Lost in Translation: You’re a Qiangjingtou Without Wenming!

“Translation is the art of failure” said Umberto Eco. As depressing as it may sound, it’s also completely true. Looking through the many lists of untranslatable words on the internet led us to two conclusions. First, that translator is probably the hardest job in the world and second, why there are such few Chinese words in those lists?

Trying to fill the gap, here's our list of untranslatable Chinese words.

文明 Wenming
We all know how civilized Chaoyang should be, but that’s not exactly what it’s written on the big posters all around town. The word wenming, which is one of the most famous untranslatable Chinese terms, refers more to high ethical principles, kindness and politeness than to “an advanced stage of social and political development” as the English definition states.

缘分Yuanfen
Often translated as “destiny”, this Chinese word actually refers to “a predetermined connection that brings people together”. While destiny has a wider meaning, including all aspects of life, yuanfen usually only refers to relationships between two or more people, like lovers or friends. More interesting, yuanfen is a force that brings people together, but it doesn’t necessarily keep them together. The happy ending is not guaranteed.

老同Laotong
Literally meaning “old same”, laotong traditionally defines a deep, exclusive and life-longing relationship between two women. Usually two people became laotong when a marriage settled between two families before the children were born turned out to be impossible because both of the children were girls. In a few words BFF, but for real.

光棍Guanggun
If the literal translation in “bare branches” sounds sad, wait to know what it refers to. Bare branches are the men who, because of the one-child policy and the consequent disproportion between female and male population, have fewer chances to find a lover and therefore marry and have children. Yes, they mean you’re useless.

劫狱Jieyu
Is one of your best friends imprisoned and you’re thinking about breaking into jail disguised as a guard to free him? Well, if you are then you’re planning to jieyu. The dressing-up and the innocence of the prisoner are optional.

抢镜头Qiangjingtou
Everyone has met a qiangjingtou at least once in his life and has hated him for five seconds. He’s the one who steps on you while you’re taking a photo, just because your position is the best around. More generally, he’s the annoying spotlight stealer, always ready to push other people away to shine on his own.

缩阳（症）Suoyang (zheng)
It literally means “contraction of the yang”, but do not expect it to have a poetic meaning. Souyang is in fact an illness especially common in Southeast Asia, but some cases have also been traced in Europe, America and Africa in the past. Quoting Wikipedia, it’s the state “in which the person has an overpowering belief that his penis (or other genitalia) is shrinking and will shortly disappear".

Do you know any untranslatable words? Feel free to leave a comment below with your contribution! If you want to know more, have a look here and here.

Image: Sina English.