![This onion is upset. This onion is upset.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3838,h_2158,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/mentalfloss/01j1x195ta1na61rys8q.jpg)
![Sophie Lau Sophie Lau](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_180,ar_1:1,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/headshot-fbe71feda27697ae0d45613d10081dcf.jpg)
Sophie Lau
Joined: Nov 20, 2023
Sophie is a freelance writer, educator, and generally vibing polyglot who can be found in the UK, Hong Kong, or almost anywhere else in between! Her journalistic work has appeared in publications such as gal-dem and The Independent, and she has completed poetry and creative non-fiction residencies with Metal New Artist Network, Studio 459, Bothy Project, and Amplify Bookstore. Her current WIP labours of love are a collection of deeply personal travel essays and a fun-filled YA romcom! Whenever her slightly chaotic schedule permits, she designs and delivers creative translation and poetry workshops. In her free time, she enjoys learning languages (she’s about to start her tenth!); hanging out with her dogs, Doughnut and Tiny; and capturing her solo travels on film (and binge-watching Korean variety shows but we don’t talk about that…). Visit her website at https://sophieyanyeelau.com.
![This onion is upset. This onion is upset.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3838,h_2158,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/mentalfloss/01j1x195ta1na61rys8q.jpg)
![](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3838,h_2158,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/mentalfloss/01hy0wnw901ebjp7m2et.jpg)
10 Charming Chinese Idioms and Proverbs (and Their Origins)
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Castilian vs. Latin American Spanish: 12 Words You Don’t Want to Confuse
![The Korean ideophone 쿨쿨 (pronounced “kul-kul”) indicates the deep breathing of a restful slumber. The Korean ideophone 쿨쿨 (pronounced “kul-kul”) indicates the deep breathing of a restful slumber.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3840,h_2160,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/mentalfloss/01hrag161b3pz34qae10.jpg)
15 Effortlessly Evocative Korean Ideophones
15 Delightfully Descriptive French Animal Names
En français, the name for ‘jellyfish’ comes from a famous figure in Greek mythology—can you guess which one?
13 Words That Differ in the North and South Korean Dialects
The two dialects have transformed to the point that North Korean defectors often struggle with unfamiliar language when arriving in South Korea—so much that the South Korean government publishes a list of commonly confused words to aid new defectors.
10 Ways to Say “Merry Christmas” Around the World
’Tis the season to learn how to say “Merry Christmas” in many languages.
20 Super Literal German Compound Words
Germany is the land of Oktoberfest, Christmas markets, and super literal compound words like Glühbirne (“glow pear,” a.k.a. “lightbulb”) and Baumwolle (“tree wool,” otherwise known as cotton).