Meaning:

    “虾米” literally means “dried shrimp,” but Chinese netizens use it in a different sense. In Fujian dialect, “虾米” is the homophone of “什么,” which is translated as “what.” Young people often use the term in this sense in online chat.

    Example:

    A: 今天下班跟我一起吃饭吧？

    Jīntiān xiàbān gēn wǒ yīqǐ chīfàn ba?

    How about going to dinner with me after work today?

    B: 虾米好事？

    Xiāmǐ hǎoshǐ?

    What’s up?

    A: 有人给我介绍了一个美眉，帮我一起鉴定一下。

    Yǒurén gěi wǒ jièshào le yīgě měiméi, bāng wǒ yīqǐ jiàndìng yīxià。

    Someone has arranged a blind date for me. I want to hear your opinion about the girl.

    B: 找我当电灯泡啊。

    Zhǎo wǒ dāng diàndēngpào a。

    So you want me to be the third wheel.

    A: 她也会带个朋友一起。去不去吗？

    Tā yě huì dài ge péngyǒu yīqǐ。Qùbuqù ma?

    She too will bring a friend. Are you coming with me?

    B: 去。不过我是不是要先回家换身衣服？

    Qù。Búguò wǒ shìbushì yào xiān huíjiā huàn shēn yīfu?

    All right. Do I need to go home and change my clothes first?

    A: 不用那么正式。

    Búyòng nàme zhèngshì。

    It’s not that formal.