Observer ABC

The Language and Branding of QQ in China

Last week Josh left the following comment on my post, “An Introduction to Virtual Currency in China”: “Speaking of QQ, I’m pretty interested in the company behind that brand. I’ve seen the QQ logo everywhere from candy to cars. Are … Continue reading

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New Branding For A Very Old Chinese Character

A few months ago I came across the preceding character while searching through the Chinese blogosphere. At first I thought a Chinese netizen  found a way to create his own character, but then the image seemed to start popping up … Continue reading

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88: It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye

An SMS and online spin on a contemporary form of farewell Before your first visit to China you ask your Chinese-speaking friend for a quick lesson in Mandarin Chinese. She tells you

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Quick Observation: Fubai – It’s Not Just For Corrupt Government Officials Anymore

“咱们今晚去腐败,好不好?” My co-worker asks me if I want to go fubai (腐败)with him tonight. I am utterly confused, because as a Chinese student I learned that the word fubai

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Observer ABC: Making Sense of the Message

Many of you may have been curious about the meaning of the SMS message in my previous post covering the bulk SMS phenomenon in China. The content is not the most relevant to the Chinese marketplace, but it is still … Continue reading

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Observer ABC: A Lesson in Internet Language and Other Useful Phrases

Let’s make sense of this simulated MSN conversation between a Chinese boyfriend and girlfriend. First, we need to learn the essential vocabulary: A. Nanzihan 男子汉: is the essence of manliness. Someone who is considere

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Observer ABC

Growing up in the United States, I often heard a lot of Spanglish. Nowadays at my office in Beijing, I hear a lot of Chinglish. For multi-lingual readers, you understand that there is not always a perfect translation from one … Continue reading

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