# 闷骚(悶騷)



## KYC

Hi there:
I wonder how to say :他是悶騷型的in English.
I want a term to describe a person whom people think  is gentle and good and conservative but actually,his/ her natural disposition is passionate  and even a little more crazy about something.
Thanks a lot!


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## IDK

I'm not sure how to express that. There is no single term for such a person (woman). "Devilish"? "Devious"? I would describe such a person this way, or person "Insidious".


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## AVim

KYC said:


> Hi there:
> I wonder how to say :他是悶騷型的in English.
> I want a term to describe a person whom people think  is gentle and good and conservative but actually,his/ her natural disposition is passionate  and even a little more crazy about something.
> Thanks a lot!



In my experience, I feel that 悶騷 is usually used to describe a man rather than a woman.


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## IDK

AVim said:


> In my experience, I feel that 悶騷 is usually used to describe a man rather than a woman.


 
And I thought is was used for women than men!  Funny...

KYC, I hope none of your friends, or you, are 悶騷型的!


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## Dan H

As per the definition of 悶騷 in Chinese, it means somebody is always inclined to choke his emotion/feeling as he/she is excited, thus other people do not easily understand his/her emotion/feeling.

I think that "悶騷的" could be translated to dull in Enlish, as describing a person whom is very bored.
LoL Caution: If you are 悶騷的, you should have got rid of dull mindset!


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## IDK

Dan H said:


> As per the definition of 悶騷 in Chinese, it means somebody is always inclined to choke his emotion/feeling as he/she is excited, thus other people do not easily understand his/her emotion/feeling.
> 
> I think that "悶騷的" could be translated to dull in Enlish, as describing a person whom is very bored.
> LoL Caution: If you are 悶騷的, you should have got rid of dull mindset!


 
Wait, dull would definitely *not* be the appropriate word for 悶騷. It's almost completely the opposite!


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## Dan H

IDK said:


> Wait, dull would definitely *not* be the appropriate word for 悶騷. It's almost completely the opposite!


 
闷骚不是贬义词，它源自台湾或者香港，属于新兴的俚语，其意思想表达说“心中极度渴望，可又在表面很克制”，意思是故作深沉，不轻易流露自己的感情．

Your view seems reasonable, then what appropriate words could we descrbibe 悶騷 in English?


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## IDK

Dan H said:


> 闷骚不是贬义词，它源自台湾或者香港，属于新兴的俚语，其意思想表达说“心中极度渴望，可又在表面很克制”，意思是故作深沉，不轻易流露自己的感情．
> 
> Your view seems reasonable, then what appropriate words could we descrbibe 悶騷 in English?


 
That's what I can't figure out...


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## BODYholic

On the contrary, 悶騷is definitely 贬义.

悶, in this case, means "suppress". 騷 is, straight forward, "slut" or "sluttish". I am not too sure if it is usually used to describe man or woman, it is, however, very commonly used among my gay friends. 

And you definitely can't walk up to a stranger and tell him/her that he/she is 悶騷型. This is consider rude and offensive.

Unfortunately, I could also not think of a single English word that aptly matches the meaning of "悶騷".

PS: A french expression crosses my mind, "cat in heat" (lit). Not quite exact but close.


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## KYC

> 闷骚不是贬义词，它源自台湾或者香港，属于新兴的俚语，其意思想表达说“心中极度渴望，可又在表面很克制”，意思是故作深沉，不轻易流露自己的感情．


Yes, that's what I want to ask. Also , in my experience, I usually use this word to very close friends for teasing or for joking.


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## Dan H

It seems only Einstein could work out this question as difficult as discovering the atomic bomb. God sake !
Lol


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## 101010011001

I've never heard anyone use "闷骚" before ???


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## KYC

> I've never heard anyone use "闷骚" before ???


Well, I am  not from China.


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## jsperla

I think it is right "Immanent"


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## winniebree

Actually that word can be used to describe a man or a woman.


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## branchsnapper

How about "repressed"?


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## swim4life

There is a Chinese buzzword called "闷骚". It refers to people who look plain, cold or even dull outside, but inside they are volatile, charismatic, hot and sexy. It may also be usd to describe a person's duplicitous personality, but mostly in the eulogistic sense.

Someone translated it into "surprise package." I'm wondering if there is another common used phrase for it in English-speaking countries.

Thanks.


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## Green6

For me, 闷骚 is rather for describing a woman because  the word 骚 is a word for female, no?


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## frank-sand

Usually that word can be used for either man or woman


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## KYC

> There is a Chinese buzzword called "闷骚". It refers to people who look plain, cold or even dull outside, but inside they are volatile, charismatic, hot and sexy. It may also be usd to describe a person's duplicitous personality, but mostly in the eulogistic sense.


Yes, that's what I look for and I also want to know it
Thanks for your explaination, swim4life!


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## patrick_socal

KYC said:


> Hi there:
> I wonder how to say :他是悶騷型的in English.
> I want a term to describe a person whom people think is gentle and good and conservative but actually,his/ her natural disposition is passionate and even a little more crazy about something.
> Thanks a lot!


