<p><a href="https://jikipedia.com/definition/990814223" rel="nofollow noreferrer">发刀子</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>一般指小说、漫画、番剧等影视作品中一些特别虐心、令人感动、泪目的剧情。（就好像有人往你身上扔刀子一样）</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>It generally refers to some particularly sadistic, moving, and tearful plots in novels, comics, dramas, and films. (As if someone threw a knife at you)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>So '发刀子' is basically '<a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tearjerker" rel="nofollow noreferrer">tearjerker</a>'</p>
<ul>
<li><p>tearjerker (n): a sentimental story, movie, or song, calculated to evoke sadness or sympathy.&quot;</p>
</li>
<li><p>tear-jerking: (adj/slang) sadness evoking</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>If we use 发刀子(throw knife) as a verb, it could be translated as &quot;stab readers/viewers in the heart&quot;</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-12T12:23:01.603Z
Thanks for the answer. Still feels like the term 'tearjerker' doesn't really get the comedic part of the phrase, but thank you.
user3835165
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-12T18:28:43.530Z
tearjerker is funny if you imagine a giant holding you in one hand and jerking your body with the other hand like milking a cow until tears come out like milk (there's one other example I could give...)
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-12T02:26:39.067Z
2022-07-12T02:26:39.067Z
Tang Ho
<p>I was talking to my American friends about mihoyo's storytelling, and this is the phrase that I can think of. But I don't know the equivalent to English for this phrase. Can anyone help?</p>

<translation><meaning-in-context>
How would you translate 发刀子 to English?
# How would you translate 发刀子 to English?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-07-12)

I was talking to my American friends about mihoyo's storytelling, and this is the phrase that I can think of. But I don't know the equivalent to English for this phrase. Can anyone help?

**Tags:** translation, meaning-in-context


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-07-12. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

[发刀子](https://jikipedia.com/definition/990814223)

> 一般指小说、漫画、番剧等影视作品中一些特别虐心、令人感动、泪目的剧情。（就好像有人往你身上扔刀子一样）

> It generally refers to some particularly sadistic, moving, and tearful plots in novels, comics, dramas, and films. (As if someone threw a knife at you)

So '发刀子' is basically '[tearjerker](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tearjerker)'

* tearjerker (n): a sentimental story, movie, or song, calculated to evoke sadness or sympathy."
* tear-jerking: (adj/slang) sadness evoking

If we use 发刀子(throw knife) as a verb, it could be translated as "stab readers/viewers in the heart"

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for the answer. Still feels like the term 'tearjerker' doesn't really get the comedic part of the phrase, but thank you.  
> **username_1**: tearjerker is funny if you imagine a giant holding you in one hand and jerking your body with the other hand like milking a cow until tears come out like milk (there's one other example I could give...)  

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