Before moving to Chengdu, all my Chinese friends kept mentioning the word lamei. They asked, "Do you know there's a lot of lameis in that part of China?" and "Are you moving to Chengdu because of the lameis?" They even facetiously warned, "Watch out for the lameis!" I pondered about the phonetic pronunciation and thought they were saying la1 mei3 (拉美 or "Latin America"), making me think I should brush up on my Español before moving there. But were there really that many Latinos in southwestern China? Or was it something else? With so many varying tones and idioms packed into this ancient language, I didn't know what to think. Whatever a lamei was, it made me curious, so I asked, "Lamei shenme yisi?" They laughed and were quite eager to tell me about the infamous spicy girls of China. 

China's Lamei, defined

Let's break down the Chinese characters individually. La4 （辣）means "spicy" and is usually used to describe taste or food. Mei4 （妹） means "little sister" but is also used colloquially for "girl." So the direct translation of lamei is "spicy girl." Still confused? By interpreting it literally, it's hard to come up with a definitive answer. But after analyzing the figurative side, we see that lamei is an interesting pun packed with culture, history and tradition.

1) Spicy food
The first meaning of spicy correlates with the food they love to eat. Lameis are women from the southwestern province of Sichuan. However, it's important to note that in 1997 Chongqing became a separate municipality in the eastern fringes of Sichuan, so now lameis are said to come from Sichuan and/or Chongqing. These two regions are famous at home and abroad for their spicy cuisine. Hot Pot, Mapo Tofu, Kung Pao Chicken, La Zi Ji, Twice Cooked Pork and basically anything else containing Sichuan peppers, are just some of the many zesty indigenous dishes. With such a unique and thermometer-bursting flavor, it's only natural that the locals pride themselves on having a high spice tolerance and are delighted to eat blazing food every day of the week.

In case you haven't sampled it yet, I can most certainly vouch for Sichuan's kitchen. Coming from Louisiana (a part of the United States renowned for its combustible Cajun cooking and Tabasco hot sauce) I, like the natives of Sichuan, want my food to make me sweat. Although I consider my spice tolerance quite high, after taking my first bite of real Sichuan food, my taste buds needed a fire extinguisher. Eat Sichuan cuisine with caution – it's not for those with a weak pallet.

2) Fiery Personality
The second meaning of spicy has to do with their thoughts and actions. Since the women from this part of China eat so much peppery food, it's said that it actually pricks their personalities. With fire running through their veins, stereotypical lameis are said to be hot-tempered, not afraid to openly express their opinion in public with bold body language, spitting fire at souls senseless enough to provoke them. In some instances, especially with anxious men dropping clumsy pick-up-lines, your typical lamei may strike back with a vicious verbal assault.

My friend had a serious girlfriend from Chongqing. She "wore the pants" in their relationship and wasn't afraid to prove her boyfriend wrong out in the open; a rare sight in the otherwise conservative, face-saving culture of China. There was even one time where glass cups were smashed during a domestic quarrel! While this may be an extreme example (and of course individual personalities reign over stereotypes and generalizations any day of the week), she'd openly tell others that she was a genuine lamei and was, in fact, quite proud of that label. My friend was also completely at terms with his girlfriend's red-hot temper and would always defend her actions with, "Yep, she's a typical lamei." In case you were wondering, the two are still happily together; though they now use plastic cups in their apartment…

3) Hot looks                   
The last connection with "spice" deals, of course, with their hot looks. Just like so many Chinese recipes (like sweet and sour), contrasting flavors often make for the most savory combinations. Lamei fall under the category of "sweet and spicy" since they also have a sugary side. Women from the piquant provinces are known to be the most beautiful in all of China. Their complexion is fair due to Sichuan's never ending cloudy days that prevents sun damage, while the high humidity levels keeps their skin moist, smooth and soft. Local women are also said to have large eyes, oval faces and thin lips; traits that physically match the conventional Chinese perception of beauty.

While beauty most certainly lies in the eye of the beholder, most who've been to Sichuan or Chengdu will notice a certain elegance about the local women. But just don't take my word for it. Long standing traditions, wives' tales and even contemporary fashion publications all agree that the women from this part of China are amongst the prettiest. This may explain why Yu Na (于娜), Jiang Qinqin (蒋勤勤), Xie Na (谢娜) and Chen Lin (陈琳)(some of China's most gorgeous actresses) are all Sichuan/Chongqing natives. 

Laomei enters the mainstream vernacular

So now we know that lameis are originally the native women of China's southwest who adore spicy food, possess a fiery temper and simultaneously boast hot looks. So it's safe to say if you own all three of the characteristics, you're probably a lamei. But if not, don't worry, you still might be one! In contemporary times with the growing interconnection and cross regionalization of China, lameis are now found outside of Sichuan and Chongqing; allowing the use of the word to spread throughout the Middle Kingdom like wild fire.

With such widespread use, however, the original meaning of lamei is fading and taking on an entirely new definition in today's "image-is-everything" society. The term is evolving to simply mean "sexy woman" in general, regardless of geographic location, taste and/or mind-set; thus losing its long celebrated idiomatic catch. But no matter where the word develops from here, at least you now know the truth behind the legendary spicy girls of China.
 

Related links
Chinese Girls: A Province by Province Guide (Part I)
Top 10 Cities in China with Beauties
The Not-So-Glamorous World of Chinese Beauty Pageants

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Keywords: lamei China 辣妹 hottest women in China conception of Chinese beauty beautiful women Sichuan