Chat attack

stupid tax /低智商税（dī zhìshānɡshuì）

A: Have you seen the trending list on Sina Weibo recently? A type of ice pop is actually selling for 66 yuan a piece!

你看最近的微博热搜了吗？ 有一种雪糕竟然要卖到66元一只。

(nǐkàn zuìjìn de wēibó rèsōu lema？ yǒu yīzhǒnɡ xuěɡāo jìnɡrán yào màidào 66 yuán yīzhī.)

B: That really is expensive. Do you know why it is selling for such an expensive price?

那确实挺昂贵了,你知道为什么它要卖的这么贵吗？

(nà quèshí tǐnɡ ánɡɡuì le, nǐ zhīdào wéishenme tāyào màide zhème ɡuì ma?)

A: According to the person responsible for the ice pop, the cost of producing this ice pop is 40 yuan, because it uses high quality ingredients and its appearance is extremely pleasing.

听雪糕产品负责人说,这个雪糕的成本就要四十元,它采用了优质的原材料,并且造型也十分美观。

(tīnɡ xuěɡāo chǎnpǐn fùzérén shuō, zhèɡè xuěɡāo de chénɡběn jiù yào sìshí yuán, tā cǎiyònɡ le yōuzhì de yuáncáiliào, bìnɡqiě zàoxínɡ yě shífēn měiɡuān.)

B: Really? Would you buy one? Why do I feel like this is just making people pay stupid tax?

是吗,那你会购买吗？我怎么觉得是让人交低智商税呢？

(shìma, nà nǐ huì ɡòumǎi ma？wǒ zěnme juédé shì rànɡrén jiāo dī zhìshānɡshuì ne?)

A: I definitely have this suspicion, but I might buy one to give it a try anyway.

确实有这个嫌疑,我可能会买来尝一尝。

(quèshí yǒu zhèɡè xiányí, wǒ kěnénɡ huì mǎi lái chánɡyīchánɡ.)

B: It just doesn't seem worth it to me. Why waste your money? 

我还是觉得不实惠,干嘛浪费钱呢？

(wǒ háishì juédé bù shíhuì, ɡànma lànɡfèi qián ne?)

Illustration: Liu Xidan/GT