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The FISU World University Games is an international sporting event held every two years. It’s also known as Universiade - a combination of University and Olympiad.
In Chinese it’s simply called 大运会 dà yùn huì - ‘Big Sporting Event’.
The 2021 Summer World University Games were scheduled to be held in Chengdu, but it has been postponed three times due to Covid and will now be held in January, 2023.
Despite Covid set-backs, Chengdu has said it’s ready to host the event.
But one part of the preparations has pushed things a bit too far according to residents of a street in a shopping district in the city:
Last month the local government ordered business owners to change their shop signage from Chinese characters to pinyin.
The well-intentioned idea is supposed to help visiting sports fans, who don’t speak or read Chinese, to be able to read signs easier when they are in the city for the Games.
But locals aren't sure if it's going to help:
Apparently, the relevant departments of the local government want to change the signs of shops into pinyin. This is supposed to make it easier for foreigners to read them, but I’m not sure they will be able to understand?
据称是“为了迎接大运会，有关部门把我们门头字换成了拼音，说是为方便国际友人，也不晓得这些国际友人看得懂不？”
And it’s just as confusing for local customers too:
A noodles shop owner said in a video that after changing the signage on her shop, it was easily mistaken for a clothes shop or cake shop, which has had a negative effect on her business.
面馆老板在视频中称 ，改名后，她的面馆很容易被误解成“卖衣服卖蛋糕的”，影响经营
So this week we explore entertaining and colourful conversations about criticism of this over-enthusiastic policy.
My Favourite Five
1. 胎神 tāi shén
idiot
我真的要吐槽一下，我不晓得是街道办哪一个胎神出的烂主意 - I really have to complain about this. I don’t know which local district administration came up with this terrible idea.
Note: this is Sichuan dialect word for ‘really stupid’. Its direct translation is ‘in the womb’ 胎 tāi, and ‘crazy’ 神经病 shén jīng bìng. In other words, so stupid you were born that way.
2. 凯撒 kǎi sà
Caesar; the powers that be, the government
让市场的归市场，凯撒归凯撒，民生的归民生 - The market, government and the people should each be to their own.
Note: Roman leader Caesar is a metaphor in Chinese for a powerful political leader, or the government. Normally used in a derogatory way.
3. 瞎子戴眼镜 xiāzi dài yǎn jìng
the blind wearing glasses; totally pointless
你们拿着国家俸禄，逼着老百姓去干些瞎子戴眼镜——多余的圈圈事 - You receive a government salary, and you force normal people to do pointless things. It’s so unnecessary.
More: 俸禄 fèng lù is a salary in a state paid job
4. 脑壳有屎 nǎo ké yǒu shǐ
shit on the brain; very stupid
成都某街改商店招牌，是权力任性呢还是脑壳进了屎 - Changing the shop signs in a Chengdu district - is this abuse of power or just really stupid?
Note: a Sichuan dialect word for having a go at someone or something.
Related: 脑子进水 nǎo zi jìn shuǐ - water on the brain (less bad than shit on the brain)
为了迎接大运会，这店招改得被百姓骂“脑子进水了” - The locals have criticised the government as having water on the brain.
5. 久旱逢甘霖 jiǔ hàn féng gān lín
a welcome rain after a drought; a refreshing change
成都某地段为迎接大运会改店招的事儿，把我看笑了，有点久旱逢甘霖的感觉 - A Chengdu street changing street signs to welcome the World University Games is hilarious. It’s exactly what I need in this otherwise monotonous life.
Note: normally used to mean something that’s welcome - a refreshing change. Here it is used ironically, and means ‘entertaining’ or a welcome break to the monotony or constant flow of bad news.
Consuming the Conversation
Useful words
洋 yáng
foreign
成都的百年品牌的名字取得土吗，得换个洋的？- Are the Chinese names of the heritage shops tacky? Should they be changed to a more western sounding name?
懵 mēng
stupid, be confused by something
有网友调侃道：外国人看不懂，中国人也懵了 - Some people commented that Chinese people cannot understand the signs, and nor can foreigners.
恼火 nǎo huǒ
annoyed and angry
连门头都不显眼，真是恼火得很！The signs aren’t even clear. It’s so frustrating!
奇葩 qí pā
ridiculous
抛开那些粗俗、鄙陋、古怪、奇葩的审美不谈，这种做法无视商家的经营自主权 - Putting aside the fact that this is vulgar, superficial, strange and ridiculous, this approach ignores the right of businesses to operate.
添堵 tiān dǔ
create problems
这样给商铺生意“添堵”，真让人无法理解难以接受 - Creating obstacles for businesses like this is really hard to understand and accept.
Note: similar to 添麻烦 tiān má fan
扼杀 è shā
to strangle
连人民网也发声说：不要让“统一招牌”扼杀城市活力 - Even the People’s Daily has said that standardising the signage is stifling the city.
笼子 lóng zi
cage; limitation or restriction
最有效的还是用法律法规将其关进笼子 - The most effective way is to manage through effective laws and regulations.
Three-character phrases
馊主意 sōu zhǔ yi
bad idea
