From "add oil" to "you swan, he frog" — discover the most hilarious Chinglish expressions, their meanings, origins, and the cultural stories behind Chinese English that went viral worldwide.
Each day we feature a classic Chinglish phrase — its meaning, origin, and cultural background.
Chinglish (中式英语) is a blend of Chinese and English that creates unique, often hilarious expressions.
Chinglish — a portmanteau of Chinese and English — refers to English expressions influenced by Chinese grammar, vocabulary, and cultural thinking patterns. What was once dismissed as "broken English" is now celebrated as a creative cultural phenomenon.
According to the Global Language Monitor, Chinglish expressions have contributed 5% to 20% of all new English words since 1994 — more than any other single language source. Famous Chinese English phrases like "long time no see", "add oil", and "no zuo no die" have even been officially added to the Oxford English Dictionary.
Explore Chinglish phrases organized by theme — from daily life to internet slang.
Most searched and shared Chinglish examples right now.
Fascinating facts about Chinglish and Chinese English history.
First appeared in American literature as early as 1900 — making it one of the earliest Chinglish phrases adopted into standard English.
In 2018, "add oil" was officially added to the Oxford English Dictionary, marking a major milestone for Chinglish recognition worldwide.
According to the Global Language Monitor, Chinglish expressions account for 5-20% of all new English words since 1994 — the largest contribution from any single source.
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