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 & Vocabulary

Illegal 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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