Language Log

Screenshot from Nikita Kuzmin's WeChat:

Michael Cannings relayed this tweet by Dave Flynn:

When did replacing 很 with "hen" become a thing in Taiwan? pic.twitter.com/IHX8b5EWLZ

— Dave Flynn (@DaveFlynn) January 18, 2018

The two notes below, as described in this article (in Chinese) were written around the same time and under similar circumstances.

Jeff DeMarco writes:

From a Facebook post (timeline) by a young woman in HK:

卡拉ok ing ……😂🤣

GT deftly translates it as karaoke ing.

Adrian S. Thieret found this sign inside his brand new apartment complex in Shanghai a few days ago:

Advertisement recently spotted by Guy Freeman in the Central, Hong Kong MTR (subway) station:

Three videos

Metro Manners PSA: Super Kind – Seat Hogging ホギング

Yep, just like that.  This expression is very common on the Chinese internet, messaging, chatting, etc. now, but — for those of us who are not in the know — what does it mean?

I'll just give one hint:  nǐ 你 means "you".

Photograph taken by a Russian friend of Nikita Kuzmin at a Starbucks in Shenyang, northeast China:

Following on yesterday's post ("The naturalness of emerging digraphia" [7/28/17]), Alex Wang tells me, "parents and supplementary educators often post photos like these on their WeChat moments".  Here's an example of one that he sent along:

From David Moser:

8-year-old in Beijing pens heart-warming letter to dad's boss asking for time off in summer. Have you got a good work/life balance? #China pic.twitter.com/5OYJchuUuh

— The Chairman's Bao (@TheChairmansBao) July 28, 2017

From Jim Breen:

Christopher Alderton saw this flyer on his way to work a few days ago: