chědàn: 扯淡 - To Talk Nonsense, To Bullshit, To Chat Idly

• Keywords: chedan, 扯淡, Chinese slang, what does chedan mean, talk nonsense in Chinese, Chinese bullshit, idle chat, informal Chinese, shooting the breeze in Chinese.
• Summary: Learn the meaning and usage of 扯淡 (chědàn), a versatile and common informal Chinese term for “talking nonsense,” “bullshitting,” or simply “chatting idly.” This guide explores its cultural context, practical examples, and common mistakes, helping you understand how to use this essential piece of modern Chinese slang to call something ridiculous or just describe “shooting the breeze” with friends.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): chě dàn
• Part of Speech: Verb, Adjective
• HSK Level: N/A (Colloquial slang, not typically found on standardized tests)
• Concise Definition: To engage in nonsensical talk, to bullshit, or to chat without a serious purpose.
• In a Nutshell: `扯淡` (chědàn) is the Swiss Army knife of informal Chinese for anything related to pointless or absurd talk. At its most aggressive, it's used to dismiss someone's statement as “bullshit” or “utter nonsense.” In a friendlier context, it describes the act of “shooting the breeze”—chatting aimlessly with friends about unimportant things. The core feeling is a lack of seriousness, substance, and consequence.

• 扯 (chě): The literal meaning is “to pull,” “to tear,” or “to drag.” Think of pulling on a rope or tearing a piece of paper.
• 淡 (dàn): This character means “bland,” “thin,” “weak,” or “light” (in flavor or color). Imagine weak tea or a soup that lacks salt.

When combined, 扯淡 (chědàn) creates a vivid metaphor. You are “pulling” a topic and stretching it until it becomes “bland” and “thin”—devoid of any real substance or meaning. This perfectly captures the idea of talking nonsense.

`扯淡` is a cornerstone of modern, informal, and unfiltered Chinese communication. It's the language of friends in a noodle shop, not of politicians on TV. Its popularity reflects a cultural shift towards more direct and less formal interaction, especially among younger generations. A useful comparison in American culture is the term “bullshit” (or “BS”). Both `扯淡` and “bullshit” serve as a direct, coarse way to challenge the validity of a statement. “You think you can finish that in an hour? That's bullshit!” is a perfect parallel to “你觉得一小时能搞定？纯属扯淡！” (Nǐ juéde yī xiǎoshí néng gǎodìng? Chún shǔ chědàn!). However, `扯淡` has a softer side that “bullshit” lacks. It can simply mean “to chew the fat” or “shoot the breeze,” which is a culturally universal way of bonding. In this sense, it contrasts with traditional Chinese values that sometimes emphasize thoughtful, purposeful speech. Using `扯淡` in a casual context with friends signifies a relaxed intimacy where no one is judging the “point” of the conversation. It's a verbal space free from formality and pretense.

`扯淡` is extremely common in daily life but its usage is highly context-dependent.

• As a Strong Dismissal: When used to react to someone's statement, it's sharp and negative. The phrase `别扯淡了！(Bié chědàn le!)` means “Cut the crap!” or “Stop talking nonsense!” It's a direct command to stop.
• As an Adjective: You can describe a situation, a plan, or a movie as `扯淡`. For example, `这个计划太扯淡了。(Zhège jìhuà tài chědàn le.)` means “This plan is ridiculous/bullshit.”
• As an Idle Activity: Among friends, it describes casual, pointless conversation. `周末我们就聚在一起喝喝酒，扯扯淡。(Zhōumò wǒmen jiù jù zài yīqǐ hēhē jiǔ, chěchedàn.)` means “On the weekend, we just get together, have some drinks, and shoot the breeze.” Note the casual reduplication `扯扯淡` (chěche dàn), which softens the tone.

Formality: Strictly informal. Using `扯淡` with a teacher, a boss, an elder, or in any formal written communication would be very inappropriate and disrespectful. Stick to `聊天 (liáotiān)` in those situations.

