你幹嘛老是惹我？ "Why do you always get on my nerves?")

碍眼 礙眼 àiyǎn annoying, get-in-the-way (as in 你在這裡很礙眼, 趕快去做一些有用的事情吧! "You are being a nuisance, go see whether you can make yourself useful somewhere else!); lit. 'hinder the eye'

胡闹 胡鬧 húnào make trouble, be a nuisance (as in 你現在馬上給我安靜睡覺,不要再胡鬧! "you are going to sleep right now, no more nonsense!"); lit ‘nonsense quarrel’

感冒 感冒 gǎnmào (catch) a cold; to develop an aversion against someone (as in 我說了那句話之後,她就對我感冒了 "after I said that she got upset with me")

机车 機車 jīchē (noun) motorcycle; adj: used to describe someone displaying annoying behavior (as in 她很機車 "she's annoying")

离谱 離譜 lípǔ preposterous, outrageous; lit. leaving the manual or musical score (as in 你這樣作實在是太離譜。 "You are really out of line doing things like that.")

扯 扯 chě farfetched, unimaginable, defying all logic (as in 很扯! "Unbelievable!", 太扯了吧! "That is ridiculous!", 你扯到哪裡去? "What are you talking about?"); lit. drag, pull; chat

扯xx（的）后腿 扯xx（的）後腿 chě xx (de) hòutuǐ to be a drag on xx, be a hindrance; lit. to pull xx's hind legs

正 正 zhèng classy, good quality, high class (as in 正妹 "a classy chick", 他的女朋友很正。 "He has a knock out girlfriend.")

耍 耍 shuǎ cheat, deceive (as in 你想耍我嗎? "You must be kidding.")

耍嘴皮 耍嘴皮 shuǎzuǐpí to talk slickly, to pay lip service

耍赖 耍賴 shuǎlài to act shamelessly; to act indifferent

赖皮 賴皮 làipí to act shameless, brazen, like a rascal; rascal, villain

混 混 hùn to muddle along, to partake in a given activity in a lazy and unserious manner(as in 我這裡已經快混不下去了。 "I'm about to get kicked out of here." (school or company etc), 你還想混多久? "How much longer are you planning to go on like this?")

摸鱼 摸魚 móyú to be lazy on the job; lit. to rub fish

鱿鱼 魷魚 yóuyú marching orders; lit. squid

炒鱿鱼 炒魷魚 chǎoyóuyú to be fired, sacked; lit. to fry squid, equiv. "getting a pink slip"

烂 爛 làn rotten, crappy

烂掉 爛掉 làndiào to rot, to go bad

烂摊子 爛攤子 làntānzi bad situation, mess (as in 我可以收他的爛攤子。 "I can take care of the mess he created.")

烂醉 爛醉 lànzuì piss drunk, blind drunk, dead drunk

烂好人 爛好人 lànhǎorén spineless, weak person; lit. rotten good person

透 透 tòu extremely, completely, used as a suffix (as in 爛透了 'extremely crappy'); lit. through

吓死 嚇死 xiàsǐ terrified; lit., equiv. scared to death

难搞 難搞 nángǎo hard to deal with, downright

休想 休想 xiūxiǎng never (interjection), lit., equiv. in your dreams

吹牛 吹牛 chuīniú to brag, boast

吹 吹 chuī to brag, boast

自大 自大 zìdà arrogant, overbearing

臭屁 臭屁 chòupì arrogant, overbearing; equiv. cocky, lit. stinking fart

摆架子 擺架子 bǎijiàzi to put on an airs, to act like the master of, to be arrogant; lit. to swing a rack, shelf

假君子 假君子 jiǎjūnzǐ equiv. a wolf in sheep's clothes, lit. a fake gentleman

上流社会 上流社會 shàngliú shèhuì lit. high society, the rich and famous; equiv. upper crust

黑社会 黑社會 hēishèhuì triad, triad society; lit. the underworld, equiv. gangland

流氓 流氓 liúmáng rogue, gangster, hoodlum; lit. flowing vagrant

老大 老大 lǎodà the big boss, older, elder

小弟 小弟 xiǎodì younger members of a gang; lit. little brother

吵架 吵架 chǎojià to quarrel, to argue

斗嘴 鬥嘴 dòuzuǐ bicker, squabble (lit. to fight with the mouth)

打架 打架 dǎjià to fight, scuffle (physically)

把风 把風 bǎfēng to keep watch, be on the look out (esp. during a heist)

坏胚子 壞胚子 huài pēizi a bad personal characteristic

好兄弟 好兄弟 hǎo xiōngdì a ghost; a good friend; lit. good brother

不干净 不乾淨 bù gānjìng not clean; haunted (by ghosts)

