‘Soft power’ is even more important during times of sharp words and military bluster, but the cultural appeal of American culture and ideas has waned in China.
America, which is called “Meiguo” or “beautiful country” in Chinese, was the bastion of wealth and ease.
It’s only called that (美国) through abbreviation, the full name is [美]利坚合众[国] meilijian hezhongguo (Federation of American States) where meilijian is 译音/transliteration/phonetic. The 美 on its own yes means beautiful but it’s used here for sound not meaning.
Same for people who think England (英国 yingguo) is the ‘heroic’ country when it’s also just another abbreviation, this time of 英格兰 yinggelan or [英]联王[国].
It’s kinda funny, I’ve seen Chinese people online swap out the 美 mei beautiful for 霉 mei ‘moldy’ or on r/sino 没 mei ‘not’ (as in, America will soon not be a country)
Furthermore, the idea that a named coined for a country in a completely different political landscape, in a completely different time, would be indicative of contemporary opinions and ideas of Chinese people today is a stupid conclusion based on the premise alone.
It’s only called that (美国) through abbreviation, the full name is [美]利坚合众[国] meilijian hezhongguo (Federation of American States) where meilijian is 译音/transliteration/phonetic. The 美 on its own yes means beautiful but it’s used here for sound not meaning.
Same for people who think England (英国 yingguo) is the ‘heroic’ country when it’s also just another abbreviation, this time of 英格兰 yinggelan or [英]联王[国].
TIL
It’s kinda funny, I’ve seen Chinese people online swap out the 美 mei beautiful for 霉 mei ‘moldy’ or on r/sino 没 mei ‘not’ (as in, America will soon not be a country)
lmao
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they’re copying me, i’ve been calling it ugly country for years now
Death to America
One of my great regrets is that there are puns in like 2,000 languages that i will never get.
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England = Eng land = “Ying” land = Ying + Guo (country)
Couldn’t be simpler
Furthermore, the idea that a named coined for a country in a completely different political landscape, in a completely different time, would be indicative of contemporary opinions and ideas of Chinese people today is a stupid conclusion based on the premise alone.