The Top Ten English Phrases Borrowed from Chinese
来源：http://www.theworldofchinese.com/2012/09/the-top-10-english-phrases-borrowed-from-chinese/10. “Gung ho”
In some ways, the fact that this English phrase meaning “extremely enthusiastic and eager” has its origins in the Chinese language isn’t exactly a huge surprise – it certainly sounds Chinese, due to it remaining largely unchanged from the Mandarin phrase gōng hé (工合), which means “work together.” The actual history of the phrase is perhaps a bit more interesting; as an abbreviation for the small industrial cooperatives that emerged in rural China during the 1930s, it was noticed by a US Marine Corps Lieutenant named Evans Carlson, who admired the work ethic of these organizations and decided to take it back to the States as an unofficial motto for the Marines. Though its origins remain deeply rooted in Chinese history, it’s now often used in situations that aren’t related to China in the least – a testament to the phrase’s punchy appeal.
我肿么从来没听过这个词？
9. “Chop chop”
“Chop chop,” a not-so-polite way to ask someone to “hurry up,” has its origins in the Cantonese word gāp (急), which also means “quickly.” Evidently, the technique of repetition for effect (“go, go, go!”) is truly universal, and if the drivers in China are any indication, so too is the need for speed.
谁说粤语的给解释一下。
8. “Chow”
One of the pillars of Chinese culture may very well be its delicious cuisine, so it should come as no surprise to find its imprint on our food-related vocabulary in addition to our dinner plates – the English word “chow,” slang for “to eat” or “food,” comes almost directly from the Mandarin chǎo (炒), which means “to sauté” or “to stir-fry.”
这个我知道，炒面就是Chow Mein
7. “Typhoon”
While we may not have “typhoons” per se in the United States (we call similar storms “hurricanes”), the word “typhoon” still spun its way into the English language, mostly unaltered from its Mandarin root dàfēng (大风), meaning literally “great wind.”
上中学的时候背过这个词，当时就想“台风”是不是音译英文来的啊，没想到是英语借用的中文
还有一个词是Tycoon，当时我的理解是“大款”，后来才知道是“大官”
6. “Paper Tiger”
Here’s one for history buffs. You probably know that “paper tiger” means “a person or thing that has the appearance of strength or power but is actually weak.” What you might not know, however, is that it comes from the Chinese phrase zhǐlǎohǔ (纸老虎), which has the same meaning and was first documented in English by Sir John Francis Davis in 1836. It was Mao Zedong, though, who made it famous – he routinely used the phrase to criticize the United States during the 1950s and ’60s.
我还以为是老毛发明的，原来早就有了 5. “Lose face”
Initially, this one may come as a bit of a shock, until you consider that putting together the words “lose” and “face” doesn’t really make a whole lot of literal sense within the normal conventions of the English language. Sure enough, this phrase meaning “to be humiliated” comes from the somewhat haphazard separation of the Mandarin phrase for humiliation, diūliǎn (丢脸), into its constituent parts: Diū meaning “to lose” and liǎn meaning – you guessed it – “face.”
本以为这个词太Chinglish了，没想到很常用
4. “Long Time No See”
While the exact origins of this phrase remain unclear (it may have come from Pidgin English spoken by Native Americans), this affectionate greeting is widely thought to have derived – perhaps even in tandem with the Native American phrase – from the Mandarin phrase hǎojiǔ bùjiàn (好久不见), which literally means “very long no see.”
电影里常见，印象最深的是HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER里面Barney在赌场里见到几个中国人，打招呼就是这样说的。
3. “Brainwashing”
A product of American interaction with Chinese during the Korean War, this English term meaning “the systematic change of attitudes and beliefs” comes from the Mandarin xǐnǎo (洗腦), which means more or less the same thing. One of the more commonly used phrases on the list, this one just goes to show how language can be borrowed and shared in ways you wouldn’t expect – conflict being one of them.
原来KOREAN WAR还促进了文化交流
2. “Tea”
We all know that the tea trade itself originated in Asia. What you might be surprised to know, however, is that the English word for “tea” followed a similar route, coming into English from the Xiamen-dialect Chinese word t’e, which is equivalent to the Mandarin chá (茶). Drink up!
这个词原来是古代贸易中跟闽南语里借的
1. “Ketchup”
This one blew my mind. Even though there may be nothing more quintessentially American than ketchup and mustard on a hot dog, the actual word for the ever-popular tomato condiment may originate from the Cantonese kèhjāp (茄汁) or fānkèhjāp (番茄汁), which roughly means “tomato sauce.” So, the next time you chow (see #8) down on a footlong while watching America’s favorite pastime, keep in mind that you may be experiencing a little Chinese linguistic history at the same time!
这个词排第一让我大跌眼镜，怎么会是茄汁儿啊？还不如说是“切糕”，呃，不对，切糕是Check out! 指纹 发表于 27-6-2013 22:36 static/image/common/back.gif
5. “Lose face”
Initially, this one may come as a bit of a shock, until you consider that puttin ...
哈哈，check out!
每次在麦当劳里要Ketchup，我都说tomato sauce
怎么看出来是借用中文的？ MICHELLE07 发表于 27-6-2013 22:50 static/image/common/back.gif
哈哈，check out!
每次在麦当劳里要Ketchup，我都说tomato sauce
不知道，我还真不知道麦当劳里的叫Ketchup。:L MICHELLE07 发表于 27-6-2013 22:50 static/image/common/back.gif
哈哈，check out!
每次在麦当劳里要Ketchup，我都说tomato sauce
应该是源自广东话。 让我想起来今天在内部聊天室，谈到公司的一句口号很难直接翻译到中文。居然有老外同事大发感想的贴出这个：
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grass_Mud_Horse
我:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L
heinz的不就是ketchup？ cais 发表于 28-6-2013 22:43 static/image/common/back.gif
让我想起来今天在内部聊天室，谈到公司的一句口号很难直接翻译到中文。居然有老外同事大发感想的贴出这个： ...
wiki 也忒没原则了:funk: 指纹 发表于 27-6-2013 22:36 static/image/common/back.gif
5. “Lose face”
Initially, this one may come as a bit of a shock, until you consider that puttin ...
打赌下，再过10年，排名第一的应该是 “Guanxi" （关系），同意的举手 cais 发表于 28-6-2013 22:43 static/image/common/back.gif
让我想起来今天在内部聊天室，谈到公司的一句口号很难直接翻译到中文。居然有老外同事大发感想的贴出这个： ...
很懂中文啊 surprising "Ketchup"
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