Know How China: China's Cultural Code Words

      Chinese Notion   English Translation

1 Ai Loving Chinese Style
2 An Heaven on Earth
3 Bao Bartering "Social" Credits
4 Baochou The Need for Revenge
5 Bao Jia   Your Brother's Keeper
6 Bao Qi Lai Booking Mistresses
7 Bei Keeping Your Powder dry
8 Bi Unity the Chinese Way
9 Bian Stay Loose and Win
10 Biaoyu Life in Slogan Land
11 Bo When Things Fall Apart
12 Budaitou Waiting and Watching
13 Budan Xin Sincerity Plus Understanding
14 Bufangbiande How to Stay No in Chinese
15 Bu Hao Avoiding Social Obligations
16 Buhe Luoji De The Power of Fuzzy Logic
17 Buxing You Have to be Kidding
18 Buzai Nobody Here But Us Chickens
19 Buzhidao I Haven't Got a Clue
20 Caizhi China's "Amoral" Wisdom
21 Cheng Judging Your Sincerity
22 Cheng Personal Loyalty First
23 Chi Eating is Heaven
24 Chong Revering the Dead
25 Chou Beware of Criticizing
26 Chou Indulging in Melancholy
27 Chu Feng Tou The Show- offs
28 Danwei Big Brother
29 Dao Taking the High Road
30 Daoguang Yanghui Keeping Your Claws Sheathed
31 Da Wan, Da Kuan The New Fat Cats
32 Daxi Culture in Action
33 Da Ye Big Daddies
34 Da Yu Avoiding a Swelled Head
35 Da Yue Jin Mao's Dragon Dream
36 Da Zhuang Using Power Wisely
37 De The Power of Virtue
38 Deng By the Numbers
39 Deng- Ji Signing in at the Door
40 Deng Yi Xia Just a Moment, Please
41 De Yu Moral Education
42 Difang Baohuzhuyi The Good Old Boys
43 Dim Sum ( Dian Xin) Cute Little Hearts
44 Di San Zhe Introducing Third Parties
45 Dui Bu Qi Sorry About That!
46 Duji Dealing with Envy
47 Fa Looking Into a Mirror
48 Falu Virtue Versus Law
49 Fan The Family Clan
50 Fashaoyou Hot Friends
51 Feiguanfang No Man's Land
52 Fei Shu China's "Flying Books"
53 Feng Your Cup Runs Over
54 Feng Shui The Dragon's Breath
55 Fenpei The Assignment System
56 Fojiao The Appeal of Buddism
57 Fu It's About Time
58 Fu Shades of Chinese Truth
59 Fu Dreaming of Happiness
60 Fuli Cradle to Grave Welfare
61 Funu Wenti The Woman Problem
62 Fuza Don't Complicate My Life!
63 Fuze Ren Yuan Finding the Right Person
64 Ganbu The Party People
65 Ganjin The New Can- Do Breed
66 Gao Kao The Great Divide
67 Ge Keeping Your Balance
68 Gen Eyes on the Road
69 Gerenzhuyi Immoral Individualism
70 Getihu Grand New Tradition
71 Gongchan Dang Rise and Fall of the CCP
72 Gongchanzhuyi The Cult of Communism
73 Gongwei The Flattery Factor
74 Gou Avoiding Temptation
75 Gu Shoring Up Your Defenses
76 Guan Becoming Wise
77 Guan Dao Official Profiteering
78 Guan Shang Mixing Oil and Water
79 Guanxi The Chinese Life-Line
80 Guarner ( Chuuarguan) The New Mandarins
81 Guei Mei Keeping a Low Profile
82 Gui Fighting for Honor
83 Guo Cui The Essence of China
84 Guo-Jiao Power of the Shackled Id
85 Guo Min Dang National People's Party
86 Gweilo The Foreigner Syndrome
87 Hanyu China's Secret Code
88 He The Cost of Harmony
89 Heishe Hui The Secret Societies
90 Hejiu Drinking in Culture
91 Heng Hanging In
92 Heping Yanbian Resisting Peaceful Evolution
93 Hong The Bottomline
94 Hou Men Using the Back Door
95 Hu Obsession with Power
96 Hua The Glory Seekers
97 Hua Qiao The Overseas Chinese
98 Huei Raising Money from Friends
99 Hui You The Bridegroom Brotherhood
100 Hu Kou Reach of Big Brother
101 Ji The Key to Success
102 Jia All in the Family
103 Jian Vim and Vigor
104 Jian Sexual License
105 Jian The Tortoise Wins
106 Jiangong Shuzui Bitter Toil
107 Jiaoliu No Communication in China
108 Jiaoshu Yuren Learning the Chinese Way
