Question

玻璃 bōlí

Accepted Answer

A euphemism for “gay.” Literally “crystal” or “glass.” Not often used in speech, but known by most gay Chinese people. It comes from the seminal 1980 novel Crystal Boys, by the gay Taiwanese writer Pai Hsien-Yung. The novel’s mention of “crystal boys” is itself a reference to a passage from the classic work Dream of the Red Chamber.

Вопрос	玻璃 bōlí
Ответ	A euphemism for “gay.” Literally “crystal” or “glass.” Not often used in speech, but known by most gay Chinese people. It comes from the seminal 1980 novel Crystal Boys, by the gay Taiwanese writer Pai Hsien-Yung. The novel’s mention of “crystal boys” is itself a reference to a passage from the classic work Dream of the Red Chamber.

Gay 玻璃 Bōlí Euphemism Literally Crystal Glass Speech