Description
Stephen Turban, a Harvard student who once lived with a host family in Taiwan, remembers his host sister warning that too much spicy food gives you pimples, a belief ShaoLan says Chinese doctors share because spice puts fire in the body. In Chinese, spicy is 辣 (là), a character that carries a part meaning bitterness and hardship, which is why it can also mean cruel. 好辣 (hǎo là) is so spicy, 太辣 (tài là) is too spicy, and 辣嗎 (là ma) asks whether it is spicy. 怕辣 (pà là) is afraid of spicy food and 不怕辣 (bù pà là) is not afraid, and ShaoLan shares a saying from the spice-loving provinces, Sichuan and Hunan among them, that swaps those same characters to turn fear of spice into fear that it is not spicy enough. 麻辣火鍋 (má là huǒ guō) is the next level, because 麻 (má) is numb, the feeling in your mouth after the hot pot. And 辣妹 (là mèi) is a spicy girl, the Chinese word for a hot, beautiful woman.
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*⏰ TIMESTAMPS:*
0:00 - Introducing Stephen Turban and the word for spicy
0:45 - Why Chinese doctors say spicy food gives you pimples
1:30 - 好辣, 太辣, 辣嗎: so spicy, too spicy, is it spicy
2:30 - 怕辣 and 不怕辣: the saying that swaps fear and spice
3:30 - 麻辣火鍋 and 辣妹: numbing hot pot and the spicy girl
In Chinese, a pretty girl and a hot pot share the same word for heat: 辣.
*📖 KEY VOCABULARY:*
Spicy: 辣 (là)
So spicy: 好辣 (hǎo là)
Too spicy: 太辣 (tài là)
Is it spicy?: 辣嗎? / 辣吗? (là ma)
To fear, be afraid of: 怕 (pà)
Afraid of spicy food: 怕辣 (pà là)
Not afraid of spicy food: 不怕辣 (bù pà là)
Numb: 麻 (má)
Spicy hot pot: 麻辣火鍋 / 麻辣火锅 (má là huǒ guō)
Hot sexy girl: 辣妹 (là mèi)
*👤 ABOUT THE GUEST:*
Stephen Turban is the co-founder of Lumiere Education and a former McKinsey consultant. He is a Harvard graduate and a PhD student who has lived in Taiwan and Beijing, mastering Mandarin, Vietnamese, and Spanish.
*📱 Connect with Stephen Turban:*
🐦 Twitter:https://www.google.com/search?q=http://twitter.com/stephenturban
💼 LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenturban/
*🎙️ ABOUT TALK CHINEASY:*
Talk Chineasy is a daily podcast hosted by ShaoLan, creator of the award-winning Chineasy method featured on TED. In each 7-minute episode, ShaoLan and a guest explore Chinese characters, culture, and language through stories that make Mandarin unforgettable. 300+ episodes available.
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