夜总会 夜總會 yèzǒnghuì nightclub; graveyard

菜鸟 菜鳥 càiniǎo rookie, beginner, novice, inexperienced person; lit. 'vegetable bird'

天真 天真 tiānzhēn naive (said mostly of young girls); lit 'heaven real'

猪头 豬頭 zhūtóu idiot; lit. pig's head

笨蛋 笨蛋 bèndàn idiot; lit. stupid egg

坏蛋 壞蛋 huàidàn crook, scoundrel; lit. rotten egg

王八蛋 王八蛋 wángbādàn son of a bitch; lit. turtle egg

货 货 huò goods, merchandise, stuff; drugs

白痴 白痴 báichī idiot; stupidity; lit. white fool

蠢货 蠢貨 chǔnhuò idiot, blockhead, dunce, moron (used infrequently)

傻瓜 傻瓜 shǎguā fool, simpleton (sometimes used lovingly); lit. stupid melon

小子 小子 xiǎozi guy, kid; prick, brat

疯子 瘋子 fēngzi madman, lunatic

发疯 發瘋 fāfēng to become insane, to go mad

娘娘腔 娘娘腔 niángniangqiāng sissy, girly, effeminate (esp. of a male)

傢伙 傢伙 jiāhuo guy, chap (negative); weapon, gun

毒蟲 毒蟲 dúchóng junky, someone on drugs; lit. poisonous insect

吸毒 吸毒 xīdú to drug, to take drugs (esp. narcotics); lit. to absorb poison

上瘾 上癮 shàngyǐn to become addicted; addictive; Used colloquially: 'get hooked to something' (as in 這種啤酒太好喝了,我快要上癮了 "This kind of beer is too tasty, I'm about to get hooked"

崩溃 崩潰 bēngkuì debacle; to fall apart, to collapse, esp. mental collapse

欠xx 欠xx qiàn-xx to owe xx (as in, 欠錢 "owe money", 欠情 "owe a favor"); to ask/beg for xx (as in, 欠念 "asking for a verbal dress down", 欠揍 "asking for a beating")

放xx(的)鸽子 放xx(的)鴿子 fàng xx gēzi to (intentionally) not not come for xx; to miss xx's appointment, equiv. to stand xx up, to be a no-show (as in, 不要放我鴿子喔！ "Don't stand me up!"); lit. release xx pigeons

吃xx(的)豆腐 吃xx(的)豆腐 chī xx (de) dòufu to commit borderline sexual harassment with a woman (as in, 不要吃我的豆腐。 "Don't touch me.", 你想吃我的豆腐嗎? "Would you like to touch me?"); lit. to eat xx's tofu

没水准 沒水準 méi shuǐzhǔn equiv. to have no class; lit. to have no standards

没家教 沒家教 méi jiājiào unmannered, not well behaved, impolite; lit. without home teaching, without a good upbringing

下流 下流 xiàliú nasty; obscene; indecent; a low life; lit. downstream

土 土 tǔ with no class, like a buffoon (as in, 你的衣服好土喔! 'your clothes are so low class!'); lit. earth, soil

飙车 飆車 biāochē drag racing; motorcycle racing; to drive in speedily, a crazed fashion; lit. whirlwind car

xx族 xx族 xx-zú people that do xx (as in, 上班族 "people that work", 飆車族 "people that drive too fast"); lit. xx tribe/clan/family

种草莓 種草莓 zhǒngcǎoméi to kiss someone passionately, leaving a reddish mark (equiv. to give someone a hickey); lit. to plant strawberries

丢脸 丟臉 diūliǎn to embarrass, to disgrace, to humiliate (as in 你在朋友的面前這樣說我真丟臉。 "The way you spoke about me in front of our friends really made me lose face."); equiv., lit. to lose face

没面子 沒面子 méi miànzi to lose face (as in 你害我沒面子。 "You made me lose face.")

厚脸皮 厚臉皮 hòu liǎnpí cheeky, brazen; thick skinned; willing to make daring demands (negative)

嚣张 囂張 xiāozhāng brazen, shameless, arrogant

酒吧 酒吧 jiǔbā a bar

酒店 酒店 jiǔdiàn a hotel; restaurant; hostess bar (Taiwan only); wine shop

夜店 夜店 yèdiàn a nightclub

夜猫子 夜貓子 yèmāozi someone who sleeps late (equiv. a night owl); someone with a rich nightlife

黄包车 黃包車 huángbāochē rickshaw / denigrating slang: a Chinese woman abroad (being promiscuous as opposed to conservative at home)

恐龙妹 恐龍妹 kǒnglóngmèi ugly girl (lit. 'dinosaur girl')

