Editor’s note for Monday, December 13, 2021

My thoughts today:

Our word of the day is SenseTime (商汤科技 shāng tāng kējì).

One could literally translate the name as “business soup technology,” although Chinese native speakers are perhaps more likely to associate the first character with “IQ” — 智商 zhìshāng — and the second character as a generic indicator of foreignessness, as in the name “Tom” — 汤姆 tāng mǔ.

(If the subject line of this email makes no sense, it’s a reference to the 2003 film Lost in Translation.)

Upcoming event: Masculinity and Asian American representation, a panel discussion on December 15.

Looking for funding for a social or philanthropic initiative addressing climate and the environment and connected to the U.S. and China? The China Institute-Serica U.S.-China Next-Gen Leaders Circle is awarding grants of up to $10,000 for suitable projects: Download the application form here, and email USChinaNGLC@gmail.com with any questions. The application deadline is January 7, 2022.

—Jeremy Goldkorn, Editor-in-Chief