How Is the WannaCry Virus Affecting China?

Sometimes, the job of a Mandarin Chinese teacher in China is to help students deal with day-to-day obstacles in life. This week, many of my students are freaking out over the new computer virus called WannaCry that is affecting individuals and organizations around the world. In China, without local knowledge, students are relying on Chinese teachers and friends to relay and recommend a security solution. Teacher Becky to the rescue!

A computer virus that started in Europe in May of 2017 has now spread to Asia, with China being the hardest hit country over here so far, with 30,000 businesses and organizations being affected in just a few days. The software, called WannaCry, is locking computers throughout the world and holding users for "ransom" by asking for $300 to unlock their system and restore their files. Although the number of affected computers is slowing in Europe and North America, the rate is increasing in China, with some of the country's largest companies, universities and government organizations being infected. Throughout China, many students are not able to access their final papers and some companies are not able to make or accept payments online. Thousands of gas stations were requiring that drivers only pay in cash. Authorities aren't sure how far this will continue to affect our lives.

Microsoft is recommending that users update their software while Internet security experts are hurrying to disable the bug from spreading further. Fortunately, Qihoo 360, a top internet security company here in China, has released a remedy for WannaCry that does not need Internet connection and that my students (and everyone else!) can utilize for free!

In Mandarin Chinese, we are calling this worm "勒索病毒 (lèsuǒ bìngdú)" which translates to "blackmail virus".

Example:
Hěnduō guójiā dōu shòu dào lèsuǒ bìngdú de gǎnrǎn.
很多 国家 都 受 到 勒索 病毒 的 感染.
Many countries have been infected by the WannaCry cyber attack.

Click "Read more" to learn how to discuss WannaCry with people in Chinese.

It was a lovely summer's day where I just couldn't say inside. The beautiful riverside park near my home was calling me. In an unexpected twist that caused the perfect day, I ran into some of my old students playing badminton on the courts. There was one student playing who was very uncoordinated, but so cute and positive about it, that he was still a blast to play with. He often would hit the birdie in the wrong direction losing points for the team he was on. But, the other players on his team were really good and in the final tournament the two teams were head to head. In the final round the birdie was going back and forth and there was a lot of tension. A player from the other team hoping to exploit the weak spot that the clumsy student created hit the birdie right to him. To everyone's amazement he hit the birdie straight back and scored the final point! It was such a fun surprise at the end of a competitive game and our butterfingered friend was the afternoon hero. What blind luck!

Knowledge Points:
瞎猫碰上了死耗子 (xiāmāo pèng shàng le sǐ hàozi) : a blind cat finds a dead mouse (idiom); blind luck, accidental fortune.

瞎 (xiā): Adj. become blind.
猫 (māo): Noun. cat
碰 (pèng): V. to touch; to meet with
上 (shàng): when used behind a verb, it indicates starting and continuation.
了 (le): past tense marker.
死 (sǐ): Adj. (adj - in this idiom) die
耗子(hàozi): Noun. rat; mouse

Wanna read the original story of this idiom? Check it out here!

Quiz:

A. When a cat eats a dead mouse.
B. When a soccer player that has practiced for 6 months does well.
C. When a thief steals a cellphone and gets a lower price for it.
D. When a person lacking of skills wins unexpectedly.
See Answer