Chinese Internet Slang: Panic Buying

Updated on December 27, 2022

The Chinese city of Shanghai is in the midst of a Covid-19 lockdown.

The lockdown was swift. Once it was announced, the locals rushed to buy the groceries and other essential items.

Buying vegetables.
Buying vegetables.

In English, such situation is termed as “panic buying”.

Do you know how to say “panic buying” in Chinese?

Chinese Idioms (Part 1)
Chinese Idioms (Part 1).

In this Mandarin Chinese lesson, let’s learn how to say “panic buying” in Chinese.

All books for learning Mandarin Chinese

Well, there are numerous ways to say “panic buying”.

However, a slag has been doing round the corner in China: Qiang Cai (抢菜).

  • 抢 (qiǎng): rob; loot
  • 菜 (cài): vegetable
Panic buying.
Panic buying.

Hence, Qiang Cai literally mean “rob vegetables” or “Grab the vegetables”.

  • 抢菜 (qiǎng cài): rob vegetables; struggle for the food; panic buying
Introduction to Chinese History (Part 1).
Introduction to Chinese History (Part 1).

Btw, 抢菜 should not be confused with 炝菜.

  • 炝菜 (Qiàng cài): to stir-fry a vegetable or other dish in a hot pot.

抢菜 and 炝菜 are different from each other.

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