My Buzzword Woes：硬核

 

硬核 should be a direct translation of the English word "hardcore". According to the Cambridge Dictionary, this word means:: (of a person) having a very strong belief or interest in something or a lot of determination to do it, sometimes to a degree that most people would consider unreasonable or unacceptable 

But in Taiwan, this word is widely used by netizens, usually to describe something or someone:

• Professional, highly skilled, and possessing top-notch capabilities.
• Tough, persistent, and unyielding.
• The thing or game is challenging and requires a lot of time and effort to master.

Simply put, "硬核" usually has a positive connotation in Taiwanese online jargon, and is used to express admiration and recognition of something or someone that is "professional enough, strong enough, and difficult enough."

However, Taiwanese have long used the word "硬" to describe things that are difficult to understand. For example:「這本書很硬。」or 「這門課很硬。」means that the book or course is difficult to understand, requiring repeated reading and discussion.

Clearly, the two 詞 are used in almost the same way.

"核" can refer to "核心" (core), which is the most basic and important part of something. However, it can also refer to "果核" (pit), which is the large, hard seed inside some types of fruit.

So when I first saw this term, it made me wonder, "Are there any fruit cores that are soft?"