Why Do Some Chinese People Keep a Long Nail?

Is it really for ear cleaning? 💅

Word of the week: 炫耀 (xuàn yào)

Meaning: to flaunt, to show off

今天，中国人留长指甲时还有一丝炫耀的因素在里面吧？Today, isn’t there still a hint of showing off when Chinese people grow long fingernails?

Once in China, you may have noticed that some Chinese men have a long nail on their pinky finger. Whether it was your taxi driver or the security guard at the bank, it probably made you wonder: why do they do it?

Wonder no more, because we were curious too. In reality, there may be more to it than the standard answer, “they must be using it to clean their ear”.

不管在北京、上海等大都市，还是其他一些小城市，一些中国人小拇指上留着的长长的指甲令外国人感到惊讶。这些人里有出租车司机、饭店服务员，也有街边的小商贩。留长指甲是不讲卫生的，看到中国人的长指甲，外国人抑制不住惊愕的同时，也会隐隐生出几分好奇：中国人为什么要留这么长的指甲？

• 大都市 (dà dū shì) - metropolis, big city

• 小拇指 (xiǎo mǔ zhǐ) - pinky finger, little finger

• 惊讶 (jīng yà) - surprised, astonished

• 小商贩 (xiǎo shāng fàn) - small vendor, street vendor

• 不讲 (bù jiǎng) - not consider, disregard

• 抑制不住 (yì zhì bú zhù) - cannot suppress, unable to control

• 惊愕 (jīng è) - shock, amazement

• 隐隐 (yǐn yǐn) - faintly, subtly

• 好奇 (hào qí) - curious, curiosity

Whether in major cities like Beijing and Shanghai or in smaller towns, some Chinese people have long fingernails on their pinky fingers, which surprises foreigners. Among them are taxi drivers, restaurant workers, and small street vendors. While long fingernails are considered unhygienic, seeing them on Chinese people makes foreigners not only surprised but also somewhat curious: why do Chinese people grow such long nails?

Photo: nevsedoma

对外国人的疑问，有的中国人会开玩笑说留长指甲是为了掏耳朵，还有人解释说“父母给的东西不能剪掉，这是中国的文化”。在一大堆的解释中最让人信服的是“财富象征说”，即长指甲对中国人来说象征着财富。

• 疑问 (yí wèn) - doubt, question

• 掏耳朵 (tāo ěr duo) - to clean ears

• 一大堆 (yī dà duī) - a large amount, a pile

• 信服 (xìn fú) - to be convinced, convincing

• 财富 (cái fù) - wealth

• 象征 (xiàng zhēng) - symbol, to symbolize

In response to foreigners' curiosity, some Chinese people jokingly say that they keep long nails to clean their ears. Others explain, 'What our parents gave us shouldn't be cut off—it's part of Chinese culture.' Among the various explanations, the most convincing is the 'symbol of wealth' theory, meaning that, for Chinese people, long nails are a symbol of wealth.

故事的源头要追溯到清朝。当时八旗人是国家的统治阶层，法律规定八旗人不用劳作，只参加军事活动。随着战事的减少，八旗子弟参加战争的机会越来越少，加上政府向旗人供应所有的花费，到了最后，旗人每天在家中的事情就只剩下了写字作画、饮酒作乐和沉溺酒色了。

• 源头 (yuán tóu) - origin, source

• 追溯 (zhuī sù) - to trace back

• 清朝 (qīng cháo) - Qing Dynasty

• 八旗人 (bā qí rén) - Eight Banners people (the ruling elite of the Qing Dynasty, divided into eight banners based on their military and social organization)

• 统治阶层 (tǒng zhì jiē céng) - ruling class

• 劳作 (láo zuò) - labor, work

• 战事 (zhàn shì) - warfare, battles

• 供应 (gōng yìng) - to supply, provide

• 饮酒作乐 (yǐn jiǔ zuò lè) - drinking and making merry

• 沉溺 (chén nì) - to indulge in, to be addicted to

• 酒色 (jiǔ sè) - wine and women, indulgences

The origin of this story dates back to the Qing Dynasty. At that time, the Eight Banners people were the ruling class of the state, and the law stipulated that they did not need to work but only participate in military activities. As wars became less frequent, the opportunities for the Eight Banners members to join battles decreased. With the government covering all their expenses, the only activities left for them at home were writing, painting, drinking, and indulging in pleasure.

正是从那时开始，八旗子弟不分男女都开始留起了长指甲，并且开始打扮，在他们看来，这是炫耀自身财富和权力的手段之一。长长的手指甲表示自己不用劳动便可以役使其他人。此后这种习惯便流传开来，逐渐成为喜欢炫耀的中国人的一种习惯。

• 留起 (liú qǐ) - to grow (nails), to keep

• 炫耀 (xuàn yào) - to flaunt, to show off

• 手段 (shǒu duàn) - means, method

• 役使 (yì shǐ) - to employ, to use (to refer to commanding others)

• 流传开来 (liú chuán kāi lái) - to spread, to circulate

• 逐渐 (zhú jiàn) - gradually

• 喜欢炫耀 (xǐ huān xuàn yào) - to like to show off

It was from that time that members of the Eight Banners, both men and women, began to grow long fingernails and dress up. To them, this was one way of flaunting their wealth and power. Long fingernails signified that they didn't need to work and could command others to serve them. This habit then spread, gradually becoming a custom among Chinese people who liked to show off.

今天，中国人留长指甲时还有一丝炫耀的因素在里面吧？

• 丝 (sī) - a hint, a thread (used to indicate a small amount)

Today, isn’t there still a hint of showing off when Chinese people grow long fingernails?

How do you find the Chinese habit of growing long nails?

Antoine & Dorota

Text origin: China Daily