'Local lingo: Express yourself!' Episode 78: 什么鬼 (Shén Me Guǐ)

Language is the road map of a culture.

In this column, we will invite expats to introduce their favorite Chinese words, phrases, idioms, poems and more in a one-minute video. We hope this will serve as a window through which you can better understand Chinese culture, mindset and wit.

Do you often hear the phrase 'What the hell?' in casual conversations? In Chinese, there's a similarly popular expression. For a Serbian girl named Kate, '什么鬼' (shén me guǐ) is one of her most frequently used Chinese phrases. It's a casual and spontaneous way to express mild surprise or confusion when you're not quite sure what's going on.

Share with us the Chinese proverbs that you think are timeless. Please contact juliezhu@shanghaidaily.com.