• Example 1:
  • 你说的这些都是扯淡，一点儿根据都没有。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ shuō de zhèxiē dōu shì chědàn, yīdiǎnr gēnjù dōu méiyǒu.
  • English: Everything you're saying is nonsense; there's no basis for it at all.
  • Analysis: This is a direct, negative use of `扯淡` to discredit what someone is saying. It functions as a noun here: “is nonsense.”
• Example 2:
  • 别跟我扯淡了，赶紧说重点！
  • Pinyin: Bié gēn wǒ chědàn le, gǎnjǐn shuō zhòngdiǎn!
  • English: Stop messing around with me and get to the point!
  • Analysis: Here, `扯淡` is used as a verb in a command. It's impatient and demands that the other person stop wasting time with irrelevant talk.
• Example 3:
  • 我觉得这部电影的剧情太扯淡了，完全不合逻辑。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ juéde zhè bù diànyǐng de jùqíng tài chědàn le, wánquán bù hé luójí.
  • English: I think this movie's plot is so ridiculous; it's completely illogical.
  • Analysis: This shows the adjectival use of `扯淡`. The speaker is criticizing the quality of the movie's story. `太…了` (tài…le) is a common structure for emphasis.
• Example 4:
  • A: 我打算一个月内学会三种语言。 (Wǒ dǎsuàn yīgè yuè nèi xuéhuì sānzhǒng yǔyán.) - I plan to learn three languages in one month.
  • B: 你扯淡吧？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ chědàn ba?
  • English: Are you kidding me? / Are you for real?
  • Analysis: A very common, short, and skeptical response. The `吧 (ba)` particle softens the tone from an accusation to a rhetorical question, expressing disbelief.
• Example 5:
  • 昨天晚上跟几个老朋友就是随便扯扯淡，聊聊过去。
  • Pinyin: Zuótiān wǎnshang gēn jǐ ge lǎo péngyǒu jiùshì suíbiàn chěchedàn, liáoliao guòqù.
  • English: Last night I just casually shot the breeze with a few old friends, talking about the past.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the neutral, friendly usage. The reduplicated form `扯扯淡` and the word `随便` (suíbiàn - casually) emphasize the relaxed and aimless nature of the chat.
• Example 6:
  • 他这个人就喜欢扯淡，说的话你别全信。
  • Pinyin: Tā zhège rén jiù xǐhuān chědàn, shuō de huà nǐ bié quán xìn.
  • English: That guy loves to talk nonsense; don't believe everything he says.
  • Analysis: Here, `扯淡` is used to describe a person's general character trait. It implies he is full of hot air or unreliable.
• Example 7:
  • 他们为了一件扯淡的小事吵了起来。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen wèile yī jiàn chědàn de xiǎoshì chǎo le qǐlái.
  • English: They started arguing over a ridiculous little thing.
  • Analysis: Another adjectival use, modifying `小事` (xiǎoshì - a small matter). It emphasizes the triviality and absurdity of the reason for the argument.
• Example 8:
  • 人生苦短，偶尔扯扯淡也挺开心的。
  • Pinyin: Rénshēng kǔduǎn, ǒu'ěr chěchedàn yě tǐng kāixīn de.
  • English: Life is short, so just chatting aimlessly once in a while can be pretty fun.
  • Analysis: A philosophical and positive take on `扯淡`. It frames idle chat not as a waste of time, but as a necessary and enjoyable part of life.
• Example 9:
  • 我刚才都是跟你扯淡的，你还真信了啊？
  • Pinyin: Wǒ gāngcái dōu shì gēn nǐ chědàn de, nǐ hái zhēn xìn le a?
  • English: I was just messing with you/pulling your leg just now, you actually believed it?
  • Analysis: This usage is very similar to “just kidding” or “pulling your leg.” It clarifies that previous statements were not serious.
• Example 10:
  • 与其听他在这里扯淡，我还不如回家睡觉。
  • Pinyin: Yǔqí tīng tā zài zhèlǐ chědàn, wǒ hái bùrú huí jiā shuìjiào.
  • English: Rather than listen to him spout nonsense here, I'd be better off going home to sleep.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses the `与其…不如…` (yǔqí…bùrú…) structure, meaning “rather than A, it's better to B.” It shows a strong rejection of the speaker's pointless talk.

• Formality is Key: The biggest mistake a learner can make is using `扯淡` in a formal context. Never say it to your boss, a client, or a respected elder unless you have a very close, informal relationship. It would be seen as highly disrespectful. For “chat,” use the safe and neutral term `聊天 (liáotiān)`.
• `扯淡` (Nonsense) vs. `说谎` (Lying): This is a critical distinction. `说谎 (shuōhuǎng)` means “to lie”—to state a known falsehood with the intent to deceive. `扯淡` is about talking nonsense, which may or may not include lies. Its focus is on the absurdity, pointlessness, or ridiculousness of the talk.
  • Correct: 他说他2米高，这是在扯淡。 (Tā shuō tā liǎng mǐ gāo, zhè shì zài chědàn.) - He said he's 2 meters tall, that's bullshit. (It's an absurd exaggeration).
  • Correct: 他为了请病假，说谎说自己发烧了。(Tā wèile qǐng bìngjià, shuōhuǎng shuō zìjǐ fāshāo le.) - In order to get sick leave, he lied and said he had a fever. (This is a specific, intentional deception).
• False Friend: “To Chat”: While the friendly version of `扯淡` can be translated as “to chat,” it is not a general-purpose word for chatting. The English word “chat” is neutral. `扯淡` specifically implies the chat is about nothing of substance. Using it to describe a serious or important conversation would be incorrect.

• `聊天 (liáotiān)` - The neutral, standard word for “to chat” or “to talk.” This is the word you should use in most situations until you are comfortable with the nuances of slang.
• `吹牛 (chuīniú)` - “To boast” or “to brag.” Literally “to blow up a cow.” This is a specific type of `扯淡` focused on exaggeration and self-aggrandizement.
• `瞎说 (xiāshuō)` - “To talk nonsense” or “to speak without thinking.” Literally “to speak blindly.” It is very similar to `扯淡` but slightly less coarse.
• `胡说八道 (húshuō bādào)` - A four-character idiom meaning “to talk utter nonsense.” It's more emphatic and slightly more formal than `扯淡` but still expresses strong disagreement.
• `废话 (fèihuà)` - “Nonsense,” “rubbish,” or “useless talk.” Literally “waste talk.” Often used as an exclamation (`废话!`) to mean “Duh!” or “Obviously!”. It refers to the content of the words being useless.
• `不靠谱 (bù kào pǔ)` - “Unreliable,” “sketchy,” “not dependable.” This adjective is often used to describe a person who likes to `扯淡` or a plan that sounds like `扯淡`.
• `蛋疼 (dànténg)` - A modern slang term, literally “ball-ache.” It describes a feeling of acute boredom or the frustration of dealing with something stupid and pointless. This feeling often leads to the act of `扯淡`.