辣妹 辣妹 làmèi a hot girl (lit. 'spicy girl'); the Spice Girls

正妹 正妹 zhèngmēi a beautiful girl, pretty girl

帅哥 帥哥 shuàigē good looking dude, a hunk

放电 放電 fàngdiàn to create an atmosphere of feminine attraction (of a woman); lit. 'to discharge electricity'

欲火焚身 慾火焚身 yùhuǒfénshēn to be very horny; lit. 'lust fire incinerate body'

泡妞 泡妞 pàoniū (try to) hook up with girls, on the prowl for women; lit ‘steep/soak girls’

把妹 把妹 bǎmèi to hunt for girls

把马子 把馬子 bǎmǎzi to hunt for girls

把凯子 把凱子 bǎkǎizi to hunt for rich hunks (of a woman)

搭讪 搭訕 dāshan (trying to hook up by) starting a conversation (with a stranger)

乱讲 亂講 luànjiǎng to speak nonsense

胡烂 胡爛 húlàn give someone a load of nonsense; (as in 男生最利害的就是胡爛 "(said by a woman) Selling crap is what men do best"); lit ‘nonsense crap‘

放屁 放屁 fàngpì to speak nonsense; lit. 'to fart'

废话 廢話 fèihuà to speak nonsense, to trashtalk; lit. 'to waste words'

啰嗦 囉嗦 luōsuo to talk too much (as in 你很囉嗦。 "You talk too much.", 不要囉嗦了！ "Stop rambling!")

哈啦 哈啦 hāla to argue, to incessantly try to convince someone (as in 你不用哈啦這麼多, 就直接認錯吧! "Stop arguing and just admit you're wrong!", 哇,你很會哈啦喔! "Wow, you really know how to argue!")

闭嘴 閉嘴 bìzuǐ shut up (interjection, often said by parents)

插嘴 插嘴 chāzuǐ to interrupt someone talking (as in 你不要老是插嘴。 "Stop interrupting me."); lit. to insert a mouth

顶嘴 頂嘴 dǐngzuǐ to talk back, to be a wiseguy; to answer defiantly (as in 如果你再頂嘴我就修理你! "I am going to take care of you if you talk back to me again.")

xx个屁 / xx个头 xx個屁 / xx個頭 xx-gèpì / xx-gètóu xx my ass (interjection, as in A: 這電影好浪漫喔。 B: 浪漫個屁阿! A: This movie is so romantic. B: Romantic my ass!)

小弟弟 小弟弟 xiǎodìdì penis; lit. little brother

（小）鸡鸡 （小）雞雞 (xiǎo)jījī penis; lit. chicken

小鸟 小鳥 xiǎoniǎo penis; lit. small bird

那话儿 那話兒 nàhuàr penis; lit. "that talk"

蛋 蛋 dàn testicles, equiv. balls (as in 打架的時候要好好保護你的蛋(蛋)。 "When fighting you have protect your balls."); lit. egg

奶子 奶子 nǎizi breast(s)

巨乳 巨乳 jùrǔ huge breast(s)

波霸 波霸 bōbà (woman with) huge breast(s)

高潮 高潮 gāocháo orgasm; lit. high tide, climax

做爱 做愛 zuò'ài to have sex; lit., equiv. to make love

炒饭 炒飯 chǎofàn to make love; lit. to fry rice

上床 上床 shàngchuáng to go to bed; to make love

色狼 色狼 sèláng a man with strong sexual desires, a satyr, a sex addict; lit. appearance wolf

变态 變態 biàntài a sexual pervert; lit. metamorphosis, abnormal

（有）外遇 （有）外遇 (yǒu) wàiyù to have an affair

劈腿 劈腿 pītuǐ to have an affair, to cheat on someone; lit. to split the legs

一夜情 一夜情 yīyèqíng a one-night stand; lit. love for one night

分手 分手 fēnshǒu to break up in a relationship; to bid farewell; lit. divide hands

兵变 兵變 bīngbiàn a mutiny; a relationship that breaks up during military service; lit. military change

追 追 zhuī to try to get a relationship with someone (as in 他還在追那個美妹嗎? "Is he still after that pretty girl?"); to pursue

狐狸精 狐狸精 húlíjīng a woman that steals another woman's man; lit. a fox spirit

母老虎 母老虎 mǔlǎohǔ a dominant wife; lit. mother tiger

哇靠 哇靠 wākào exclamation: WOW! (also the title of a song by 周杰倫 Jay Zhou, a famous Taiwanese singer)

干 幹 gàn to make love [vulgar]; used as a vulgar exclamation, equiv. "F**k!"; to do something, as in 幹活 "work"

干掉 幹掉 gàndiào to get rid of; to kill someone; lit. to do away

干你娘 幹你娘 gàn nǐ niáng to have sex with your mother, very vulgar (never used in public unless speaker wants to appear boorish)

干嘛 幹嘛 gànmá exclamation, "What is it now?" or "What do you want now?", indicating irritation; why (impolite) (as in '你幹嘛花這麼多錢買這麼爛的東西? "Why would you spend so much money buying something as crappy as that?")

