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1

animaljku t1_j9k0yr8 wrote

This seems on par with most Chinese instructions I have had to read.

1

Kerivkennedy t1_j9k1jc5 wrote

Pretty obvious the ink just blurred the r and I in glorious

Your "funny" is on par with idiots reading my name as Ken instead of Keri

−9

HunterDHunter t1_j9k2iwu wrote

Once saw on a Chinese menu. "Chinese food to eat 10 or take out"

11

FuglytheBear t1_j9k3bv6 wrote

Replying to Kerivkennedy (#1,919,736)

I dunno, the other "i"s have pretty pronounced dots, and the other "n"s look identical.

I live in Taiwan and can confirm this kind of spelling mistake is super common. But you're right, it's not that funny...

7

Rreizero t1_j9k6j0r wrote

Don't worry. Chinese bamboo is very strong..

37

jeffk42 t1_j9k6x7u wrote

I remember seeing that exact statement on chopsticks years ago, for the longest time “cultural” was spelled “cultual” so at least they’re improving. :)

0

zosteria t1_j9k7fbz wrote

This is quite old at this point. Long since corrected I liked it better this way

1

Easy_Cauliflower_69 t1_j9k7ie5 wrote

I understand there being translation errors but how did they get a word that isn't even real?

−1

firethorne t1_j9k9dva wrote

The brand my fav Chinese place had always said, "Tuk under thurnb and held firmly."

−1

spleh7 t1_j9ka8r2 wrote

Replying to Dependent_Comfort_93 (#1,920,080)

I went to elementary school with a kid named Curt. He was a good artist even as a little kid. One day in 1st grade I asked if I could have one of his paintings because I really liked it. He gave it to me and I brought it home.

Years later I learned from my parents that they were a bit shocked when I brought it home. They asked me about the painting and I said "Curt gave it to me!". It turns out that Curt had overextended the "r" in his name so that it looked like an "n". And there it was, in giant capital letters in the top corner of the painting.

5

MukdenMan t1_j9kaedw wrote

Replying to Kerivkennedy (#1,919,736)

There are a lot of examples in China where it looks like kerning but it’s not (as in keming). I think this is because someone typed something they were copying. If they don’t know the word, it’s just letters.

2

bouchert t1_j9kasha wrote

Please try your Nice Chinese Food With Chopsticks.

(Just shovel down your Nasty Chinese Food With A Spork)

−1

towiwakka t1_j9kbl4i wrote

I was always a fan of the ones that said, "Now you can pick up anything!"

1

Bloorajah t1_j9kbvgs wrote

I got a pack of masks during the pandemic that had an insert that said they were inspected and approved by the “quauty depatment”

I kept the insert as a momento but its also just rather silly

9

we0k t1_j9kcr1r wrote

Ah typical. I have a collection of their nice English translations, like when I visited Shanghai there was ATMs which had “Add Value Machine” on the screen

0

No_Carpet7125 t1_j9ke4eh wrote

I can eat way more efficiently with my hands thank you very much.

−1

Artful_Dodger29 t1_j9kfdfq wrote

Wonder how many forests are felled to provide lumber for chopsticks for Chinese takeout

−1

paruresis_guy t1_j9kgb75 wrote

Holy shit! They still make these with that typo? I remember getting a good laugh out of seeing that wrapper whilst out on a date in high school. I'll be 54 in May, that was 1987!

49

lhr00001 t1_j9kh5bx wrote

To be fair if I had to translate from English to Cantonese/Mandarin I wouldn't even know where to start!

2

KatVanWall t1_j9kjhus wrote

I’d like to see the number of mistakes you’d make trying to copy Chinese characters … tbh our alphabet, while not being as complicated as hanzi, probably has a similar effect on whoever random Chinese person got stuck with the proofreading lol

4

Crunkindatrunk t1_j9kjwqn wrote

I had this exact version maybe like 25 years ago in NYC. Guess they haven’t fixed it yet haha

1

kompootor t1_j9kkf4s wrote

Assuming we all have at least some familiarity with the formative importance to the U.S. (and Canada etc.) of Chinese-American history and that of the diaspora (among the other Asian diasporas with which, importantly to its history, it is frequently conflated), painful as the most pivotal events have been, I think we can take a moment to reflect pleasantly on the dramatic Chinese-American contribution to both international cuisine and American dining culture. Furthermore, good food is the kind of thing that drives even the most hateful xenophobic bigots face peacefully, positively, their imagined nemesis.

