Meaning: The Chinese term “草台班子” literally refers to a troupe performing on a shabby makeshift stage. It often describes traditional Chinese opera troupes lacking resources and typically composed of a handful of performers. These troupes travel across China, entertaining rural and small-town audiences with modest expectations for any available live entertainment. Metaphorically, it denotes a team with questionable qualifications likely to fail a given task. Recent interest in this term surged due to the popular expression “这世界是一个巨大的草台班子” (pinyin: zhè shìjiè shì yīge jùdà de cǎotái bānzǐ), which cynically compares the world to a vast stage where incompetents and impostors take the spotlight. Example: A: 你觉得这部电影好看吗? Nǐ juéde zhèbù diànyǐng hǎokàn ma? What are your thoughts on this film? B: 视觉效果好像大片,但故事东拼西凑,感觉主创是个草台班子。 Shìjué xiàoguǒ hǎoxiàng dàpiān, dàn gùshì dōngpīn xīcòu, gǎnjué zhǔchuàng shì ge cǎotái bānzi。 While the visuals resemble a blockbuster, the narrative feels hastily assembled, suggesting a lack of skill from the cast and crew in crafting a good movie. |