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Catch Phrase| 一脸黑线(yīliǎn hēixiàn)

Writer:   | Editor: Stephanie Yang  | From:  | Updated: 2017-08-15

Meaning:

“一脸” literally means “all his face,” and “黑线” means “black lines.” Originating from Japanese anime characters on whose faces artists draw sweat drops and black lines as a metaphor for anxiety, depression and anger, this term was used first by anime fans and now by many Chinese netizens to mean “unhappy” and “sullen.”

Example:

A: 小林怎么一脸黑线,谁得罪他了?

Xiǎolín zěnme yīliǎn hēixiàn, shuí dézuì tā le?

Why is Xiao Lin so sullen? Who wronged him?

B: 他昨天追尾了一辆车,今天路边违章停车又被罚款了。

Tā zuótiān zhuīwěi le yīliàng chē, jīntiān lùbiān wéizhāng tíngchē yòu bèi fákuǎn le。

He rear-ended another car yesterday, and then was fined for illegal parking on the roadside today.

(First editor: Debra Li)