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Daily Chinese Expressions (Intermediate)

Flash Marriages?

Mandarin Training - Flash Marriages?

Màikè: Hai, Wáng Lì, wŏ xià zhōu yào jiéhūn le.
  麦克:嗨, 王  力,我  下   周    要   结婚  了。    
  Mike: Hey, Wang Li, I am going to get married next week.

Wáng Lì: Yūn! Nǐ shănhūn a.
   王   力:晕!你   闪婚   啊。    
 Wang Li: Oh! You are going to have a flash marriage.

The word we will learn in today’s Mandarin lesson is “晕 (yūn).”


In the dialogue above “晕 (yūn)” is an interjection used to show surprise. Originally, this word is a verb which means “to be sick to one's stomach/feel dizzy.” When you have carsickness, seasickness or airsickness, you can say “晕车 (yūnchē), 晕船 (yūnchuán), 晕机 (yūnjī).” As an interjection, “晕 (yūn)” first appeared in online chat rooms. Now it is also widely used in daily conversations, especially by young people. You can use it on many occasions.

If you are extremely surprised, you can say “晕 (yūn)/ 我晕 (wŏ yūn)/ 晕死 (yūnsǐ).”

Yūn! Wŏ wàngjì suŏ mén le.
  晕!我    忘记   锁    门  了。    
Oh! I forgot to lock the door.

If you need assistance, you can also call out “晕 (yūn).”

Yūn, sheí néng bāng wŏ yíxià?
 晕, 谁     能     帮   我  一下?    
Oh, can someone help me?

If you don’t know how to respond to an inquiry, you can use “晕 (yūn)” to avoid answering.

Liú Míng: Tīngshuō nǐ bèi shuăi le?
 刘      明:  听说    你 被    甩   了?    
Liu Ming: I heard that you were stood up.

Zhang Lì: Yūn
    张  丽:晕……    
 Zhang Li: Oh…

If you can’t bear something, you can shout out: “晕 (yūn).”

 Qīzi:  Nǐ zĕnme hái zài kàn lánqiú bǐsài, fàn yĕ bú zuò, dì yĕ bù shōushi…
妻子:你  怎么   还  在  看   篮球 比赛,饭 也 不 做,地 也 不   收拾······
    
Wife: Why are you still watching the basketball game? You didn’t cook dinner, didn’t sweep the floor…

Zhàngfu: Yūn, bié lāodao le!
      丈夫:晕,别  唠叨   了!    
Husband: Oh, stop nagging me!