no zuo no die

English

Etymology

Calque of Chinese 不作死就不會死 / 不作死就不会死 (bù zuōsǐ jiù bùhuì sǐ, “You will not get into trouble if you do not seek trouble”) or Chinese 不作不死.

Interjection

no zuo no die

1. (Chinglish) You won't die if you do not seek death; you will not get into trouble if you do not seek trouble.
   • 2019, Changming Yuan, “Trade Deficit: Chinese Exported into English”, in T. R. Mwanaka, editor, Nationalism: (mis)understanding Donald Trump's Capitalism, Racism, Global Politics, International Trade and Media Wars‎^[1], volume 2, →ISBN:

     Joe was stopped by police near the school zone. No zuo no die.

   • 2021 November 15, Bin Liang, Jianhong Liu, Chinese Netizens' Opinions on Death Sentences: An Empirical Examination‎^[2], University of Michigan Press, →ISBN, page 73:

     Due to just desert, the offenders' fault is clear: death befalls one only because one commits a heinous crime(s) first. […]In the Peng Shu and Hu Haolong case (#3), one netizen said, "[The crime was] shocking. No zuo no die."

   • 2022 December 22, Yao Yao Zhi Xin, Give Me Your Hands and Marry Me 19 Anthology, BEIJING BOOK CO. INC., →ISBN:

     He Shishi laughed at the side. "This is what we called No Zuo No Die (stew in one's own juices)."

   • 2023 April 12, 天下归元, 本无心 上（英文版）, 露露, →ISBN:

     He stretched out his hand to support Li Hanyu, who was unconscious in pain, but still pushed it away in disgust. Her hand: "Ugly girl, get out of here!" Jing Hengbo let go of his hand, and with a thud, the guy fell to the ground, and the back of his head hit a stone... "no Zuo no Die." Jing Hengbo Road.^[sic]