# 摸他个八圈



## natuzz

Does anybody know what this sentence means:
"你还是和你家陈绪英在家慢慢玩吧, 摸他个八圈！" ?
"You'd better stay at home playing with your 陈绪英 (his wife) ...." and then?
I know that it has something to do with mahjong (like "play 8 games") but I think it is ironic and has some sexual meaning... 
Could you help me?


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## CHinphilly

Ciao,
I don't think it has any sexual implication by this sentence itself. Some context would be helpful for me to figure it out.
Grazie


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## natuzz

Hi CHinphilly!
I'll copy a piece of the text here, hope you can help me.
It is from a short story by      朱文，"傍晚光线下的一百二十个人物":

"秃子，你就算了吧，假口！你还是和你家陈绪英慢慢玩吧， 摸他个八圈！"
"是吧?      你爸和你妈天天搓麻将是吧?" 他是在逗秃子的儿子.
"没有." 他说.
"还没有呢! 他们不带你玩, 躲在帐子里." (this is why I think of a sexual implication)

Please answer!
Have a nice day!


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## CHinphilly

I am not sure. It doesn't seem to imply anything deeper than what they say. Also Chinese don't talk about sex as much as Westerners. 
Maybe they imply sex in some other places, then they might imply sex here.
What I can assure you is that I am native Chinese speaker and if I think there is no sexual implication, even if there was, it cannot be used or understood on a regular basis as some kind of sexual implication. I hope it helps.


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## natuzz

mmmm I understand....but doesn't 帐子 also mean something like "bed curtains"? Couldn't this be a pun?
Consider that this is an author who DOES talk about sex...

  Anyway, how would you eventually tranlsate  "摸他个八圈" in English?
Who "plays 8 games"?

Thank you very much for your help!


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## Jamison

After reading the longer one. From '他是在逗秃子的儿子.' and '他们不带你玩, 躲在帐子里' as u say, I think 你还是和你家陈绪英慢慢玩吧， 摸他个八圈 is a single phrase with a double meaning and it may has a little bit sexual meaning but it can definitely be considered as a kidding.

Wish it helps. 

and it is really obscure. I arrive at this conclusion after reading it more than 3 times. LOL


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## AVim

I'm sure the man, who said "是吧?      你爸和你妈天天搓麻将是吧?", is talking about SEX. 
Because the answer from the son is: "没有". Normally, child likes saying the truth at such kind of situation, so the son's words proved that his father and mother did not play the REAL mahjong every day.


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## natuzz

thank you all for your help, but...don't you have any plausible traslation for 摸他个八圈 ?
Yes, it's really driving me crazy!!!!!


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## AVim

Let me try:
摸他个八圈 => "playing mahjong with 8 rounds per game"

EDIT:
Oops,  not good, I forget the implications. What about just translating it directly  and letting readers comprehend the implications. 

摸他个八圈 => "stroke it with 8 rounds per game"


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## natuzz

Thanks AVim, now I'll try to tranlsate it in Italian!!!


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## vindy

Yeah,I agree that he's only talking about mahjong, because in mahjong, we say 摸牌for example. When he refered 躲在帐子里,he may also  still talk on it. Perhaps, you are too imaginative, because in China ,sex is an issue usually avoided in normal conversations for most people.


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## Lamb67

All agreed and added for fun.

Shove and push eight rounds of bamboo tiles for it's own sake.

With only two persons playing and 8 rounds, a boy would not have any chance.


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