Catch Phrase | 糊了(húle)

Writer: Debra Li  |  Editor: Stephanie Yang  |  From: Shenzhen Daily  |  Updated: 2020-06-29

Meaning:

“糊了” literally means “overcooked, burnt.” However, Chinese netizens use the term jokingly as short for “胡萝卜” (Chinese for “carrots”), which is the transliteration of “flop.” Therefore, it refers to a thing or a person that has failed utterly.

Example:

A: 真是意外,小马因为吸毒被拘留了。

Zhēnshì yìwài,xiǎomǎ yīnwèi xīdú bèi jūliú le。

What a surprise! Xiao Ma is in police custody for using drugs.

B: 可惜他父母辛苦培养他,毕业还找到了高薪工作,这下糊了。

Kěxī tā fùmǔ xīnkǔ péiyǎng tā,bìyè hái zhǎodào le gāoxīn gōngzuò ,zhèxià húle。

It’s a shame that his parents worked so hard providing for his education, and now all those years are in the gutter. He luckily finds a good-paying job after graduation, but now he’s doomed.

A: 他们公司会开除他吗?

Tāmen gōngsī huì kāichú tā ma?

Will his company fire him?

B: 肯定啊。

Kěndìng a。

Absolutely.