Cheese!

Qiezi! I always hear Chinese people say this right before they snap a picture. I’ve done it, too. But what does it mean?

Well, until recently I was completely blind to the meaning of this phrase. Chinese listening comprehension is the second hardest skill for me, next to writing so It’s no surprise I didn’t know what I was screaming in front of the camera. Are you ready?

One!

Two!

Three!

Eggplant!

Yup, eggplant is the Chinese equivalent of ‘cheese’ in English. It was not until I read a dialogue about taking pictures and saw the actual characters that I understood what it meant. Now, every time I say qiezi it reminds me of my favorite dish, yuxian qiezi (fish-fragrant eggplant). This makes me smile more than cheese.