What the Chinese internet calls Trump: Boss, Emperor, king of knowledge, baby, Comrade Building the (Chinese) Nation
- The newest nickname for Donald Trump is ‘the king of knowledge’, coined after he got Covid-19 and said ‘Nobody knows the coronavirus better than me’
- Great Commander and Trump the Emperor signal his authoritarianism, while Comrade Building the Nation refers to his trade war helping China reform its economy
Four years of Donald Trump and Chinese internet users still don’t call the President of the United States by his official name. Instead, they have come up with a host of alternatives that are used on social media and in daily conversation. Perhaps his designated name, Te Lang Pu (特朗普), has too many strokes? Or maybe the nicknames are more suited to describe the person that he is (or isn’t)?
Here are the seven that are most popular among Chinese internet users.
Dong Wang 懂王
A direct reference to Trump’s response to the Covid-19 crisis, “Dong Wang” can be translated to “the king of knowledge”. This latest name was triggered by his claim that “Nobody knows the coronavirus better than me”, after he was reported to have been infected with the virus.
That prompted Chinese internet users to go through his past speeches. They found out Trump had claimed to be an expert on a wide array of topics: from windmills and technology, to architecture to ISIS (Islamic State).
Te Mei Pu 特没谱
Replacing the middle character “Lang” with “Mei”, which means “no” in Chinese, the nickname literally means “very capricious”, referring to his very frequent flip-flops on decisions, usually announced via Twitter.
Chuan Pu 川普
Long before being given the official Chinese translation “Te Lang Pu”, Trump had been called “Chuan Pu” by various Chinese media, as its pronunciation is the closest to that of English phonetically.
“Chuan Pu” is a reference to the Sichuan accent (Sichuan is a province in southwest China known for its spicy food and pandas).
Compared with the official translation, “Chuan Pu” just has two characters so it’s easier to say or type. Therefore, it is more often used on social media and online articles, except for those from official publications.
Chuan Jian Guo 川建国
Often prefaced with “Comrade”, “Chuan Jian Guo” is literally translated as “Trump Building the Nation”. The “nation” here is, of course, not the US, but China. The sarcastic nickname began prevailing after the trade war between the two countries started in 2018, as some Chinese internet users and even academics suggested that Trump’s trade war would push China into deeper economic reforms that would eventually benefit the country.
Meanwhile, some have joked that Trump is a “spy” sent by Beijing, as his foreign policies, often described by his critics as erratic, have weakened America’s status as the most powerful country in the world, which makes ways for the rise of China.
Da Tong Ling 大统领
“Da Tong Ling” means “Great Commander”. While it is the official translation for “president” in Japanese, the name has a whiff of authoritarianism to it in the modern Chinese context, as it sounds like a leader of the army in the feudal dynasties of ancient China.
Chuan Huang 川皇
“Chuan Huang” is translated as Trump the Emperor; the name also conveys authoritarianism, which contradicts American democracy as perceived by Chinese people.
Chuan Zong 川总:
The name means “Trump the Boss”. It suggests that his unique style of leading a country is the same as that of an avaricious businessman running a company: every decision is driven by profit or self-interest while disdaining any political correctness.
Chuan Bao 川宝
Compared with other nicknames, “Chuan Bao” is less frequently used. It means “Trump the Baby”, which bears some resemblance to his “Orange Baby” English nickname.