（他）妈的 （他）媽的 (tā)made exclamation, "Fuck!", "Shit!", "To hell with it!", "Damn it!"; used to increase vulgarity (as in 你也他媽的夠了吧! "You are really out of line!"); lit. his mom's

操 操 cào to fuck [vulgar] (from 肏 which has the same pronunciation); to exercise, drill (when pronounced cāo)

操你妈的屄 操你媽的屄 cāo nǐ mā de bī to fuck your mother's cunt [very vulgar] (never use in public, or for that matter, at home)

屌 屌 diǎo male reproductive organ; expression (mostly among guys) showing admiration or approval (as in 你很屌! "you're awesome!" or 超屌的! "far out!")

老外 老外 lǎowài foreigner (neutral connotation)

洋妞 洋妞 yángniū foreign babe, foreign chick

阿都仔 阿都仔 ādōuzǐ foreigner (Taiwan only)

同志 同志 tóngzhì gay or lesbian (normally "comrade" in a Communist context)

小姐 小姐 xiǎojiě girl working in a hostess bar; exclamation, used alone, "Waitress!"; prostitute; young woman

槟榔西施 檳榔西施 bīnláng Xīshī a young, attractive girl, usually scantily clad, hired to sell betelnuts in street stalls (西施 is a classic beauty from Chinese history/myth); lit. betelnut beauty

杀价 殺價 shājià to haggle, to bargain (foreigners will always be forced to pay more, though)

动手 動手 dòngshǒu to begin doing something (e.g. 他开始动手了吗？); to touch, to handle; to hit someone with hands

动手脚 動手腳 dòngshǒujiǎo to sabotage something; to cheat by modifying something; to tinker with; lit. to move hands and feet

灌醉 灌醉 guànzuì to fuddle, to confuse with alcohol; to get someone drunk

海量 海量 hǎiliàng to be capable of holding liquor (a highly valued asset in competitive drinking, a Chinese sport)

灌水 灌水 guànshuǐ to sell inferior goods that have been tampered with (business), for example, adding water to milk; to lose a game on purpose (sports)

黑货 黑貨 hēihuò goods that have been tampered with, potentially hazardous to health; smuggled goods; lit. black stuff, majorly used in China but Taiwan

拍马屁 拍馬屁 páimǎpì to flatter; lit. to align horse farts

拍拍屁股走 拍拍屁股走 pāipāi pìgu zǒu to run away, to take off without caring for the consequences (while engaged in a relationship or project); lit. to line up the ass and go

条子 條子 tiáozi a police officer; a strip (esp. of paper), a note

内鬼 內鬼 nèiguǐ to steal; lit. within ghosts

饭桶 飯桶 fàntǒng a scallywag, a do-nothing; a guy who lives off his girlfriend; lit. a rice container

吃软饭 吃軟飯 chīruǎnfàn to live off one's girlfriend; lit. to eat soft rice

毛毛的 毛毛的 máomáode creepy, suspicious, causing goosebumps (as in 他那樣瞪我, 我都覺得毛毛的。 "The way he stared at me made me feel spooked.")

人情味 人情味 rénqíngwèi affection, humane, used to describe a friendly, caring atmosphere (as in 中國很有人情味。); lit. the smell of human feelings

累死了 累死了 lèisǐle exhausted, worn out; lit. tired to the death

（老）油条 （老）油條 (lǎo)yóutiáo a deceitful, "slick" person (油條, fried wheat cruller, is a long stick of deep fried batter, a staple in China)

狗仔（队） 狗仔（隊） gǒuzǎi(duì) paparazzi; lit. dog puppy team

小强 小強 xiǎoqiáng cockroach; lit. little strong one

过头 過頭 guòtóu in excess (as in 睡过头, to oversleep)

赖床 賴床 làichuáng to stay in bed (esp. too long), to not get up

昏昏欲睡 昏昏欲睡 hūnhūnyùshuì drowsy, sleepy

拖拖拉拉 拖拖拉拉 tuōtuōlālā to be slow (esp. from reluctance); to procrastinate

湿达达（的） 溼答答（的） shīdádá(de) soaking wet

A A A to steal (as in A錢, to steal money)

K書 K書 K-shū study (as in pounding something into one's head)

SPP SPP SPP having no class (Taiwan only, based on Hoklo dialect)

A片 A片 A-piàn a porn movie