瘾君子
yǐnjūnzǐ
The English word "crackhead" is translated into Chinese as 瘾君子 (yǐnjūnzǐ).
While it can refer specifically to a crack addict, it is more commonly used as a general term for any drug addict or junkie.
Meaning: person addicted to crack (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
yǐnjūnzǐ
Did you know?
- In Chinese, the character 君 (jūn) usually refers to a 'monarch' or a 'gentleman', making the term 瘾君子 sound like a 'monarch of addiction' when taken literally.
- While 瘾君子 is the standard term, a person might use the more derogatory slang term 毒虫 (dúchóng), which literally translates to 'poison insect'.
- The phrase 瘾君子 can be used jokingly in modern slang to describe someone with a non-drug obsession, such as a 'coffee addict' or 'gaming addict'.
Examples in context
- 警察抓住了那个瘾君子。Jǐngchá zhuāzhùle nàge yǐnjūnzǐ.The police caught the crackhead.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a crime report in a park.
- 伟 Wei你听说那个新闻了吗？Nǐ tīngshuō nàge xīnwén le ma?Did you hear that news?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen没，怎么了？Méi, zěnme le?No, what's up?
- 伟 Wei一个瘾君子在街上抢劫了。Yīgè yǐnjūnzǐ zài jiē shàng qiǎngjié le.A crackhead robbed someone on the street.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen天哪，那太可怕了。Tiān na, nà tài kěpà le.Oh my god, that is terrifying.
