Heard of the Chinese phrase “Hong Yan Huo Shui” (宏颜获水)? While it sounds identical to the classic idiom “Hong Yan Huo Shui” (红颜祸水), this 2019 meme flips the meaning entirely through wordplay and homophony!
→ Literal twist:
- The meme uses “宏颜” (Hong Yan)—”Hong” refers to Robin Li (李彦宏, Li Yàn宏, CEO of Baidu), and “Yan” means “face”—paired with “获水” (Huo Shui), meaning “to receive water” (i.e., being splashed).
- It sounds exactly like “红颜祸水” (Hong Yan Huo Shui), a centuries-old idiom where “红颜” (Hong Yan) means “beautiful woman” and “祸水” (Huo Shui) means “disastrous water” (symbolizing chaos caused by beauty).
→ Actual context (2019 meme origin):
During Baidu’s annual conference, Li was suddenly sprayed with water mid-speech. Netizens seized the homophony with “红颜祸水” to create a playful, ironic term for public mishaps caught on camera—turning a尴尬 (awkward) real-life moment into a viral joke!
Think of it like English puns that repurpose old sayings (e.g., “Netflix and chill” vs. literal “chill”). The meme keeps the idiom’s rhythm but swaps its serious, historical meaning for lighthearted humor.
Example:
When a politician’s speech is interrupted by a seagull stealing their notes? That’s a modern “Hong Yan Huo Shui” moment—minus the ancient gendered stereotypes!
冷知识 (Fun fact about the original idiom):
“红颜祸水” (“Hong Yan Huo Shui,” beautiful women as disastrous water) traces back to historical critiques of rulers blaming their failures on female companions. For example:
- Ancient tales blamed Daji (妲己, a mythical beauty) for King Zhou’s downfall in the Shang Dynasty.
- The phrase carries a historical bias, implying women’s beauty causes misfortune—though modern usage is more neutral, often used in literature to discuss tragic allure.
The 2019 meme subverts this by ignoring the old idiom’s meaning and using its sound to mock accidental chaos, not intentional “disaster.” It’s a perfect example of how Chinese internet culture reimagines tradition for fresh, shareable humor!