Celebrating Women 庆祝女性 By Nan Qu
March is Women’s History Month. March 8th is International Women’s Day. While we shall not wait to serenade the lovely ladies in our life, they are good reminders of how wonderful it is to be a woman, or to be in the company of one. If you are feeling hot with gratitude too, let’s celebrate womanhood in Chinese! In the world of praise, nothing is too much.
你真美(nǐ zhēn měi)。--- You are so beautiful.
This is by far my favorite. It’s important though NOT to substitute “beautiful” with “cute” or “charming” or any other flattering words. Beautiful has a ring to it that others don’t. It’s sincere and profound. Some may worry the saying reduces a woman’s value to her appearance. Seriously? The last time I heard it myself was on an air train to the Chicago O'Hare International Airport. It was pre-pandemic, from a kind grandma roughly in her 80s. And to this day, I am still in the air.
你辛苦了(nǐ xīn kǔ le)。--- You have worked hard./Thank you for your hard work.
As the translation suggests, it serves as both acknowledgment and appreciation. Some say the process of growing up is realizing that everything you take is others’ sacrifice. Think about that.
我爱你(wǒ ài nǐ)。--- I love you.
It’s a no-brainer.
怎么这么好吃?!(zěnme zhème hǎochī) --- How can it be this tasty?!
Good compliments are the ones hard-earned and intrinsically focused. The better ones are targeted directly at the honoree’s best qualities, and delivered dramatically. For instance, my mom is a homemaker who takes great pride in her fine cooking skills. So I am never shy with my ovations to her dishes. Does it matter since she already knows she is good at it? It matters more. It enhances her identity and affirms her values. Of course, my mom is much more than a cook. But by recognizing someone for being superior, in an area one deems worthy, through a question that’s literal, rhetorical, and exclamatory, you are guaranteed a proud smirk.
读你千遍也不厌倦，读你的感觉像春天。(dù nǐ qiānbìan yě bú yànjuàn, dú nǐ de gǎnjué xiàng chūntiān)
--- Read you like a book for a thousandth time. It is forever fresh. It feels like spring.
These are the lyrics of a hit song from my parents’ youth. I have heard my dad’s rendition numerous times, at the top of his lung in a Karaoke box, or through a subconscious hum when he paints. To my mom, I hope. Anyway, if a song says better how you appreciate someone, sing it, play it, put it in a card, and make it yours.
Even though all the praises above are perfectly gender-neutral and can be offered to anyone, today, we take a bow to the womenfolk, and wish them no less than you want for yourself: an equal in any relationship, the freedom to pursue any dreams, a society that cherishes her success, and the comfort of being whomever she is. Let’s also celebrate being a woman in this beautiful age, for all that has been done, and more that will be achieved.
