看热闹 (kàn rè nao) — to watch the excitement; to go where the crowd is for fun; to gloat; to watch someone's misfortune with secret delight
Definition
Literally 'watch the bustle', it means to gather where something exciting is happening just to spectate — not to help. With a possessive (看他的热闹) it shifts to gloating at someone's misfortune.
verb
to watch the excitementto go where the crowd is for funto gloatto watch someone's misfortune with secret delight
Examples
- ，看热闹。Jiē shàng yǒu rén chǎo jià, hěn duō rén dōu zài kàn rè nao.Some people are arguing on the street, and many are watching the excitement.
- ，，。Tā shuāi dǎo le, páng biān de rén bú dàn bù bāng máng, fǎn ér kàn tā de rè nao.He fell, and the people nearby not only didn't help but instead gloated at his misfortune.
- ，。Wǒ jiù qù kàn le yì yǎn rè nao, méi dài duō jiǔ.I just went to take a quick look at the excitement and didn't stay long.
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