Teacher breaks down bad Chinese tattoos and social media is losing it
Try not to laugh.
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Here are the latest trending internet culture stories today:
A teacher is translating Chinese tattoos on Americans who have no idea what their ink means, JD Vance spoke about his family’s trip to Disneyland that got booed and somehow made things even worse, and why Reddit’s move to stop the Internet Archive from indexing its site has more of an impact on your future browsing than you might expect.
Tomorrow’s the weekend! Enjoy it,
— W.J.
⚡️ Today in Internet Culture
“More failure”: This teacher is translating bad Chinese tattoos, and everyone’s losing it
Westerners have been getting Chinese character tattoos for decades, but not all of them mean what people think. Jessie, a language teacher and creator of the Chinese with Jessie YouTube channel, recently went viral for translating some of the most bizarre and mistranslated ink she’s come across.
Her Aug. 11, 2025, TikTok, which has racked up 3.4 million views, featured her making fun of tattoos that translate to things like “low quality coal,” “refrigerator,” and “more failure.”
“I thought they hated ‘the elites’”: JD Vance shuts down Disneyland for private family trip, calls it “awesome”
Vice President JD Vance found himself at the center of a fresh controversy this week after bragging about a trip to Disneyland. In a recently surfaced clip, Vance recounted how portions of the park were closed off so he and his family could enjoy the attractions without the usual crowds. He described the exclusive access as “very cool” and “awesome,” before casually apologizing to regular visitors who faced longer lines.
The comments spread quickly across social media, with many users expressing disbelief at his tone.
“New age of internet censorship”: Reddit to block the Internet Archive from indexing its site. Here’s why it matters
Reddit recently announced that it would be blocking the Internet Archive from indexing most of the site moving forward. The reason? A.I.
🕸️ Crawling the Web
🏥 A mother of two young children had to turn to local news for help after a hospital billed her over $100,000 for transportation costs from 2022. She was allegedly told the helicopter ride would be “free.”
😒 The story about Rachel Brosnahan’s husband’s weird Instagram likes is proof that some fandoms are as toxic as ever. Should people have to answer for every “like” on social media?
🎼 Taylor Swift’s decision to announce her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, on boyfriend Travis Kelce’s podcast has ruffled some Swiftie feathers.
#️⃣ TikTok just limited the number of hashtags you can add to an upload to five, and users are going so far as to say it’s their “13th reason.”
👨🚒 A lawyer’s warning about indoor firepot products has me rethinking ever purchasing one.
🍻 Can you actually be friends with your coworkers? A viral debate remains unsettled.
🔥 Hot on the Dot
This was the most-read story on the Daily Dot yesterday: