Pop Chinese -- 感冒

感(gǎn)冒 (mào)

感(gǎn)冒 (mào) literally means `a cold`, or `to catch a cold`. But is also has a slang meaning, not interested. Let`s see what happens when two usages of感(gǎn)冒 (mào) collide with concert plans.

Conversation 1:
Jack：我们明天去看周杰伦的演唱会吧！
Wǒmen míngtiān qù kàn Zhōu Jiélún de yǎnchànghuì ba!
　 Let’s go to Jay Chou’s concert tomorrow!
Lily：我感冒了，不想去。
Wǒ gǎnmào le, bù xiǎng qù.　
Conversation 2:
Jack：我们明天去看周杰伦的演唱会吧！
Wǒmen míngtiān qù kàn Zhōu Jiélún de yǎnchànghuì ba!
Let’s go to Jay Chou’s concert tomorrow!
Lily：我对他的歌曲不感冒。
Wǒ duì tā de gēqǔ bù gǎnmào.

Lily uses the term感(gǎn)冒 (mào) in both conversations when answering Jack’s invitation. In the first conversation, it means `to catch a cold`; however, in the second conversation, she says, “我对他的歌曲不感冒(Wǒ duì tā de gēqǔ bù gǎnmào.).” What she says has nothing to do with illness, but instead means “I’m not interested in Jay Chou’s songs.” In this case, the term “不(bù)感(gǎn)冒 (mào)” means “to not be interested.”