Mandarin Monkey Podcast14 Mar 2025

EP395 – The World's Strangest Laws: No Salmon Smuggling & Speedo Rules

Ever heard of a law that bans you from handling salmon "suspiciously"? Or a rule that says men must wear Speedos at public pools in France? In this episode, we dive into some of the strangest, most ridiculous laws from around the world. From kites being outlawed in the UK to Japan’s weight regulations, we break down these bizarre rules, their origins, and whether they actually make any sense. Plus, we’ll throw in some Mandarin vocabulary along the way, so you can learn while you laugh!

Would you obey these laws or break them just for fun? Tune in to find out!

General Law-Related Words

法律 (fǎlǜ) – Law
法规 (fǎguī) – Regulation
非法 (fēifǎ) – Illegal
违法 (wéifǎ) – Against the law
规定 (guīdìng) – Rule/regulation
政府 (zhèngfǔ) – Government
批准 (pīzhǔn) – Approval

Weird Law Examples & VocabularyIllegal to handle salmon suspiciously (UK 🇬🇧)

鲑鱼 (guīyú) – Salmon
可疑 (kěyí) – Suspicious
处理 (chǔlǐ) – To handle

No flying kites in public places (UK 🇬🇧)

风筝 (fēngzhēng) – Kite
公共场所 (gōnggòng chǎngsuǒ) – Public place

Illegal to be drunk in a pub (UK 🇬🇧)

酒吧 (jiǔbā) – Pub/bar
喝醉 (hē zuì) – To be drunk

No ice cream in your back pocket (US 🇺🇸, Alabama)

冰淇淋 (bīngqílín) – Ice cream
口袋 (kǒudài) – Pocket

Illegal to wake a sleeping bear for a photo (US 🇺🇸, Alaska)

熊 (xióng) – Bear
拍照 (pāizhào) – Take a photo

No donkeys sleeping in bathtubs (US 🇺🇸, Arizona)

驴 (lǘ) – Donkey
浴缸 (yùgāng) – Bathtub

Men must wear Speedos in public pools (France 🇫🇷)

泳池 (yóuyǒngchí) – Swimming pool
紧身泳裤 (jǐnshēn yǒngkù) – Speedos

No chewing gum in Singapore (🇸🇬)

口香糖 (kǒuxiāngtáng) – Chewing gum

You must walk your dog daily (Germany 🇩🇪)

遛狗 (liù gǒu) – Walk the dog
宠物 (chǒngwù) – Pet

Illegal to name your pig ‘Napoleon’ (France 🇫🇷)

猪 (zhū) – Pig
名字 (míngzì) – Name

No flushing toilets after 10 PM (Switzerland 🇨🇭)

厕所 (cèsuǒ) – Toilet
晚上 (wǎnshàng) – Nighttime

In China, you cannot reincarnate without government approval (China 🇨🇳)

转世 (zhuǎnshì) – Reincarnation
灵魂 (línghún) – Soul

Illegal to change a lightbulb without a license (Australia 🇦🇺)

灯泡 (dēngpào) – Lightbulb
执照 (zhízhào) – License

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