Three Common Chinese Folk - "Don't Pat the Horse's Ass!"

How to say "stand someone up/Flatter/loaf on the job"  authentically in Chinese？Let's see!

怎么用地道的中文表达“被爽约/奉承/工作偷懒”呢？一起来看看吧！

01放鸽子Fànɡ ɡēzi

Literally means releasing Pigeons

Now means: stand someone up, which means cheating, breaking a promise. Nowadays, it’s used to indicates someone misses an appointment.

字面意思为放飞鸽子。表示欺骗、失约。今多指未履行约会。

Examples例子:

Zuó tiān wǒ men yuē hǎo yì qǐ qù diàn yǐnɡ yuàn ， kě shì

昨  天   我 们  约  好  一 起 去 电   影   院   ， 可 是

tā fànɡ wǒ ɡē zi le

①   他 放   我 鸽 子 了 。

wǒ bèi fànɡ ɡē zi le

② 我 被  放   鸽 子 了 。

Yesterday we made an appointment that going to the cinema together, however,

①he stood me up.

②I was stood up.

Origin起源:

In ancient times, people used pigeons to deliver letters. One day, two people made an appointment that one(A) should write another(B) a letter. However, A just released a pigeon without letter, and B was so angry that he said: you just released a pigeon, you didn’t keep your words! That’s why releasing Pigeons means stand someone up now.

02

拍马屁 Pāi mǎpì

Literally means pat the horse’s ass.

Means：Flatter；suck up to somebody；kiss ass

字面意思是指拍马的屁股，现在指讨好、奉承。

Examples例子:

Bú yònɡ pāi mǎ pì ， 

不 用   拍  马 屁 ， 

nǐ yīnɡ ɡāi zhuān xīn bǎ zì jǐ de ɡōnɡ zuò zuò hǎo  

你 应   该  专    心  把 自 己 的 工   作  做  好 。

Don’t flatter, you should concentrate on doing your own job well.

Origin起源:

This phrase was originated from culture of Yuan Dynasty(1271AC—1368AC). If the Mongolians met each other while holding horses, they would pat the horses’ ass and praise by saying “Good horse!”, which may make the owner happy. But long after that some people just flattered despite if the horses were good or not. Gradually, “拍马屁(pāi mǎ pì)’is used to describe the action that flatter the boss.

”

03

摸鱼 Mōyú

Literally means catching fish from the water.

Now it indicates that someone is lazy and loaf on the job.

字面意思是水中捉鱼。现在指偷懒、不好好干活的行为。

Examples例子:

Rú ɡuǒ láo bǎn kàn dào nǐ mō yú ， nǐ kě nénɡ huì bèi kòu ɡōnɡ zī 

如 果  老  板  看  到  你 摸 鱼 ， 你 可 能   会  被  扣  工   资 。

If you are caught loafing on the job, you人wage may be deducted.

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