109 Jia-Zu The Fifth Cousins
110 Jicheng Dividing Up the Money
111 Jidong Soothing Ruffled Feelings
112 Jie Road to Good Fortune
113 Jie Staying Within Limits
114 Jieji The Unleveling of China
115 Jihua Shengyu Bringing Up Little Emperors
116 Jin Staying on the Bandwagon
117 Jing What Really Satisfies
118 Jing Ji Te Qu The Capitalist Enclaves
119 Jishu Jiaoliu Technical Exchange Ploys
120 Jiu Ye Forced Job Placement
121 Kai Fang Zhengce Open Door Policy
122 Kan Facing Danger
123 Kang Hot Times in the Cold North
124 Kan- Xiang Face- Reading for Fun and Profit
125 Kaolu Kaolu We're Looking Into it!
126 Kaoshi The Great Exams
127 Keqi Rituals Versus Laws
128 Keren The Honored Guest
129 Kiasu The Gimme Generation
130 Kuai Year-round Resolutions
131 Kuai Zi Small Piece Picker-uppers
132 Kuei Overcoming Contradictions
133 Kun Bad Days
134 Kun In Harmony with Nature
135 Kung Fu, Gong Fu The Power of Chi
136 Kung Fu- Zi The Master Sage
137 La Guanxi Extending Your Social Credits
138 Laodong Jiaoyang Re-education Through Labor
139 Lao Gai Dui Thought Reform Camps
140 Lao Jiao The Brave New World
141 Laoshi The Honored Teacher
142 Laowai The Outsiders
143 Lao Xiang Pull of Native Place
144 Li The Importance of Ritual
145 Li The Right Behavior
146 Lian The Perfect Man
147 Lian The Importance of Face
148 Lin Things Are Looking Up
149 Lingdao Leaders and Managers
150 Lishu Keeping Up with Spirits
151 Long De Meng The Dragon Dream
152 Lu Watching Your Ps and Qs
153 Lu Guidelines for Travelers
154 Lu Your Worst Enemy
155 Luan The Greatest Fear
156 Luan Fighting to the Finish
157 Lunlixue Ethics Chinese Style
158 Luoji Behind the Chinese Face
159 Majong Noises in the Night
160 Ma Zhan, Ma Jie Fighting with your Mouth
161 Mei Beauty in a Chinese Eye
162 Mei Guo The Beautiful Country
163 Mei Men Er No Way, Buddy!
164 Mei Yi Si I'm not interested
165 Mei You We Just Sold the Last One
166 Mei You Ban Fa You May As Well Forget It
167 Mei You Guanxi That Doesn't Compute!
168 Meng Paying Your Dues
169 Men Wei Keepers of the Keys
170 Ming Yi Keeping a Tight Rein
171 Ming Zi, Ming Pian You're Nobody Without Them
172 Minzhu The Long Wait
173 Minzhu Qiang Democracy Wall
174 Nali, Nali Where, Where?
175 Nan Yang Hua Qiao Those Who Went South
176 Nei Bu Privileged Information
177 Nei Can Keeping People Pure
178 Nei Hang Red Carpet Treatment
179 Pi Up Against a Wall
180 Pianjian The Prejudice Mongers
181 Pibao Gongsi Briefcase Companies
182 Pidan Eating Chinese Culture
183 Pientun Living with Flexible Laws
184 Pin Yin Spell That Again!
185 Qi Plugging into Cosmic Power
186 Qian Power of Creativity
187 Qian Everything in Moderation
188 Qian Taking on Challenges
189 Qigong Breathing Your Way to Health
190 Qi Ji Avoiding the Fall
191 Qing Clearing Up Cobwebs
192 Qingke, Yanjiu Yanjiu Wining and Dining to Win
193 Quan Lessons in Being Boss
194 Quyi People Propaganda
195 Ren Chinese Benevolence
196 Ren The Patience of Job
197 Renao Having a Hot Time
198 Ren Jia Maintaning Family Ties
199 Ren Qing Appealing to the Heart
200 Ren Qing Human Feelings First
201 Ren Quan Inhuman Rights
202 Ruan Xi, Ying Xi Looking for Loose Seats
203 Sam Yan Lu New Human Beings
204 San Gang The Three Bonds
205 San Tie The Three Irons
206 San Xin Weiji Three Crises in Faith
207 Shangren Making of a Businessperson
208 Shen The Spirit of Things
209 Sheng Romance of the Sages
210 Sheng Getting What You Deserve
211 Shen Kui When Sex Appeal Fails
212 Shi Knowledge is Power
