俯臥撐 (Pushup)

Pushup is a very good exercise. You don’t need any equipment. You can do it any time. It exercises many different muscles: abdominal, lower back, quadriceps, chest, triceps, anterior deltoids, biceps, ... And it is safe - there is little danger of hurting yourself.

But the term 俯臥撐 has acquired a new meaning in China lately. It has come to mean: I cannot or will not comment on this matter - so I am doing pushups「對某事不便或不願發表意見而做俯臥撐」.

It started when a young woman was drown in a river in Guizhou. It was widely suspected she was raped and dumped in the river. But the offical report went something like this: ... she told some friends that she wanted to commit suicide; her friends calmed her down; most of her friends left; a male friend stayed with her; he started doing pushups after she calmed down; after the third puship, she suddenly jumped into the river ...

The incident led to a riot, and an uproar among the online community. Discussions on the incident was banned. And the term 俯臥撐 acquired a new meaning.