asphxia, asphyxiation

• Meaning: suffocation
  
• In Chinese: 窒息， 缺氧， 透不過氣
  
• Where we first met: opensourcetheology.net - will post-evangelicalism remain 'a first-aid tent for the victims of intellectual asphyxiation?'

proclivity

• Meaning: a natural propensity or inclination, a predisposition
  
• In Chinese: 先天傾向， 本能
• Where we first met: opensourcetheology.net - 'If post-evangelicalism remains true to its post-modern proclivities, then the likelihood is that there will be no correct way to represent the truth about Jesus Christ in the world.'
  

staunch / stanch

• Meaning:
  
• [adj] firm, strong, substantial
  
• [v] stop (eg. the flow of something)
• In Hong Kong slang: 勁 (as in 勁撐)， 堅挺， 頂住
  
• In decent Chinese: 強而有力
• Where we first met: The Scotsman - the parents of the British soldier killed in Iraq issued a staunch defence of the army's role in that country.
  

sire - sires, siring, sired

• Meaning:
  
• [as noun] male ancestor, father (esp. of domesticated mammal); founder
  
• [as verb] beget
  
• In Chinese: (某樣東西，某套學說) 之父， 祖先， 誕生， 孕育
  
• Where we first met: New York Times Book Review - the 19th century French novelist Gustave Faubert is the sire of the modern narrative.
  

amok / amuck

• Meaning: wildly (as if demon possessed); murderous frenzy
• In Hong Kong slang: 發癲， 上身， 師父到
  
• In decent Chinese: 瘋了
  
• Where we first met: Edinburgh Evening News - why a maniac run amok?
  

spree

• Meaning: carefree outing
  
• In Hong Kong slang: 繞[音'yell']， 周圍繞[also音'yell']， 戲［音'heh'], 自由行
  
• In decent Chinese: 隨意遊蕩/溜達
• Where we first met: Edinburgh Evening News - a shizophrenic patient was let go on a spree for 2 days ...
  

clement (vs. inclement)

• Meaning:
• lenient, merciful (vs. unmerciful, harsh)
  
• [weather] mild, fine (vs. stormy, not good)
• In Cantonese:
  
• 好人，林，易話圍，好商與 (vs. 惡死，惡屎能登，悵雞)
• 好天氣 (vs. 天氣麻麻或惡劣)
• In decent Chinese:
  
• 善良，仁慈 (vs. 凶)
  
• 天朗氣清 (vs. 陰厘密佈, 風雨欲來)
  
• Where we first met: Edinburgh Easter Play website - when the Easter Play was premiered in March 2005, the weather was rather inclement.
  

lambaste

• Meaning: [informal] beat or scold sharply
  
• In Hong Kong slang: 斐低， 砌， 踏 (音'dub')
• In decent Chinese: 嚴厲批評， 狠批
  

acrimony

• Meaning: bitter and sharp animosity in speech or words
  
• In Hong Kong slang: 玩針對
  
• In decent Chinese: 惡意攻擊
  

shiftless

• Meaning: lacking purpose, ambition, or energy
  
• In Hong Kong slang: 戲 (音 'heh')
• In decent Chinese: 缺乏目標， 漫無目的
  

gusto

• Meaning: vigorous enjoyment, zest; individual taste
  
• In Hong Kong slang: 勁有癮
  
• In Chinese: 興致勃勃， 興高采烈
  
• Where we first met: BBC journalist commentary on the recent situation in France - 'French companies buy up foreign firms with gusto ... '
  

bestride, bestrode, bestridden

• Meaning:
  
1. to straddle, to sit or stand with legs astride
2. to dominate over
   
• In Hong Kong slang: 騎住， 食住， 殺晒
  
• In decent Chinese:
  
1. 騎
2. 傲視
• Where we first met: BBC journalist commentary on the recent situation in France - 'Once the French bestrode the planet like a Colossus, exporting everything from their language to their culture.'
  

phalanx [plural: phalanxes, phalanges]

• Meaning: an closely knit arrray of people
• In Chinese: 人牆
  
• Where we first met: BBC News - ' ... the bodyguards form a phalanx ... '
  

parky

• Meaning: [British] crispy cold and invigorating
  
• In Hong Kong slang: 醒神， 凍到跳舞
  
• In decent Chinese: 令人精神抖擻， 寒風刺骨
  
• Where we first met: film review from The Guardian on Basic Instinct 2: ... jacuzzi on a London rooftop is parky ...
  

0