Catch Phrase | 中国人不骗中国人(zhōngguórén búpiàn zhōngguórén)

Writer: Debra Li  |  Editor: Stephanie Yang  |  From: Shenzhen Daily  |  Updated: 2022-01-18

Meaning:

“中国人” means “Chinese people,” and “不骗” means “don’t cheat or lie to.” Literally translated as “Chinese people don’t lie to their countrymen,” this sentence became a catchphrase in November ahead of the annual Singles’ Day online sales campaign in 2021. It reportedly started during a conversation between a taobao.com shopkeeper and a potential buyer who asked the seller to say this sentence as a guarantee that the merchandise was up to par with the descriptions online. Apart from scenarios where a seller promises authenticity and quality of their goods, the sentence is also used jokingly when someone tries to guarantee the authenticity of a piece of gossip.

Example:

A: 丽丽真和她男朋友分手了吗?我上周末还看到他俩一起看电影。

Lìlì zhēn hé tā nánpéngyou fēnshǒu le ma?Wǒ shàngzhōumò hái kàndào tāliǎ yīqǐ kàndiànyǐng。

Has Li Li really broken up with her boyfriend? I saw them together at a movie last weekend.

B: 千真万确,中国人不骗中国人。

Qiānzhēn wànquè,zhōngguórén búpiàn zhōngguórén。

That is 100 percent true, I promise.