Catch Phrase | 有内鬼终止交易(yǒu nèiguǐ zhōngzhǐ jiāoyì)

Writer: Debra Li  |  Editor: Stephanie Yang  |  From: Shenzhen Daily  |  Updated: 2021-06-21

Meaning:

“有” means “there is,” “内鬼” is a Chinese slang term for “mole,” “终止” means “to terminate,” and “交易” means “deal.” Literally translated as “There is a mole; terminate the deal,” this is a mobile message sent by the police officer played by Andy Lau in the 2002 movie “Infernal Affairs.” Netizens now use the line jokingly to express their surprise when something unusual happens or to mean that a certain plan fails because of uncontrollable circumstances.

Example:

A: 今天下午有没有空一起踢球?

Jīntiān xiàwǔ yǒuméiyǒu kòng yīqǐ tīqiú?

Are you free this afternoon? How about playing soccer with me?

B: 这个周末你不是去广州陪女朋友了吗?

Zhège zhōumò nǐ búshì qù guǎngzhōu péi nǚpéngyou le ma?

Didn’t you plan to go to Guangzhou this weekend to be with your girlfriend?

A: 有内鬼终止交易。她临时要加班。

Yǒu nèiguǐ zhōngzhǐ jiāoyì。Tā línshí yào jiābān。

The plan has to be dropped. She has to do some OT on short notice.