How to Say “Bystanders” in Chinese?
In China, if two people are having a quarrel on the street, it would attract a lot of people’s attention. Chinese people are just curious about everything that is happening around them, and they think it is fun to have something to eat whilst watching people arguing. In Chinese, we call these people 吃瓜群众 (chī guā qún zhòng). So, how to say “bystanders” in Chinese?
吃瓜群众 (chī guā qún zhòng) = bystanders.
吃 (chī): to eat
瓜 (guā): melon
群众 (qún zhòng): crowds, masses
Put together, this phrase literally means “the crowds of people who are eating melons”, and it’s usually used to refer to bystanders or gawkers who have nothing serious to do, and are only there to watch a show.