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China in Translation

Grandma’s ‘Frigging’ Legs: Chinese Man Detained for Cussing on WeChat after Parking Fine

Using “Grandma’s Legs” (nǎinai de tuǐ) was apparently enough to detain him.

Manya Koetse

Published

7 years ago

on

First published

Many discussions on Weibo this weekend over a guy from Anhui being detained over a WeChat Moments post, in which he complained about getting a parking ticket. He used the expression ‘grandma’s legs’ (奶奶的腿) to do so, generally considered a ‘gentle’ swearing word. Weibo commenters are expressing their concern: if such a common cuss could get one trouble, virtually anything could.

AChinese man from Bozhou city was…

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Manya Koetse

Manya Koetse is a sinologist, writer, and public speaker specializing in China’s social trends, digital culture, and online media ecosystems. She founded What’s on Weibo in 2013 and now runs the Eye on Digital China newsletter. Learn more at manyakoetse.com or follow her on X, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

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1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. John Wang

    February 6, 2020 at 10:48 am

    it is always like this on wechat haha… post appear then delete;.. then all my friends repost and say, it will be deleted soon, you have to read, so i read and reshare with same messages.
    If you say it will be deleted soon, most people will click and read… haha.

    Reply

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China in Translation

China’s 2025 Year in Review in 12 Phrases

Andrew Methven’s favorite Chinese phrases of the year, a special feature by RealTime Mandarin.
Andrew Methven

Published

8 months ago

on

December 31, 2025

By

Dear Reader,

Happy New Year! A new year is, undoubtedly, filled with new resolutions. I have a few on my list, and maybe we have some in common—like reading more books (my new e-reader is arriving from Shenzhen tomorrow!) and being more diligent about practicing my new Chinese vocabulary.

If upping your Chinese is also on your list for 2026, Andrew Methven’s newsletter, RealTime Mandarin, is a must-follow. It’s a free weekly resource that…

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China in Translation

Jiehun Huazhai (结婚化债): Getting Married to Pay Off Debts

Manya Koetse

Published

1 year ago

on

July 3, 2025

By

🔥 A version of this story also appeared in the Weibo Watch newsletter. Subscribe to stay in the loop.

Our Weibo phrase of the week is 结婚化债 jiéhūn huàzhài. Lately, the term “结婚化债” jiéhūn huàzhài, which translates to “marriage as debt resolution” or “getting married to resolve debt” is a recurring term on Chinese social media.

The word refers to a phenomenon that has become more prevalent alongside rising debts among…

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