 
I can't think of an expression that directly applies as a noun phrase for this type of person. May I suggest some phrases that refer to or describe a person to see if they convey the same idea?

Possibly the expression "he/she is like a smoldering ember", it indicates a person who has the potential for passionate feeling or action but has not yet burst into flame.

The other term that comes to mind is "still waters run deep" which implies that there is more beneath the surface of a person that appears to the casual observer.

Are we "beating around the bush" here?  Does this Chinese expression refer specifically to hidden sexual passion? Some of the responses seem to indicate this. Or can this be a hidden passion of any kind?

Very interesting topic.

Patrick


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## swim4life

patrick_socal said:


> I can't think of an expression that directly applies as a noun phrase for this type of person. May I suggest some phrases that refer to or describe a person to see if they convey the same idea?
> 
> Possibly the expression "he/she is like a smoldering ember", it indicates a person who has the potential for passionate feeling or action but has not yet burst into flame.
> 
> The other term that comes to mind is "still waters run deep" which implies that there is more beneath the surface of a person that appears to the casual observer.
> 
> Are we "beating around the bush" here? Does this Chinese expression refer specifically to hidden sexual passion? Some of the responses seem to indicate this. Or can this be a hidden passion of any kind?
> 
> Very interesting topic.
> 
> Patrick


The other term that comes to mind is "still waters run deep" which implies that there is more beneath the surface of a person that appears to the casual observer.

*Is it correct if I say: He is like a still water that runs deep.*

Are we "beating around the bush" here? Does this Chinese expression refer specifically to hidden sexual passion? Some of the responses seem to indicate this. Or can this be a hidden passion of any kind?

*You have a good guess Patrick! In some cases, it does refer to a hidden (sexual) passion, but not very specifically. Just as I mentioned earlier, it may also be used to describe a person's duplicitous personality, but mostly in the eulogistic sense.*


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## woodrowchina

I think the word is neither laudatory nor derogatory.sometimes it just mean normal and having appetency,emphatically sexual.
non-chinese people are usually enough to face the appetite,so they havn't a simple word liking as "闷骚".


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## Maple Sugar

It's quite a popoular expression in China in recent years.
When you say someone is "闷骚型", it means it would take time and patience to arouse his feeling. 
For example, in a party, this sort of person would appear to be a shy guy who seldom talked in the very beginning , but once you made him get used to the situation, he would unleash his passion, you would find him more enthusiastic than you have ever imagined.


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## Zephyr Azure

Can "Tsundenre" be used?


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## Zephyr Azure

Oh, sorry, "tsundere", there was one more "n" in the former one.


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## fioif

Zephyr Azure said:


> Can "Tsundenre" be used?



ツンデレ is somewhat different from 闷骚 due to the external performance in my opinion 
A tsundere girl always be coolness and hard to be closed(ツンツン),
but a 闷骚 person performs just like anyone else 

And always, tsundere often used for describing females XD


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## swim4life

"闷骚" is a Chinese buzzword. It refers to people who look plain, cold or even dull outside, but inside they are volatile, charismatic, hot and sexy. It may also be used to describe a person's duplicitous personality, but mostly in the eulogistic sense.

There was a thread about “闷骚” in this forum, but I didn’t get the closest matching the Chinese meaning. I’m trying my luck again to see what I would get.

Someone translated it into “*closed outside, open inside.*” It makes me laugh and I know it’s sort of Chinese English. And there is another one: *shy outside but wild inside.* What do you native English speakers think?


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## viajero_canjeado

It would help if you provided a particular context in which to use this word. Your description "shy outside but wild inside" gets the point across, I think, but it doesn't sound like something I'd hear in a typical conversation.

Just coming up with a scenario off the top of my head, maybe you could say something like: "I know he might seem boring, but he's really a fun guy once you get to know him."
Another one might be: "Don't let her dull exterior fool you; she's got quite the wild streak" or "she knows how to party". Those last two suggest that she really gets into events like parties, dancing, clubbing, etc.

Anyway, a related phrase that we use a lot is "you can't judge a book by its cover." The implied meaning, in the appropriate context, is that the person might seem boring but that's not actually the case.


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## GamblingCamel

swim4life said:


> Someone translated it into “closed outside, open inside." It makes me laugh and I know it’s sort of Chinese English. And there is another one: shy outside but wild inside. What do you native English speakers think?



Just stretch out the 2nd one --> "shy on the outside but wild on the inside", and you'll have perfectly colloquial ENglish. Do you disagree, VC?

SWIM >> "X on the outside but Y on the inside" is a verbal template into which you can plug lots of polar opposites.


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## viajero_canjeado

No, I agree that if you add the "on the" it sounds a lot better.


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## swim4life

Thank you JC & VC. I'm trying to get a short one. Is it okay to omit the "on the"?


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## GamblingCamel

SWIM >> Still waters run deep.

