Meaning:
“洗澡” means to “take a bath,” and “蟹” refers to “crabs.” Late fall and early winter is the season for hairy crabs, a delicacy on the Chinese dinner table. Hairy crabs produced from the Yangcheng Lake in the south of eastern Jiangsu Province are thought to be of the best quality and people are willing to pay big money for them. Crooked dealers therefore have come up with a way to earn quick money. Some would bring in cheaper crabs raised in other places and let them live in the Yangcheng Lake for a few days or a few weeks. They then sell the “bathed crabs” as genuine Yangcheng Lake products for higher prices.
Example:
A: 这次我买的阳澄湖大闸蟹不如从前的好吃。
Zhècì wǒ mǎi de yángchénghú dàzháxiè bùrú cóngqián de hǎochī。
I bought some hairy crabs from the Yangcheng Lake, but they are not as good as those I bought before.
B: 这个季节的蟹应该好吃啊。你怕是买到洗澡蟹了。
Zhè gè jìjié de xiè yīnggāi hǎochī a。Nǐ pàshì mǎidào xǐzǎoxiè le。
The hairy crabs must be very delicious this time of the year. I’m afraid those you bought are crabs bathed in the Yangcheng Lake.
(Edited by Stephanie Yang)