English belongs to the Indo-European language family, which includes languages ??from India, West Asia and Europe. Many of the English words currently in use are "borrowed" from non-Indo-European languages. In a narrow sense, they are loanwords in English. These "egg words" with white skin and yellow heart can be understood and communicated smoothly without any additional explanation to the "English speaking world". The "egg word", which was born out of Chinese, has already quietly influenced the whole world. In addition to unique titles such as "Confucius", "Chinese Kung Fu", "Mahjong" or "Tofu", it is enough to select 10 "egg words" that are truly Chinese, represent the Chinese style, and influence contemporary life around the world. Explain the problem.
Silk——silk
China is a big sericulture country and the hometown of silk. Porcelain and silk have always been top-secret technologies and prized commodities in ancient China's foreign trade. Until the Opium War, the pianos imported from Britain to Guangzhou could not match the jeweled silk. The pronunciation of "silk" is obviously a Chinese transliteration. This word represents China's superb craftsmanship and trade strength. Even now, silk still serves as a symbol of grace, elegance and nobility in modern life.
Tea——tea
This word was stolen by the British from the difficult-to-pronounce Hokkien dialect. Tea, along with silk and porcelain, was the flagship product of ancient China's foreign trade. At present, tea tasting represents a way of life and cultural taste. Chinese people’s thinking about life can almost be found in the curls of tea cigarettes. According to Xiao Qian's "Tea in Britain": "Tea seems to have been first introduced to Europe by the Portuguese in the early 17th century. British tea was first introduced from Xiamen by the East India Company. In the 1640s, the British began to colonize India. Experimenting with growing tea leaves, you may have developed the habit of adding sugar to tea." It is said that even in the period of material scarcity like the "World War II", the French rationed coffee, while the British wanted tea and a certain amount of sugar. Some sugar. Tea has become the "backbone" of Europeans, and they can only walk intoxicated by the fragrance of tea. This is not the local history and inheritance; it is the conquest and assimilation of foreign cultures. In the 18th century, Lord Chesterton simply wrote in "Books from the Family": "Although tea comes from the East, it smells like a gentleman after all; while cocoa is a ruffian, a coward, and a rough beast."
Utopia - Shangrila
These are two synonymous words. Both have the meaning of "paradise". "Shangrila" comes from the legendary place in Tibet - Shangri-La, and "Xanadu" is the capital of Mongolia. If you want to express "Xanadu", the word "Xanadu" is usually used. It seems that Thoreau, an American writer who regarded himself as a worldly man, spent so long as a "hermit" beside Walden Pond in vain. The Chinese are the undisputed originators of the philosophy of "paying attention to mountains and rivers and transcending things outside".
Feng Shui——FengShui
Feng Shui is still a transliteration. It embodies the collective wisdom of ancient China in terms of residences for the living and cemeteries for the dead. Although some people denounce Feng Shui as feudal superstition under the banner of so-called "science"; however, being superstitious about so-called "science" and being complacent is another kind of superstition. The overall principle of Feng Shui is "seeking advantages and avoiding disadvantages", which is also the minimum tenet for safe survival. In recent years, Feng Shui has become very popular in the United States. The syllables emanating from the lips and teeth of Chinese people have become a knowledge that contemporary people urgently need to explore.
Refreshment - dimsum
As soon as you hear the pronunciation, you will know that this slightly bourgeois word comes from Fujian and Guangdong. British people have the habit of drinking afternoon tea, which consists of several cups of Indian black tea and often just a plate of dessert. English originally has words for cakes and snacks, but we don’t use them. We insist on using a rare word from Chinese. I'm afraid there is a certain sense of superiority in being in line with fashion and keeping pace with the East. China is the hometown of tea, and tea snacks have become an English loanword that has come to the fore.
running dogs——runningdogs
Chinglish aptly expresses a kind of "running dogs" who are driven by others and are driven by others.
There is no way to verify whether it was the Chinese or the British who first used this word. What is important is that the English-speaking world accepted the "running dog" and cultivated this "foreign word" with Chinese thinking. While accepting the vocabulary, I also implicitly accepted the Chinese values.
Paper tiger——papertiger
This is the most unforgettable and proud new word. The founder should be the great national hero-Mao Zedong! He is a erudite poet, a brilliant politician, and a military genius in strategizing. Are Americans tough? Are the Soviets awesome? Is it awesome? In his eyes, they are all "paper tigers" who are fierce in appearance and soft in heart. As long as I go against the Chinese, I will have to go head-to-head and see who is in charge of the world. The "U.S. imperialism" of the 1950s and the "Soviet revisionism" of the 1960s and 1970s have all become the "paper tigers" that Mao Zedong ridiculed. This spirit of contempt for powerful enemies and constant self-improvement is of course the Chinese people’s contribution to world civilization. A word was coined in the chatter and laughter, which is enough to make China's opponents hide in the corner and tremble.
Big money, tycoon——tycoon
This term has become popular in the streets in recent years. It refers to a wealthy and powerful businessman or entrepreneur. The traditional Chinese name is tycoon. Dharma is the "big shopkeeper". It was taken away by English and became the transliteration of the land of Fujian and Guangdong. It can be seen that before the Opium War, Chinese merchants were well-known. The East described by Marco Polo in his book was full of goods and people, and the land was paved with gold. A visit to China is like a visit to Las Vegas by some "fake foreign devils" nowadays.
Casino——Casino
This word seems to be an authentic Western import, and its pronunciation is actually a transliteration of Fujian dialect. However, why does English use it to mean "casino"? ? It is said that a long time ago, Fujian migrant workers who immigrated to the United States, after receiving a meager salary, gathered together to gamble and try their luck when they were bored. Every time the game starts, people will shout: "It's begun! It's begun!" Unexpectedly, a strange combination of circumstances gave English a modern word.
Tip, reward - Cumshaw
This word is the transliteration of "thank you" in the Hokkien dialect. In order to give people a little reward, I mean something on the money. The English-speaking world also longs for the rich word "Cumshaw" just like "money". Although Chinese people do not have the habit of tipping, they are not generous with their money and are even more generous than Westerners. The Europeans who stole the "egg character" "Cumshaw" must have seen how the Chinese used to spend money like water. In fact, there is no fundamental difference between the East and the West when it comes to money.