<p>直 could mean heterosexual(informal).</p>

<p>This comes directly from "straight" in English.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-28T04:22:19.193Z
The joke doesn't work if you interpret 直 as' heterosexual' . Men do not occasionally become heterosexual or homosexual, but men do occasionally having an erection.
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-28T05:25:32.873Z
@TangHo "Men do not occasionally become heterosexual or homosexual" you're right and that's why it is a joke. Jokes don't necessarily follow common sense.
Jason Swift
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-28T05:31:57.660Z
No,  funny jokes need to follow common sense, saying" I love you whenever I am heterosexual" is not funny because it doesn't make sense
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-29T11:27:16.760Z
@TangHo I (a native Mandarin speaker) sensed the joke in the same way as Jason. The interpretation 直 as erect is logical, but I think this is old-fashioned, unlike the profoundly popular "直 as straight (opposite to homosexual)" Internet usage. And, for `saying "I love you whenever I am heterosexual"`, no, the point is not like that. In English the point should be ***similar*** to this one -- I love you, straightforwardly. -- But when you're not straight?
Stan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-27T13:24:19.493Z
2017-11-27T13:24:19.493Z
Jason Swift
<p>The phrase “一直就” means “always” and this part you have already understood.</p>

<p>It could also be considered as “一…就…”=“if…then” and the girl assumed at once that the boy said “if he was straight then he loved her.” So she punned that “what if you are NOT STRAIGHT?”</p>

<p>A “straight/bent” joke~</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-30T06:07:23.817Z
2018-01-30T06:07:23.817Z
Hao FU
<p>直 here is short form of 挺直 (erect)</p>

<p>The woman was jokingly suggesting the man was saying " Whenever I get an erection, I love you very much" (meaning he only loves her when he is horny)</p>

<p>You are correct to think [一。。。就。。。] structure is in play. Just didn't have the mindset to connect '直' with 'erect' (of male penis)</p>

<p>It is a playfully dirty joke </p>

<p>"我<strong>一直</strong>就很爱你" should means "I <strong>have always</strong> been loving you deeply"</p>

<p>The woman twisted the meaning of '一直' (<strong>always</strong>) to '一'(<strong>whenever</strong>) '直'(<strong>erect</strong>)" and interpreted the sentence as "I love you very much whenever I get an erection"</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-30T06:46:51.693Z
I think the other answer about sexual orientation is more likely how most people will take this joke. 直 and 弯 are very popular joke material in the recent years, and considered quirky/funny in Chinese culture as opposed to erection which is gross/vulgar.
NS.X.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-30T10:52:20.597Z
@NS.X., Both are likely. I wouldn't say either meaning is taken by "most people". There is probably an age difference as well.
jf328
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-27T14:05:51.320Z
2017-11-28T04:42:03.690Z
2017-11-28T04:42:03.690Z
Tang Ho
<p>I found this joke on bliubliu.com:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>那不直的时候呢 (爱情笑话）<br>
<sup>Nà bù zhí de shíhòu ne (àiqíng xiàohuà)</sup></p>
<p>男：我一直就很爱你啊！<br>
<sup>Nán: Wǒ yīzhí jiù hěn ài nǐ a!</sup><br>
女：那不直的时候呢？<br>
<sup>Nǚ: Nà bù zhí de shíhòu ne?</sup></p>
</blockquote>
<p>I want to make sure I've understood the joke correctly.</p>
<p>The man says 我一直就很爱你 meaning I have always loved you (I think).</p>
<p>However, the woman thinks the man is using the 一。。。就。。。 grammar construction, and consequently thinks that the man means that when 直 occurs, his love follows.  This is why she asks about when 直 is not happening.</p>
<p>As far as I can tell, it doesn't make sense to talk about <a href="http://dict.cn/%E7%9B%B4" rel="nofollow noreferrer">直</a> happening or not happening, and the woman's question is nonsense.  But maybe I'm missing something.</p>
<p><strong>Question</strong>: Have I understood this joke correctly?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-27T16:04:10.680Z
The girl is just playing words,  most of the times it doesn't make sense, only a funny effect. But occasionally, this sentence also makes a indecent suggestion as the answers pointed out. But it is not necessary, when you play words, you can make no sense.
sfy
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-28T02:53:21.030Z
Agree with @Jacob, this kind of joke is pretty perspective. Different people might take it differently until the time it became commonplace.
dan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-28T04:46:06.127Z
See my comment on Jason Swift's answer-- I used to write adult jokes in comic, this joke is definitely a dirty one .
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-28T05:11:53.320Z
@TangHo, I agree that your interpretation is the most fascinating one. However, let's make a hypothesis here. If you say this joke to a large audience, I don't think all the people could get that meaning without any explanations. Each might have their own thoughts about it. Some might just take that joke simply plays the word "一直" itself.  The fact is that joke is still not that common yet.
dan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-28T05:28:23.343Z
A joke depicting  a conversation between a pair of lovers, It is natural to expect some king of sexually suggestive punchline, you are underestimating the perceptiveness of the common people.
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-28T07:30:51.730Z
That could be the code language of the lovers. Who knows what they truly meant as they originally said it?
dan
<grammar><meaning-in-context>
Have I understood the joke 男：我一直就很爱你啊！ 女：那不直的时候呢？ correctly?
# Have I understood the joke 男：我一直就很爱你啊！ 女：那不直的时候呢？ correctly?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-11-27)

