Expressing "so-called" with "suowei"

所谓 (suǒwèi) is the Chinese way of expressing "so-called." It can also be used in scenarios you would use sarcastic air quotes. Just keep in mind that "so-called" frequently comes with a negative attitude in English, but this is not always so in Chinese.

Structure

所谓 + (的) "so-called name"

Examples

• 所谓 的 天才，有 可能 有 这样的人，也有 可能，他 自己 偷偷地 努力。Suǒwèi de tiāncái, yǒu kěnéng yǒu zhèyàng de rén, yěyǒu kěnéng, tā zìjǐ tōutōu de nǔlì.The so-called genius, there may be such a person, or, possibly, he himself secretly tried hard.
• 没有 所谓 的 失败，除非 你 不 想 再 尝试。Méiyǒu suǒwèi de shībài, chúfēi nǐ bù xiǎng zài chángshì.There is no such thing as failure, unless you do not want to try again.
• 所谓 的 “名医”，竟然 连 最 基本 的 医学 知识 都 不 知道。Suǒwèi de “míngyī”, jìngrán lián zuì jīběn de yīxué zhīshì dōu bù zhīdào.So-called "famous doctors" do not even know the most basic medical knowledge.
• 所谓 企业 管理，是需要 解决 一个 接 一个 的问题。Suǒwèi qǐyè guǎnlǐ, shì xūyào jiějué yī gè jiē yī gè de wèntí.So-called corporate management is about solving one problem after another.
• 所谓 没有 时间，是 你 没有 好好 安排 时间。Suǒwèi méiyǒu shíjiān, shì nǐ méiyǒu hǎohǎo ānpái shíjiān.The so-called lack of time means that you have not planned your time well.
• 所谓 成长，就是 自己 可以 照顾 自己，自己 开始 考虑 别人的 感受。Suǒwèi chéngzhǎng, jiùshì zìjǐ kěyǐ zhàogù zìjǐ, zìjǐ kāishǐ kǎolǜ biérén de gǎnshòu.Growth means that you can take care of yourself, that you start to consider the feelings of others.
• 人生 没有 所谓 的 答案。Rénshēng méiyǒu suǒwèi de dá'àn.There is no such thing as an answer in life.
• 这种 所谓 的 名牌，是 销售者 自己 说的。Zhè zhǒng suǒwèi de míngpái, shì xiāoshòu zhě zìjǐ shuō de.This so-called famous brand is what the sellers themselves say.
• 所谓 永远 的 爱，是 不 存在 的。Suǒwèi yǒngyuǎn de ài, shì bù cúnzài de.There is no such thing as eternal love.
• 为了 所谓 的 权力，去 放弃 家人，是 不 聪明的 做法。Wèile suǒwèi de quánlì, qù fàngqì jiārén, shì bù cōngmíng de zuòfǎ.It is not wise to give up your family for the sake of so-called power.

Sources and further reading

Books

• Anything Goes (无所不谈) (pp. 266) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

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