三流王八 四流龟
“Lower still are cuckolds, and lowest are tortoises.”
THE DIALOGUE REEL
天天嗷嗷嗷的 一流唱戏 二流推
“Always honking away. The best are opera singers; next are pimps and pushers.”
三流王八 四流龟
“Lower still are cuckolds, and lowest are tortoises.”
这是旧社会下九流的行当 你知道吗
“Those were the old lower nine trades. You know that?”
“You belong to the absolute scum of society and your work has no dignity.”
Pre-modern Chinese society stigmatized certain trades—including actors, courtesans, and brothel keepers—as the 'lower nine', denying them civil examination rights.
LEARNING CHUNKS & PARTICLES
tortoise; cuckold; scoundrel
A deeply rooted Chinese insult historically associated with brothel runners or cuckolded husbands.
the bottom nine outcast professions
Used idiomatically to criticize low-status, disreputable, or morally tainted occupations in pre-modern China.
