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by dumbotron 1134 days ago
Marijuana literally means "big numb" in Chinese? Or "big horse" if I mispronounce it?
2 comments
keyboard_smash 1134 days ago
Haha, yeah, works that way for Cantonese and Mandarin. 大麻 daai6 maa4/dà má (marijuana, literally ‘big numb’) vs 大馬 daai6 maa5/dà mǎ (big horse).

Bonus: 大媽 daai6 maa1/dà mā (auntie or father’s elder brother’s wife, literally ‘big mother’).

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eloisius 1134 days ago
麻 isn’t always numb. It’s also a genetic term for all kinds of flax or fiberous plants like hemp. For example sesame is 芝麻.
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