There's the longstanding "Engrish" meme theme online, with the concept of laughing at e.g. Chinese-American restaurant text going back as far as those restaurants have catered outside the diaspora (ofc laughing at language mistakes is as old as humanity -- language is inherently funny). However, that mocking behavior is a cultural exchange between some different level of English speakers on the one hand and the continual flow of the Chinese diaspora on the other, as much as it is simply laughing at silly language. Compare the "in bed" joke routine a big group might do with their fortune cookies at the end of a meal. These kinds of social behaviors are a big part of what invites foreigners into the Chinese restaurants and businesses, from the suburban malls to downtown Chinatown. People are definitely laughing at, not with, the misspeller or printer, but that's all still elemental in a peaceful -- and profitable -- cultural exchange.

Finally to the point: with machine language translation getting constantly better -- never mind a rigorous English education becoming even more ubiquitous -- I fear there will be fewer and fewer examples of Engrish to see in America. And that's a cultural loss -- not net loss, but change. The real-life fubar misprints will be gone and all we'll have left are the rehashed memes and occasional ironic t-shirts.

I guess this became my inelegant pre-elegy to Engrish. For all I know it's premature by 50 years; I can also conceive of a manner in which natural Engrish in some form, regardless of tech and education, would never disappear. (Note also this more or less can apply to any diaspora anywhere, but there's lots of reasons besides those listed for why the entire Chinese-American interweave makes such a richly complex case of its own.)

0

Username7225 t1_j9knohc wrote

"Now you can pick up anything." Me: "ANYTHING?"

0

__TOURduPARK__ t1_j9knunz wrote

Lol how long before any non-asian using chopsticks is labelled cultural appropriation?

−1

OccamsGoatee t1_j9kp7n3 wrote

This is the "fixed" version. I remember the old one.

On the flipside, there were instructions on "How to use Chopsticks" it went something like:

"Hold first chopstick as you would a pencil. Tuk second chcostick under thurnb, hold firmly. Move in to originai position. Now you can pick up anything!"

1

Big_D_TX t1_j9kt5b0 wrote

Are Asians the only culture to use Chopsticks?

0

haluura t1_j9ku85w wrote

Replying to paruresis_guy (#1,921,442)

Back then, they made these typos because whenever an organization in China needed an English translation, they usually just got one of the board member's high school age children to do it. That ended when the CCP clamped down hard on the practice during the years leading up to the Beijing Olympics.

Although, it wouldn't surprise me to find out that this is what happened here. It's been a few decades since the Beijing Olympics. This company might be small enough that they are gambling that they can get away with this trick without the Govt detecting it.

5

waaaaaaaaaaaat_ t1_j9kx8l1 wrote

this is has been on there since at least 2005. My friends from back in the day still yell “AND CULTURAL” at each other

1

DarthBubonicPlageuis t1_j9l4da7 wrote

to be honest I thought the r and i were so close together it looked like an n

3

Useful-Plan8239 t1_j9l7lr8 wrote

Yeah. I helped Chinese with English all the freaking time. Our product is our product, can't send it out like this.

0

jjenn72c t1_j9lewjk wrote

Looks like the proofreader needed grasses.

1

eijtn t1_j9ln0f0 wrote

It’s been exactly that way since I was a kid in the nineties.

1

Evening-Aggressive t1_j9m8gje wrote

I’m actually annoyed when I order Chinese food and don’t get chopsticks 🥢. I love using them.

1

toxinogen t1_j9mi7z2 wrote

Lol our local Vietnamese restaurant has had this brand for years. Can’t believe they haven’t fixed it yet.

1

lcc1353 t1_j9mlwhr wrote

Product of China. That explains it all.

1

kompootor t1_j9mlxi9 wrote

Replying to Xais56 (#1,923,035)

I made it more explicit that "American" was referring more generally to U.S. and Canada, but I was actually trying to be even more general to say this applies to the entire Chinese diaspora across the Anglosphere, leaning more toward those larger populations whose history goes back 100 years or more -- more so Australia and New Zealand; less so but still including the UK (just by going by the significant difference in percentage, but that's all me winging this without researching the global diaspora in significantly more depth.) Some of the unique dishes in Chinese-American cuisine are somewhat better known internationally just because American culture has spread so deeply internationally, but a lot of the same ideas that you see in Chinese-American cuisine evolved as well in Chinese-Australian and others (but I'm literally just looking this up now).

Aside from this point, which I agree required significant clarification, are there more downvotes because people disagree with the thesis? Or is it just silly? Offensive? What?

1

emmfranklin t1_j9mlzrh wrote

'ri' can be easily confused for 'n' by the ones who don't speak English.

1

Costanzaslife23 t1_j9mmlvv wrote

These have been like that for years. I remember these being in my college cafeteria when I was in college back in 2001-2005. They keep selling, so I guess there’s no reason to correct them.

1

1CEninja t1_j9myn43 wrote

I mean...this seems pretty legit for a Chinese restaurant.

The best cheap Chinese restaurants rarely have everything translated correctly.

1