# 肉麻



## swim4life

I noticed that 肉麻 is translated into “disgusting” in the Chinese-English dictionary, but in some situations “disgusting” is too strong to be correct. For example:

Husband: Honey, you are so beautiful today! 
Chinese wife: 你太肉麻了! （别肉麻了！）

There are more: 肉麻的情书，肉麻的话，肉麻的短信，肉麻的称呼等等。What’s the right English word for 肉麻 here? Thanks.


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## strad

I think nauseating works for some of these (being used facetiously, of course).  If i was reading a 肉麻的情书, I might describe that in English as nauseating 

corny is another common translation of 肉麻.


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## GamblingCamel

Swim >  I think "nauseating" and "disgusting" are much too strong for a wife to say to a husband.  Unless they're in the middle of marital conflict.

My translation of 别肉麻了！ 
"Oh, don't be so sappy!" (Excessively sentimental, mawkish, silly, foolish).

I suppose that a love letter or SMS that's insincere, manipulative, crass could be referred to as nauseating/disgusting.


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## xiaolijie

From GC's post, I'd use "*mawkish*" but conversationally, "*silly*" seems to fit the bill in many situations, in a light hearted way.


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## Razzle Storm

I usually translate it into "corny" or "sappy", depending on the situation, of course.


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## name my name

Hi, all
  Here I have a Chinese word "肉麻“. I do not know what to express it in English, so anyone has any idea, please tell me. Thanks in advance.

Moderator's note:
This thread has now been merged with an earlier one.


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## xiaolijie

Hi name my name,

This is not really driving you away but for "肉麻“, your first port of call should be a dictionary, and do come here when you find that dictionaries don't give you the answer you need.


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## mrdrx

imagine a boy was reading a love letter to the girl he loved ，the girl was happy but pretended to be angry and complained to the boy

the letter listens 肉麻。or you are very 肉麻！


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## Tobb

The closest word I can think of is "disgusted" or in this case, you are disgusting.


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## Flaminius

What does the expression _literally_ mean?  Is it to say that something is too disgusting that one's flash goes numb?


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## Lugubert

Flaminius said:


> What does the expression _literally_ mean?  Is it to say that something is too disgusting that one's flash goes numb?


I know you meant to write "flesh"...


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## Flaminius

Yes, it is supposed to be "flesh."  Is my understanding correct?

Thanks be to God that I did not write "fresh."


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## Ghabi

It may be, since in Cantonese we use 骨痺 gwat1bei3 "bone-numb" as well as 肉麻 juk6maa4 in an amorous context (i.e. lovey-dovey to the point of causing embarrassment). In a more general context, 肉麻 just means "embarrassing (e.g. when you see your colleague keeps brown-nosing your boss)" and the Cantonese equivalent in this case could be 肉酸 "flesh-sore".


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## SuperXW

Flaminius said:


> What does the expression _literally_ mean? Is it to say that something is too disgusting that one's flash goes numb?


It literally means: (some words or actions are so mawkish that make others) flesh creep. 

麻 in Chinese not only describes the feeling of "numb", but also the feeling of "having pins and needles" on your body.


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## chrysanthy

overacts. mushy


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## xiaolijie

SuperXW said:


> It literally means: (some words or actions are so mawkish that make others) flesh creep.
> 
> 麻 in Chinese not only describes the feeling of "numb", but also the feeling of "having pins and needles" on your body.


You've nailed it, Super!


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## mrdrx

xiaolijie said:


> You've nailed it, Super!




wow i have another illustration：the feeling when you are listening to 《rolling in the deep》by adele！^^


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## Youngfun

I think this is more a Chinese cultural thing.

Western people don't feel embarassed if hearing/reading something sweet or romantic.


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## miltonese

Such as in sentence: 你好肉麻啊。 
Popular translation is: you are disgusting.

But I do not think that is a appropriate translation.
Is any better version out there?
Thanks


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## xiaolijie

miltonese said:


> Such as in sentence: 你好肉麻啊。
> Popular translation is: you are disgusting.
> 
> But I do not think that is a appropriate translation.
> Is any better version out there?
> Thanks


Miltonese, I've merged your question to an earlier one. If you want to ask about a word, it may be usefull to do a search first for existing threads on it.


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## yuechu

I too would translate it as "corny" or "sappy". Definitely not "disgusting" (or else a different Chinese word would be used, I think.. ?）



> Youngfun: I think this is more a Chinese cultural thing.
> Western people don't feel embarassed if hearing/reading something sweet or romantic.


I think you may be right! (in the West, it usually brings a reaction a lot different from 'being happy/touched on the inside but acting angry on the outside', yet I can definitely picture this happening in China)


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