<blockquote>
  <p>书名肯定不行 The book title doesn't work.</p>
  
  <p>卖不出去 It won't sell well.</p>
  
  <p>人比黄花 (The title comes from "人比黄花瘦.") <em>See notes below.</em></p>
  
  <p>文了 (literally) It's too "academic." (Only those trained in classics
  would understand.)</p>
  
  <p>也温了 It's also too vague. (温 means "not too hot and not too cold (lukewarm)." I think the man is trying to say that the title doesn't hit the sweet spot: it's "in-between" and needs more work.)</p>
  
  <p>指向性不明 Readers don't know what you are referring to. (This line helps you understand "也温了.")</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Notes on "人比黄花" (which comes from "人比黄花瘦")</p>

<p>From <a href="http://baike.baidu.com/view/106130.htm" rel="nofollow">Baidu Baike</a></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>“人比黄花瘦”出自李清照前期的作品《醉花阴》，作品表面上是写深秋佳节孤独寂寞的心绪，实则表达了重阳节思念丈夫的心情。这个词语用来比喻人憔悴，暗示相思之深。</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Rough translation:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>人比黄花瘦 comes from a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ci_%28poetry%29" rel="nofollow">词 (ci2)</a> written by 李清照 (li3 qing1 zhao4). "黄花"
  is "菊花", chrysanthemum. "瘦" is thin. The poet compares herself with
  the flower to illustrate her weary look (because she misses her
  husband dearly).</p>
</blockquote>

<p>In 《新结婚时代》, after the man refused to use the title "人比黄花", the editor (girl in pink with a ponytail) joked about changing it to "地下通道的无头女尸" (headless body found in the tunnel), which is more literal and "catchy."</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-03-21T12:09:08.270Z
This is a good example of "标题党" that is very common to see in network and media nowadays. A "good" title to attract the readers.
Huang
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-03-21T13:19:52.157Z
@Huang Indeed! Feel free to edit my answer!
gonnastop
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-03-21T18:46:01.870Z
@gonnastop Interesting explanation, thx.
Bojin Li
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-03-21T07:08:44.273Z
2012-05-28T21:16:28.337Z
2012-05-28T21:16:28.337Z
gonnastop
<blockquote>
  <p>书名肯定不行  </p>
</blockquote>

<p>The title of the book is not good at all.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>卖不出去</p>
</blockquote>

<p>It doesn't help promoting selling.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>人比黄花      </p>
</blockquote>

<p>人比黄花 (Is this the title of the book?)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>文了
  也温了             </p>
</blockquote>

<p>gonnastop explained very well.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-03-30T13:50:30.927Z
2012-05-29T16:18:09.993Z
2012-05-29T16:18:09.993Z
Jane
<p>I'm hoping to work my way through the Chinese tv series 新结婚时代, looking up new vocab, learning it as I go and I'm hoping to understand it all as I work through it.</p>

<p>Already in the first few lines I've come across the following dialogue which is rather hard to work out: </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>书名肯定不行<br>
  卖不出去<br>
  人比黄花<br>
  文了<br>
  也温了</p>
</blockquote>

<ul>
<li>The name of the book certainly won't do</li>
<li>It'll never sell</li>
<li>?</li>
<li>?</li>
<li>?</li>
</ul>

<p>I understand that the name of the book is probably untranslatable as it's some literary reference... but any ideas about the last two lines?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-03-21T05:03:28.707Z
can you tell me which episode it is when you came across these lines? I want to review it to find more context, so I can give you a more 'precise' answer.
Huang
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-03-21T12:01:18.387Z
I just watched it, and I agree with @gonnastop.
Huang
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-04-04T09:10:33.017Z
As a native Chinese writer, I don't know what the last three lines talk about.
Lenik
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-05-28T22:08:27.360Z
Can we fix the title? Make it an actual question.
Alenanno
<translation>
文了 也温了 any ideas?
# 文了 也温了 any ideas?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-03-21)

I'm hoping to work my way through the Chinese tv series 新结婚时代, looking up new vocab, learning it as I go and I'm hoping to understand it all as I work through it.

Already in the first few lines I've come across the following dialogue which is rather hard to work out:

> 书名肯定不行  
> 卖不出去  
> 人比黄花  
> 文了  
> 也温了

* The name of the book certainly won't do
* It'll never sell
* ?
* ?
* ?

I understand that the name of the book is probably untranslatable as it's some literary reference... but any ideas about the last two lines?

**Tags:** translation

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: can you tell me which episode it is when you came across these lines? I want to review it to find more context, so I can give you a more 'precise' answer.  
> **username_1**: I just watched it, and I agree with @username_4.  
> **username_2**: As a native Chinese writer, I don't know what the last three lines talk about.  
> **username_3**: Can we fix the title? Make it an actual question.  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2012-03-21. Score: 8

> 书名肯定不行 The book title doesn't work.
>
> 卖不出去 It won't sell well.
>
> 人比黄花 (The title comes from "人比黄花瘦.") *See notes below.*
>
> 文了 (literally) It's too "academic." (Only those trained in classics
> would understand.)
>
> 也温了 It's also too vague. (温 means "not too hot and not too cold (lukewarm)." I think the man is trying to say that the title doesn't hit the sweet spot: it's "in-between" and needs more work.)
>
> 指向性不明 Readers don't know what you are referring to. (This line helps you understand "也温了.")

Notes on "人比黄花" (which comes from "人比黄花瘦")

From [Baidu Baike](http://baike.baidu.com/view/106130.htm)

> “人比黄花瘦”出自李清照前期的作品《醉花阴》，作品表面上是写深秋佳节孤独寂寞的心绪，实则表达了重阳节思念丈夫的心情。这个词语用来比喻人憔悴，暗示相思之深。

Rough translation:

> 人比黄花瘦 comes from a [词 (ci2)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ci_%28poetry%29) written by 李清照 (li3 qing1 zhao4). "黄花"
> is "菊花", chrysanthemum. "瘦" is thin. The poet compares herself with
> the flower to illustrate her weary look (because she misses her
> husband dearly).

In 《新结婚时代》, after the man refused to use the title "人比黄花", the editor (girl in pink with a ponytail) joked about changing it to "地下通道的无头女尸" (headless body found in the tunnel), which is more literal and "catchy."

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: This is a good example of "标题党" that is very common to see in network and media nowadays. A "good" title to attract the readers.  
> **username_4**: @username_1 Indeed! Feel free to edit my answer!  
> **username_5**: @username_4 Interesting explanation, thx.  

---

### Answer by username_6 on 2012-03-30. Score: -1

> 书名肯定不行

The title of the book is not good at all.

> 卖不出去

It doesn't help promoting selling.

> 人比黄花

人比黄花 (Is this the title of the book?)

> 文了
> 也温了

username_4 explained very well.


---