It means that people who are quiet and say little often have very interesting and complicated personalities. _He's quiet and shy, it's true, but still waters run deep._
It may not be the very sharp contrast (plain/volatile; dull/sexy) that you're looking for, but keep it in mind.



swim4life said:


> Thank you JC & VC. I'm trying to get a short one. Is it okay to omit the "on the"?


It's kinda okay, if you say, "HE's shy outside but wild inside." But not really. Sorry.
Without any other context, it's possible that people will think you mean that he's shy outdoors but wild indoors.

_On the outside / on the inside_ cues the listener that you're talking about somebody's psychological temperament in general.

Here's a link to a discussion in CHinese about 闷骚.


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## swim4life

GamblingCamel said:


> SWIM >> Still waters run deep.
> 
> It means that people who are quiet and say little often have very interesting and complicated personalities. _He's quiet and shy, it's true, but still waters run deep._
> It may not be the very sharp contrast (plain/volatile; dull/sexy) that you're looking for, but keep it in mind.


Thank you GC. At this moment, "shy on the outside but wild on the inside" is first closest, and "still waters run deep" is the second. I like both!


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## Lamb67

She is surprisingly sluttish,horny or etc.


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## swim4life

Lamb67 said:


> She is surprisingly sluttish,horny or etc.


Well, not really... 闷骚is absolutely not a disapproving word.


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## Lamb67

闷骚, to put it in this way,内秀，which I believe it is common in the North while the topic phrase in the South.

Bacially, they are the same meaning.


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## GamblingCamel

Lamb67 said:


> 闷骚, to put it in this way,内秀，which I believe it is common in the North while the topic phrase in the South.
> Bacially, they are the same meaning.


 
内秀 nèi xiù
     To be intelligent without seeming so. Looking very quiet and common, yet actually very intelligent and very good.

　　1.　表面上不显眼,但很有内涵,有教养的内在美.
　　或者说是不张扬的优秀人士．
　　2. 但是也有人用"内秀"形容表面看起来很好,实则一肚子坏水的人.    是"闷骚"的文明版本
　　3. 内心聪慧，富有才华。一般用在外表不出众的人身上。

　　4.有时候这个词有贬义。

http://baike.baidu.com/view/541551.htm​


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## xiaolijie

I would forcibly translate “闷骚”as "reserved" or "unassuming"  or even "horny" but since “闷骚”is a slang, I'd look at the actual context where it appears and if necessary, create an appropriate phrase for it. There is no ready, out-of-context equivalents for it in English.


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## GamblingCamel

xiaolijie said:


> I would forcibly translate “闷骚”as "reserved" or "unassuming"  or even "horny" but since “闷骚”is a slang, I'd look at the actual context where it appears and if necessary, create an appropriate phrase for it.


Unassuming = Modest and having no pretensions or ostentation

Unassuming but ...
She's unassuming but gorgeous; modest, yet spectacular.
Besides being a great friend-the girl is sharp! She's unassuming, but when you least expect it...BAM!
She's unassuming, but she commands a presence. She told me to call her Anna and asked lots of questions.
She's unassuming but determined. She's down-to-earth but she's got high aspirations. She's laid-back but she doesn't take any shit. 

Unassuming manner but ... 
She has an unassuming manner, but don't be fooled: She is a girl with lots of personality and quiet wit.


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## bamboobanga

quietly sexy, hidden horny..   lmao 

i think we should use the word - mensao.


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## GEmatt

There's probably no exact equivalent. 

The expression "still waters run deep" (宁静致远) is close in meaning, but it is a phrase. You can't use it like an adjective, in a sentence.

"A rough diamond" (or "a diamond in the rough" could work (大醇小疵), but it's less close in meaning to 闷骚.

Finally, there's "a dark horse" (which is interesting, because you also have a horse in 骚), meaning someone who doesn't share or reveal much about themselves, but who has unexpected abilities or talents.

The difficulty is, 闷骚 can also have a sexual or flirtatious meaning, and none of these expressions in English have that.


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## henter

A 闷骚 person is supposed to be  a staid, saturnine or even gauche person who boggles at mingling with outspoken people. Yet the reality is that's illusory. 闷骚男and 女 are disposed to go rogue when they meet special people or someone who's able to pique their interest rather than trying to dissemble their pent-up emotions or squash down their desires. Case in point:郭靖 is a complaisant boy in the eyes of his mom in a novel written by 金庸. Yet he also acts like a rebel when his mom tries to chivvy him to marry a girl who happens to be a princess in the novel. To his mom's dismay, 郭靖 tells his mom that he has made up his mind to marry another girl behaving like a mardy person instead of the simpatico princess. That's why some people  call 郭靖 闷骚男. By which I mean 郭靖 also goes loopy over a bonny girl acting differently from him. On the other hand, the princess and the feeble-minded  郭靖 are tarred with the same brush; the princess is a jejune sort

  The thinking goes, there are grounds to think that even lots of donnish men gravitate toward nubile hotties like Taylor Swift instead of blue-stockings,  just like what  郭靖 does  when asked to find a perfect girl to be his wife. 郭靖, who is supposed to marry the submissive princess instead of another feral girl as a traditionalist, gives the reader a different answer.


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