非诚勿扰 (fēichéngwùrǎo): serious inquiries only

Meanings

1 serious inquiries only
2 no time-wasters (set phrase in personal ads)
3 If You Are the One (Jiangsu TV dating show, 2010–2021; also Feng Xiaogang film, 2008)

Characters

非

Examples

广告最后一句是"非诚勿扰"。

Guǎnggào zuìhòu yī jù shì "fēi chéng wù rǎo".

The ad ends with 'serious inquiries only'.

《非诚勿扰》是江苏卫视的经典相亲节目。

《Fēi chéng wù rǎo》 shì Jiāngsū Wèishì de jīngdiǎn xiāngqīn jiémù.

If You Are the One is Jiangsu TV's classic matchmaking show.

Tips

usage

Classical-flavoured set phrase: 非 'if not' + 诚 'sincere' + 勿 'don't' + 扰 'disturb' → 'if not sincere, do not disturb'. Standard at the end of personal ads, rental listings, and selling posts. Jiangsu TV borrowed it as the title for its matchmaking show; Feng Xiaogang's 2008 film used it first in pop culture.

culture

The TV show (2010–2021, hosted by 孟非) ran a wall of 24 female contestants who turned their lights off to reject a male suitor. Phrases from the show — 宁愿坐在宝马车里哭 ('I'd rather cry in a BMW') — became national memes.