I found this joke on bliubliu.com:

> 那不直的时候呢 (爱情笑话）  
> Nà bù zhí de shíhòu ne (àiqíng xiàohuà)
>
> 男：我一直就很爱你啊！  
> Nán: Wǒ yīzhí jiù hěn ài nǐ a!  
> 女：那不直的时候呢？  
> Nǚ: Nà bù zhí de shíhòu ne?

I want to make sure I've understood the joke correctly.

The man says 我一直就很爱你 meaning I have always loved you (I think).

However, the woman thinks the man is using the 一。。。就。。。 grammar construction, and consequently thinks that the man means that when 直 occurs, his love follows. This is why she asks about when 直 is not happening.

As far as I can tell, it doesn't make sense to talk about [直](http://dict.cn/%E7%9B%B4) happening or not happening, and the woman's question is nonsense. But maybe I'm missing something.

**Question**: Have I understood this joke correctly?

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

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: The girl is just playing words,  most of the times it doesn't make sense, only a funny effect. But occasionally, this sentence also makes a indecent suggestion as the answers pointed out. But it is not necessary, when you play words, you can make no sense.  
> **username_2**: Agree with @Jacob, this kind of joke is pretty perspective. Different people might take it differently until the time it became commonplace.  
> **username_3**: See my comment on username_4's answer-- I used to write adult jokes in comic, this joke is definitely a dirty one .  
> **username_2**: @username_3, I agree that your interpretation is the most fascinating one. However, let's make a hypothesis here. If you say this joke to a large audience, I don't think all the people could get that meaning without any explanations. Each might have their own thoughts about it. Some might just take that joke simply plays the word "一直" itself.  The fact is that joke is still not that common yet.  
> **username_3**: A joke depicting  a conversation between a pair of lovers, It is natural to expect some king of sexually suggestive punchline, you are underestimating the perceptiveness of the common people.  
> **username_2**: That could be the code language of the lovers. Who knows what they truly meant as they originally said it?  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-11-27. Score: 8 | Accepted answer

直 here is short form of 挺直 (erect)

The woman was jokingly suggesting the man was saying " Whenever I get an erection, I love you very much" (meaning he only loves her when he is horny)

You are correct to think [一。。。就。。。] structure is in play. Just didn't have the mindset to connect '直' with 'erect' (of male penis)

It is a playfully dirty joke

"我**一直**就很爱你" should means "I **have always** been loving you deeply"

The woman twisted the meaning of '一直' (**always**) to '一'(**whenever**) '直'(**erect**)" and interpreted the sentence as "I love you very much whenever I get an erection"

> **Comments:**
> **username_7**: I think the other answer about sexual orientation is more likely how most people will take this joke. 直 and 弯 are very popular joke material in the recent years, and considered quirky/funny in Chinese culture as opposed to erection which is gross/vulgar.  
> **username_8**: @NS.X., Both are likely. I wouldn't say either meaning is taken by "most people". There is probably an age difference as well.  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2017-11-27. Score: 9

直 could mean heterosexual(informal).

This comes directly from "straight" in English.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: The joke doesn't work if you interpret 直 as' heterosexual' . Men do not occasionally become heterosexual or homosexual, but men do occasionally having an erection.  
> **username_4**: @username_3 "Men do not occasionally become heterosexual or homosexual" you're right and that's why it is a joke. Jokes don't necessarily follow common sense.  
> **username_3**: No,  funny jokes need to follow common sense, saying" I love you whenever I am heterosexual" is not funny because it doesn't make sense  
> **username_5**: @username_3 I (a native Mandarin speaker) sensed the joke in the same way as username_4. The interpretation 直 as erect is logical, but I think this is old-fashioned, unlike the profoundly popular "直 as straight (opposite to homosexual)" Internet usage. And, for `saying "I love you whenever I am heterosexual"`, no, the point is not like that. In English the point should be ***similar*** to this one -- I love you, straightforwardly. -- But when you're not straight?  

---

### Answer by username_6 on 2018-01-30. Score: 1

The phrase “一直就” means “always” and this part you have already understood.

It could also be considered as “一…就…”=“if…then” and the girl assumed at once that the boy said “if he was straight then he loved her.” So she punned that “what if you are NOT STRAIGHT?”

A “straight/bent” joke~


---

