Chinese slang words are often unheard of when studying the language at a traditional school. There's a crop of slang words that are used regularly and related to animals. You can describe people, and things using funny and mildly, snarky phrases that are quite common.

Each slang described in this article has a literal meaning, and helps you express your opinion in Chinese! Let's learn a few Mandarin Chinese slang words in depth, that will help you speak more like a native speaker!

These slang words are somewhat derogatory so please note not to casually use them, especially while talking with unfamiliar people since it can easily offend them. Rather, save this type of informal language for use with your friends.

I. 三脚猫 (Sānjiǎomāo) Jack of all trades, master of none

Learning Chinese comes with knowing some slang! One interesting and funny slang word that's popular to use when speaking Mandarin Chinese is "三脚猫 (sānjiǎomāo)." You've probably heard the English equivalent to this which is "jack of all trades, and master of none."

As with most Chinese slang, "三脚猫 (sānjiǎomāo)" can be broken down into the literal meaning. In this case, it means "three-leg cat!" All laughter aside, it's implying that a cat has three legs.

Well, the story goes back to when cats were used for hunting and were actually quite good at it, except the only problem was their inability to walk after a match with another animal. The cats were able to become experts in hunting, but never had the chance to be seen as experts, because of their lack of ability to walk correctly after hunting!

The slang eventually developed, over the years, to be known as someone who is known to be unprofessional or perhaps not too skillful. The slang word is a gesture that gives information about another person's prowess, or lack thereof while also being a bit funny!

Here are some examples of how you can use "三脚猫 (sānjiǎomāo)" or "unprofessional" in Chinese sentences:

    Píng nǐ zhè diǎn sānjiǎomāo gōngfu, shì bù kěnéng dǎbài tā de.
1. 凭你这点三脚猫功夫，是不可能打败他的。
    You can't beat him with your unprofessional skills.

    Bié kàn tā hěn zhuānyè de yàngzi, qíshí zhǐshì gè sānjiǎomāo bà le.
2. 别看他很专业的样子，其实只是个三脚猫罢了。
    Don't be fooled by his professional appearance. He is just a jack-of-all-trades.

Learn "Actually" with This Chinese Quiz

II. 替罪羊 (Tìzuìyáng) Scapegoat

Let's learn how to express instances when someone takes the blame for others. In the Chinese language, "替罪羊 (tìzuìyáng)" is the slang word that's often used to describe a person who has been put in a position of exploitation, for the benefit of others, otherwise known as a "fall guy."

An example of this might be when working in a team, one person takes the blame for all of the wrongdoing, regardless of the fact that everyone contributed to the issue.

And it gradually becomes used as ...Read More