Must Know Chinese Buzzword: 一锅粥 (yīguōzhōu) A Hot Mess

I have been learning Chinese for 4 years now and will be taking the HSK 5 soon. Aside from just knowing Chinese, something I found that always impresses my Chinese friends and coworkers is knowing new internet slang and colloquial words. Once I said the word "心塞 (xīnsāi) crushed" to my coworkers and one told me she was "感动 (gǎndòng) moved" that my Chinese was so developed. I told her I just read online blogs like this one to learn fun, new words!

You are probably already aware of the phrase "a hot mess," which is a person who is spectacularly disordered. In Chinese there is a similar phrase that means something along the same lines, and carries the added uniqueness of making what you say sound more interesting: 一锅粥 (yīguōzhōu).

一锅粥 (yīguōzhōu): literally means "a pot of porridge"

Nowadays, this is a common saying that means "a complete mess" or refers to a situation that has become chaotic, or in other words, a hot mess. So, how did the meaning of this word evolve? Well, Chinese people love metaphors—one of the reasons the language is so beautiful—and it is common in Chinese to use material objects to describe an abstract idea, such as calling something chaotic a pot of porridge. For example, if there is a ridiculous amount of people at the bus stop and everyone is packed together in a chaotic fashion where you can't make sense of what is happening, you can call it 一锅粥 (yīguōzhōu). The way that cooked porridge looks, especially 八宝粥 (bābǎozhōu) mixed porridge or "eight-treasures congee," is a complete mess with random items mixed together. So, by calling something a pot of porridge instead of simply saying "it's chaotic" it brings a clearer, more interesting image to one's mind.

Usage:

Place word + 乱成了一锅粥 (luàn chéng le yīguōzhōu);
乱成 (luàn chéng) chaotically becomes；乱 (luàn) can be switched out with some other terms such as 吵 (chǎo) argue/noisy;
了 (le) sentence particle that denotes change.

Click "Read more" to learn the examples of "一锅粥 (yīguōzhōu)" in a sentence.

The American film "Warcraft" did not do well at theatres in the USA. However, in China, "Warcraft" was a huge success. So, why did this film succeed in China but not in America? The movie was a "bomb" at the American box office but a huge success in China.

1. Chinese people are watching films increasingly- at a rate of 50% more per year.
2. It's becoming cheaper for Chinese filmgoers if they buy their tickets online and go to the theater.

So, how are Chinese filmgoers buying their tickets online?

The process of " 电影票团购 (diànyǐngpiào tuángòu)", or the group-purchasing of movie tickets + the city's name that you are in (北京 Beijing、上海 Shanghai, etc.)" through Google or Baidu has become popular. It may save you a lot of money if you're going to the movies in China.

However, you don't have to "search" for these discounts!

As with everything in China today, there are apps to help you. These are:

美团 (Měituán)
百度糯米(Bǎidù nuòmǐ)
大众点评 (Dàzhòng diǎnpíng)

No one likes to go to the movies alone and group purchasing makes it cheap and easy for everyone. In addition to the tickets, you can also buy food and drinks through these apps. Most people in China are using them, so why not?

Click "Read more" to learn Chinese language points about the group-purchasing of movie tickets.

Quiz:

A. See the film in 3D
B. Get the best seat
C. Save money on movie tickets
D. Get free food
See Answer