西安现“低头族专用通道”引争议 Phubbers' footpath triggers discussion

The walking path for phubbers in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province [Photo: Sanqin Metropolis Daily]

A special lane painted on a footpath(人行道) in Xi'an(西安) dedicated to smartphone addicts has triggered(引发) discussions(讨论) online in China, reports Sanqin Metropolis Daily.

The one-meter-wide, 100-meter-long track is painted in red(红色), blue(蓝色), and green(绿色), with pictures of mobile phones and the words "Special walkway for phubbers" in Chinese.

"Phubbers" is a new word coined to describe people who stare at their phone and ignore(忽视) anyone or anything else around them.

The walking path for phubbers in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province [Photo: Sanqin Metropolis Daily]

Supporters(支持者) think the walking path is a good way of reminding(提醒) people to put their phones away and pay attention to(注意) their surroundings for their own safety(安全) and the safety of others.

But others have questioned(质疑) its effectiveness(效果). As one visitor argued, "Many people used to looking at their mobile phone while they're walking won't notice the warning."

词汇 Words:

[rén xíng dào] 人行道 footpath
[tǎo lùn] 讨论 discussion
[zhī chí zhě] 支持者 supporter
[xiào guǒ] 效果 effectiveness
[ān quán] 安全 safety
[yǐn fā] 引发 trigger
[hū shì] 忽视 ignore
[tí xǐng] 提醒 remind
[zhù yì] 注意 pay attention to
[zhí yí] 质疑 question

重点词汇 Key word:

争 <动词 v.>

• Compete (for); strive (for)
  E.g. Dàjiā zhēngzhe fāyán。
  大家争着发言。
  Everyone tries to have the floor.

• Struggle; fight
  E.g. Zài zhè chǎng zhànzhēng zhōng wúshù wúgū de rén sàngshīle xìngmìng。
  在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
  In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.

• Argue; dispute
  E.g. Háizimen zhēngchǎo dào hòulái jiù dǎle qǐlái。
  孩子们争吵到后来就打了起来。
  The children's dispute ended in a war.