所谓 suǒwèi what is meant by the expression ...
what is meant by the expression ...; what is referred to as ...; (derog.) so-called
How to remember 所谓: 所 place + 谓 to call = what is meant by the expression ....
Characters
How it is used
- 'So-called / what is termed' - two uses: neutral definition (所谓幸福,就是知足 suǒwèi xìngfú, jiùshì zhīzú 'what we call happiness is being content') or dismissive scare-quotes (所谓的专家 suǒwèi de zhuānjiā 'so-called experts').
- The derogatory sense casts doubt on a label; tone depends heavily on context.
- Also in 无所谓 (wúsuǒwèi) 'it doesn't matter / I don't care', a very common colloquialism.
Example sentences
- 她就是所谓的书虫。 Tā jiùshì suǒwèi de shūchóng.She is what we call a bookworm.