213 Shi Getting it Together
214 Shifu Addressing People
215 Shi Ke Making Things Better
216 Shi Shen Gentlemen of China
217 Shufa Learning to be Chinese
218 Shun Gentleness Versus Force
219 Shun The Soft Way to Success
220 Song Knowing When to Run
221 Sun Living with Bad Times
222 Tai The Ducks are Lined Up
223 Tai Ji Quan Using the Great Fist
224 Tanlian Ai Love Talk
225 Taoqi Indulging the Young
226 Tiananmen Guangchang Tiananmen Square
227 Tie Fan Wan Breaking the Iron Rice Bowl
228 Tifa Speaking in Tongues
229 Ti-Yong Chinese Wisdom / Western Technology
230 Tong Ren Holding People Together
231 Touxian The Importance of Titles
232 Tun Watch That First Step
233 Tuor Hoodwinking Customers
234 Waiban Watching over Foreigners
235 Wan Ming Going for Broke
236 Wan- xi- Shao Feeding Fewer Mouths
237 Wenhua Country of Cultural Essence
238 Wenhua Da Ge Ming The Chinese Holocaust
239 Wenzhu Zhenjiao Holding Your Ground
240 Wo Muqin De Jia My Mother's House
241 Wu Lun The Five Family Rules
242 Wuwang Keeping Your Slate Clean
243 Wu Xin ( Chi Fan, Xiu Di) A Chinese Nooner
244 Xia Hai Putting Out to Sea
245 Xian The Glue That Binds
246 Xiang Tu Qing There's No Place Like Home
247 Xiao Respecting Your Betters
248 Xiaodao Xiaoxi Back-Alley News Network
249 Xiao Guo Paying Attention to Details
250 Xiao Xu The Times Are Not Right
251 Xia Xiang Going Down to the Country
252 Xie All For One
253 Xin Putting on a Happy Face
254 Xi-Nao Brain- washing in China
255 Xingbie Not Tonight, Dear!
256 Xing Ming Old Hundred Names
257 Xing Saorao Introducing Sexual Harassment
258 Xin Yong Ties Binding Businessmen
259 Xu Winning Through Waiting
260 Ya Things Couldn't Be Better
261 Yanda Hitting Criminals Hard
262 Yanhui A Chinese Style Banquet
263 Yi Dealing with Barbarians
264 Yi Here Today Gone Tomorrow
265 Yi Nourishing Your Spirit
266 Yi Your Brother's Keeper
267 Yi Doing What Is Right
268 Yinji ( Zhang) Making Things Official
269 Yinsi Doing Without Privacy
270 Yin / Yang Dealing with Duality
271 Yong Gongsi Baowei Zhongyang Smothering the Party
272 Youchuangzaoli De Creativity in China
273 Youhuan Yishi The Disease of Patriotism
274 Youyi Here's to Friendship
275 Yu Staying in Sync
276 Yun Living with Natural Disasters
277 Yun Living with Man-Made-Fate
278 Yunqi Fate, Luck and Intuition
279 Zajiyanyuan a Special Chinese Skill
280 Zen-Ping Gift- giving in China
281 Zhang Zheng, Wan Li Zhang Zheng The Great Wall Syndrome
282 Zhanxingxue Depending on the Stars
283 Zhen Dealing with Shocking Events
284 Zhengyi Might Makes Right
285 Zhenjiu Needling Cosmic Energy
286 Zhenshi How to Tell the Truth
287 Zhexuejia Land of Philosophers
288 Zhi Unbounded Ambition
289 Zhi Wisdom of the Chinese
290 Zhong Bonds That Bind
291 Zhongcheng Circumstantial Loyalty
292 Zhong Fu Pursuing True Insight
293 Zhong Guo The Great Middle Kingdom
294 Zhongguo Ren People of the Middle Kingdom
295 Zhongguo Tong Don't Be an Expert
296 Zhongtang The Role of Centerpieces
297 Zhongwen The Chinese Language Labyrinth
298 Zhongyi Nature's Way to Health
299 Zhuer Have Specialty, Will Travel
300 Zhuixingzu Groupies in China
301 Zi Bao Voice of the People
302 Zihao The Proud Ones
303 Ziyou License to Be Bad
304 Zou Pengyou Making Friends the Chinese Way
305 Zuxian Revering Your Ancestors

Source: NTC's Dictionary of China's Cultural Code Words; Boya Lafayette De Mente, NTC 1995, The Complete Guide to Key Words That Express How the Chinese Think, Communicate and Behave