Jamming in between #1: 瀟灑（xiāo sǎ）
The (un)bridging meanings between languages
As I read Cheryl Strayed's Tiny Beautiful Things, I contemplated which words could best accompany my stories and resonate with readers. When a close friend asked if I would write about my new job, I hesitated to answer. I wasn't sure if it was a good idea to write about work, or if I even had anything worth writing about. But then I thought about the beauty of language, and how certain words don't quite translate in a way that captures their full essence. I remembered moments when I communicated with a Canadian Chinese friend who speaks English, Cantonese, and a bit of French. Even though I couldn't recall the specific word, we would laugh as we used Cantonese to express a word's essential meaning, making our communication come alive and our experiences more vivid.
So something popped up my mind. I am interested in attempting to capture the essence of Chinese words that cannot be fully translated into English, in the hope of creating "a-ha" moments for my readers. One such word is「瀟灑」(xiāo sǎ), which is used to describe a person's carefree and unconventional demeanor, one who can truly be themselves. It is usually attributed to someone's character or behavior. Interestingly, both words contain wide vowel apertures in Chinese phonetics, which gives them a sense of enormity, as in the word 大 (dà), meaning "big".
The reason I mention this word is because about three months ago, I started doing CrossFit. I was curious about the sport and wanted to increase my fitness level after three months of slow (real slow) and expensive personal training sessions. I was aware of the challenges and madness of CrossFit, but I had some personal goals, namely Olympic weightlifting. After three months, I had acquired the basics of cleaning and snatching, but my coach kept repeating a problem to me during this baby-step period: "Be more aggressive! Be confident! Don't hesitate. Don't think too much and jump more for me..." I was overthinking the theory and getting in my own head. Watching others perform the movements simply reminded me of what I should be doing. Explosive quads and hips, a swift and suave jump under the bar with a subtle pull from the ground, squatting without hesitation and standing up with the barbell as if springing a rubber band, head held high with a distorted expression that turned victorious - this is the goal I was striving for.
Of course, we might not typically describe a CrossFitter's movements as 瀟灑, but the underlying complexities signify a person's character. It's about crossing mental barriers and focusing on becoming a better self, even if we fail. It's about failing with grace and laughing it off. I'm glad to be part of the gregarious CrossFit community and am working my way toward becoming a truly 瀟灑 person.
SO, what do Google Translate and ChatGPT say? “Dashing” as GT said, “‘elegant’ and ‘graceful’ in a free and relaxed manner”. Those definitions are relevant but you should have noticed the inconsistency in finding a common word in English to define the word due to its various connotations and nuances.
If it was you, how would you define 瀟灑？What’s your story behind? Leave me a comment!
Here’s the popular oldie which captures the essence of 瀟灑：