Catch Phrase | 扫地僧(sǎodìsēng)

Writer: Debra Li  |  Editor: Stephanie Yang  |  From: Shenzhen Daily  |  Updated: 2020-11-17

Meaning:

“扫地” means “to sweep the floor,” and “僧” means “monk.” The sweeping monk who provided the origin for this term is a character from Jin Yong’s martial arts novel “天龙八部” (tiānlóng bābù, “Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils”). A low-ranking figure unknown to the world whose daily job is to sweep the floor in a tower where Buddhist scriptures are stored in Shaolin Temple, the sweeping monk later turns out to be a top martial arts master. Therefore, Chinese netizens use the term to refer to those who appear to be ordinary but are in fact the top elites in their industry or field.

Example:

A: 听说你们小区有个保安会书法?

Tīngshuō nǐmen xiǎoqū yǒu ge bǎo’ān huì shūfǎ?

I’ve heard that a security guard in your housing estate is good at calligraphy.

B: 是啊,过年的时候很多邻居请他帮忙写春联,我们都没看出来,身边竟然藏着一个扫地僧。

Shì a,guònián de shíhòu hěnduō línjū qǐng tā bāngmáng xiě chūnlián,wǒmen dōu méi kànchūlái,shēnbiān jìngrán cáng zhe yīgè sǎodìsēng。

Indeed! Many of my neighbors asked him to write their Spring Festival couplets. We didn’t know that he is an elite calligrapher in disguise.