吃螃蟹

Chinese

		eat; eradicate; destroy eat; eradicate; destroy; receive; stammer	crab
trad. (吃螃蟹)		吃	螃蟹
simp. #(吃螃蟹)		吃	螃蟹
Literally: “to eat crab”.

Etymology

From Lu Xun:

第一個吃螃蟹的人是很令人佩服的，不是勇士誰敢去吃它呢？ [MSC, trad.]

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第一个吃螃蟹的人是很令人佩服的，不是勇士谁敢去吃它呢？ [MSC, simp.]

Dìyī ge chī pángxiè de rén shì hěn lìngrén pèifú de, bùshì yǒngshì shéi gǎn qù chī tā ne? [Pinyin]

The first to eat crab is worthy of admiration. Who would dare eat it if they are not brave?

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): chī pángxiè

  (Zhuyin): ㄔ ㄆㄤˊ ㄒㄧㄝˋ

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: chī pángxiè
    • Zhuyin: ㄔ ㄆㄤˊ ㄒㄧㄝˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: chih pángsiè
    • Wade–Giles: chʻih¹ pʻang²-hsieh⁴
    • Yale: chr̄ páng-syè
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chy parngshieh
    • Palladius: чи пансе (či panse)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩⁵⁵ pʰɑŋ³⁵ ɕi̯ɛ⁵¹/

Verb

吃螃蟹

1. (Mainland China) to try something new

   • 江蘇高考新方案確定從2020年高考開始推行，即2017級高一新生將成為新方案第一批吃螃蟹的人 [MSC, trad.]
     江苏高考新方案确定从2020年高考开始推行，即2017级高一新生将成为新方案第一批吃螃蟹的人 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 2016, 杨亚贤 (Yaxian Yang), 高中化学课堂教学渗透生涯指导的实践研究 (Practical research on the career guidance of senior high school chemistry teaching), in 《现代盐化工》 (Modern Salt and Chemical Industry), number 6, abstract

     Jiāngsū gāokǎo xīn fāng'àn quèdìng cóng 2020 nián gāokǎo kāishǐ tuīxíng, jí 2017 jí gāoyī xīnshēng jiāng chéngwéi xīn fāng'àn dìyī pī chī pángxiè de rén [Pinyin]

     A new scheme for Jiangsu's college entrance examinations is confirmed to be launched from the 2020 exams, meaning that the 2017 senior high school freshmen will become the first group to "eat crab".

   • 南社先於新文化運動進行社會革命和文化革新，但是這些敢為天下先和敢吃螃蟹的開拓精神，並沒有得到作為後繼者的新文化運動領導人物的認可與贊同，相反卻遭到了他們的肆意貶低與冷嘲熱諷。 [MSC, trad.]
     南社先于新文化运动进行社会革命和文化革新，但是这些敢为天下先和敢吃螃蟹的开拓精神，并没有得到作为后继者的新文化运动领导人物的认可与赞同，相反却遭到了他们的肆意贬低与冷嘲热讽。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 2016, 陈东林 (Donglin Chen), 南社之于新文化运动的纠结与纠偏 (Nanshe’s Entangle with and Rectification to the New Culture Movement), in 《南京理工大学学报（社会科学版）》 (Journal of Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Social Science Edition), volume 29, number 6, abstract

     Nánshè xiān yú Xīn Wénhuà Yùndòng jìnxíng shèhuì gémìng hé wénhuà géxīn, dànshì zhèxiē gǎn wèi tiānxià xiān hé gǎn chī pángxiè de kāituò jīngshén, bìng méiyǒu dédào zuòwéi hòujìzhě de Xīn Wénhuà Yùndòng lǐngdǎo rénwù de rènkě yǔ zàntóng, xiàngfǎn què zāodào le tāmen de sìyì biǎndī yǔ lěngcháorèfěng. [Pinyin]

     Nanshe committed itself earlier than New Culture Movement to social and cultural reform. Unfortunately, this pioneering spirit to take the lead and dare to try was not approved, but scorned and disparaged by its successors, i.e. New Culture Movement leaders.

   • 所以，做工業互聯網要有突破，就要有企業，要有人敢於第一個吃螃蟹。 [MSC, trad.]
     所以，做工业互联网要有突破，就要有企业，要有人敢于第一个吃螃蟹。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 2018, 王永宗, 从Xrea看如何打造“中国特色”工业平台, in 《中国工业和信息化》 (China Industry & Information Technology), issue 6, page 74

     Suǒyǐ, zuò gōngyè hùliánwǎng yào yǒu tūpò, jiù yào yǒu qǐyè, yào yǒu rén gǎnyú dìyī ge chī pángxiè. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)