Are you a Third Wheel, or “电灯泡 (Diàndēngpào)”, on this Valentine’s Day?
An essential part of learning Chinese, or any other foreign language, is to follow the popular slang of contemporary life. Much of this I have learned by watching popular Chinese dramas and comedy shows, just as many Chinese people learned English slang through watching Friends. One spoken term I heard on TV and asked my Chinese teacher about is “电灯泡 (diàndēngpào)”. My teacher explained to the class what this popular expression means and today I’ll share the meaning with you!
In short, “电灯泡 (diàndēngpào)” means “third wheel”. Or, a friend who gets in the way of two lovers on a date or romantic situation. The origin of the term, which comes from Cantonese, doesn’t translate to “third wheel”, oddly enough it translates to a “light bulb”.
The popular, everyday phrase “电灯泡 (diàndēngpào)” comes from...
...for the FULL LESSON ON “THIRD WHEEL” in CHINA, READ ALONG WITH US HERE!