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Fun stuff (Beginner)
What’s a “Poor Bare Egg?”
Study Chinese Language – What is a “Poor Bare Egg?”
Mài kè: Lǐ míng, nǐ yŏu nǚ péngyou le ma?
麦 克：李 明，你 有 女 朋友 了 吗？
Mike: Li Ming, do you have a girlfriend?
Lǐ Míng: Méi yŏu a! Wŏ yí gè qióng guāng dàn, shuí huì hé wŏ tán liànài a?
李 明：没 有 啊！我 一 个 穷 光 蛋，谁 会 和 我 谈 恋爱 啊？
Li Ming: No. What kind of a girl would want to date a “poor bare egg” like me?
Mài kè: Qióng guāng dàn shì shénme dàn a?
麦 克： 穷 光 蛋 是 什么 蛋 啊？
Mike: What kind of an egg is a “poor bare egg?”
Lǐ Míng: Ha ha.
李 明：哈哈。
Li Ming: Ha ha.
Want to know why Li Ming thought this was so funny? Let’s start by learning about some Chinese phrases for “蛋 (dàn) eggs.”
The Chinese word “穷光蛋 (qióng guāng dàn)” in the above conversation has nothing to do with eggs even though it can be literally translated as “poor bare egg.” It’s a self-mockery when Li Ming uses the expression “穷光蛋 (qióng guāng dàn)” to indicate that he can’t find a girlfriend because he hasn’t any money. “穷光蛋 (qióng guāng dàn)” means a person who is so poor and his pockets are so bare that even a penny can’t be found inside.
Example:
Tā guòqù shì gè băi wàn fùwēng, dàn xiànzài què shì yí gè qióng guāng dàn.
他 过去 是 个 百 万 富翁， 但 现在 却 是 一 个 穷 光 蛋。
He used to be a millionaire, but now he is dead broke.
The Chinese language has many words that are combined with “蛋 (dàn) eggs,” like “笨蛋 (bèn dàn),” which means a foolish or stupid person. But it can also be used when a person wants to criticize another person’s stupidity in an friendly tone, for instance,
Nǐ zhēn shì gè xiăo bèndàn!
你 真 是 个 小 笨蛋！
You are such a stupid little child!
“糊涂蛋 (hútu dàn)” means muddle-head, and the word is often used with a humorous tone. For example, Xiaogang’s mother found Xiaogang’s homework on his desk after he left for school a few minutes. She could say,
Xiăogāng zhègè hútu dàn yòu wàngjì dài jiātíng zuòyè la!
小刚 这个 糊涂 蛋 又 忘记 带 家庭 作业 啦！
That little muddle-head, Xiaogang forgot to take his homework again!
“完蛋 (wán dàn)” means someone has a very difficult problem that can not be solved. When a person uses this word, he/she wants to express the feeling of worry. If you are in a helpless situation, you can say,
Zhè huí wŏ wán dàn la!
这 回 我 完 蛋 啦！
I’m undone this time!
If a person is very bad, we can use “坏蛋 (huài dàn)” to describe him/her. For example, Jack broke up with Jane because he fell in love with another girl. Jane was so angry that she told her friend,
Tā shì gè dà huài dàn!
他 是 个 大 坏 蛋！
He is a very bad person!
None of these phrases have anything to do with eggs. Instead, they show the speaker’s emotions. So now, when you hear these Chinese words, you won't get confused again!
麦 克：李 明，你 有 女 朋友 了 吗？
Mike: Li Ming, do you have a girlfriend?
Lǐ Míng: Méi yŏu a! Wŏ yí gè qióng guāng dàn, shuí huì hé wŏ tán liànài a?
李 明：没 有 啊！我 一 个 穷 光 蛋，谁 会 和 我 谈 恋爱 啊？
Li Ming: No. What kind of a girl would want to date a “poor bare egg” like me?
Mài kè: Qióng guāng dàn shì shénme dàn a?
麦 克： 穷 光 蛋 是 什么 蛋 啊？
Mike: What kind of an egg is a “poor bare egg?”
Lǐ Míng: Ha ha.
李 明：哈哈。
Li Ming: Ha ha.
Want to know why Li Ming thought this was so funny? Let’s start by learning about some Chinese phrases for “蛋 (dàn) eggs.”
The Chinese word “穷光蛋 (qióng guāng dàn)” in the above conversation has nothing to do with eggs even though it can be literally translated as “poor bare egg.” It’s a self-mockery when Li Ming uses the expression “穷光蛋 (qióng guāng dàn)” to indicate that he can’t find a girlfriend because he hasn’t any money. “穷光蛋 (qióng guāng dàn)” means a person who is so poor and his pockets are so bare that even a penny can’t be found inside.
Example:
Tā guòqù shì gè băi wàn fùwēng, dàn xiànzài què shì yí gè qióng guāng dàn.
他 过去 是 个 百 万 富翁， 但 现在 却 是 一 个 穷 光 蛋。
He used to be a millionaire, but now he is dead broke.
The Chinese language has many words that are combined with “蛋 (dàn) eggs,” like “笨蛋 (bèn dàn),” which means a foolish or stupid person. But it can also be used when a person wants to criticize another person’s stupidity in an friendly tone, for instance,
Nǐ zhēn shì gè xiăo bèndàn!
你 真 是 个 小 笨蛋！
You are such a stupid little child!
“糊涂蛋 (hútu dàn)” means muddle-head, and the word is often used with a humorous tone. For example, Xiaogang’s mother found Xiaogang’s homework on his desk after he left for school a few minutes. She could say,
Xiăogāng zhègè hútu dàn yòu wàngjì dài jiātíng zuòyè la!
小刚 这个 糊涂 蛋 又 忘记 带 家庭 作业 啦！
That little muddle-head, Xiaogang forgot to take his homework again!
“完蛋 (wán dàn)” means someone has a very difficult problem that can not be solved. When a person uses this word, he/she wants to express the feeling of worry. If you are in a helpless situation, you can say,
Zhè huí wŏ wán dàn la!
这 回 我 完 蛋 啦！
I’m undone this time!
If a person is very bad, we can use “坏蛋 (huài dàn)” to describe him/her. For example, Jack broke up with Jane because he fell in love with another girl. Jane was so angry that she told her friend,
Tā shì gè dà huài dàn!
他 是 个 大 坏 蛋！
He is a very bad person!
None of these phrases have anything to do with eggs. Instead, they show the speaker’s emotions. So now, when you hear these Chinese words, you won't get confused again!
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