I found this sign above a urinal in a small village outside Chengdu:
"Thinking of making things easy for other before urinating"
I’ve taken that counsel to heart, and since that day, every time I use a urinal, I pause for a brief moment to think about making things easier for others. Let’s all give it a try and maybe together we can make the world a better place.
This next product was found at a convenience store here in Shanghai.
"Only Puke(et)"
The product is called Only Pukeet, but the “et” on the end isn’t highlighted against the green background and at first glance it appears to read “Only Puke”. I bought a package of Only Puke, and I looked for it yesterday so I could take a bigger picture, but I couldn’t find it. I fear someone may have eaten my Only Puke. The culprit probably saw the name and just couldn’t resist.
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Check out this week’s caption contest finalists. Voting for one of the finalists just might prove beneficial if you some day ask for a loan and he or she asks, “What have you ever done for me?” and you can answer, “I voted for you in the caption contest.” I don’t know which of the five finalists has the most money so maybe you should vote for all five just to be sure.
The Good Greatsby 
Maxim
July 24, 2011
I will now also think about how I can make the world a better place while peeing. Thank you for the advice.
Laura
July 24, 2011
That first sign is kind of tricky. If people are waiting to use the urinal, then pausing to think about making things easy for others will actually make things more difficult.
misswhiplash
July 24, 2011
Who are the finalists!
Making life easier for anyone is always better than making it more complicated
as for ‘Puke’ that’s sick!
gerknoop
July 24, 2011
I believe China is really on to something here. Perhaps the US should consider putting some signs in there public bathrooms as well. I will look into this personally and see if I can get something started. Also, I do appreciate China’s honesty concerning their “Only Puke(et) product…again if only America could take a lesson from this. Products labeled correctly could save Americans a lot of hassle and money….such as “Spam” and “headcheese”…I’m just saying.
Poached Hens
July 24, 2011
I work for Japanese clients. And one of them once asked me how to do a particular thing in “She press press”. It took me some time to figure out it was ‘C ++ ‘. |-(
joehoover
July 24, 2011
In Portugal recently I bought some sliced bread called Bimbo. It wasn’t good, dense and had a plastic quality – no lie. They must know their product was bad so were quite honest about it, by that reasoning I would be very worried about Only Puke.
jacquelincangro
July 24, 2011
It’s always nice to be thinking of your fellow man, especially in the bathroom. That #Englishfail sign reminds me of the one David Sedaris encounters in a Japanese hotel. There were instructions on the back of the door for “when you are engulfed in flames.”
monicastangledweb
July 25, 2011
Who would eat your puke(et)? That is so unfair. Do you think it was someone jealous of your connection to ONJ? I’d start there. 🙂
Byron MacLymont
July 25, 2011
I’d like to think that urinal sign is perfectly translated, but that the phrase was thought up by the urinal company’s president, who is clearly insane, and no one had the courage to say anything.
pegoleg
July 25, 2011
Who doesn’t think about that before urinating?
limr
July 25, 2011
One of my favorites in Turkey was the “Ekonomik Boy” size packaging. Yes, ‘boy’ means ‘size’ in Turkish, but it still seems like a good name for a superhero who flies around with coupons, helping people save money. Either that, or it’ll be the name of the next male animal I take home from the pound.
writerwannabe2011
July 25, 2011
So do you place your “Only Puke” treats in a bowl before offering to guests? I was taught to always be gracious and try every thing the host offers, but I think it would be a head game for me to actually swallow if I saw the bag first . . . just saying’ . . .
Thomas Stazyk
July 25, 2011
I hear that in Chinese the words for “other” and “restroom attendant” are easily confused.
Leanne Shirtliffe
July 25, 2011
Reminds me of my 8 years living in Asia. Wish I had blogged then!
HoaiPhai
July 25, 2011
In a major department store in Seoul, Korea I saw a sign that said in English “Pregnant Children’s Clothes”. The Korean text translates to English as “Maternity Wear”. Also, less of a matter of Chinglish (or, more properly Hanglish), I was at the Baekdamsa Temple in eastern South Korea and had to use the facilities. All the toilets were of the flush latrine variety except one lonely western-style toilet that was in a stall marked “handicapped”!
gmom
July 25, 2011
That’s great. I love English translations. Hilarious.
I bought a little toy for Hoo at Hana Reum our Asian go-to market for the best fish ever and on the box it said, “will work for most useful life”. Uh okay.
Tori Nelson
July 25, 2011
Peeing is kind of my life’s work. Philanthropic Peeing is how I like to look at it.
subWOW
July 26, 2011
The sign plays upon the fact that one of the words that make up for peeing (and actually for the other one too) is the same as one of the words for Convenient. I’ve never thought about it and now i wonder why. Kind of makes sense right? Often needing to go is extremely inconvenient in many situations…
educlaytion
July 26, 2011
The next time I use a urinal I know I’ll pause and reflect on this counsel. They should add fortune cookies to urinals. You know, pass the time and come away with something to think about.
Binky
July 26, 2011
I think they’re trying to tell you to stop. Just hold it in. That’ll make things easier for the janitor.
manneredgold
July 26, 2011
Gladness I know to be not that which has Chinglish items in your home, the only one: http://manneredgold.wordpress.com/2011/07/09/i-love-my-home-objects/
Right?