For example, this comic:
Is it literally about peeling shrimps or is there a figurative meaning?
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1Peeling shrimps have no special meaning in either Chinese or English. It is intended to be a funny joke. When the long-haired kid was offered a shrimp, he refused to take the offer. At this point, the reader had no idea why. Would that be he didn't like shrimp? When he accepted the shrimp later, when it was already peeled for him. The reader then realized he was just lazy-- and that's the punch line. (to illustrate how lazy some kids are) – Tang Ho Sep 23 '16 at 8:34
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I don't usually eat crabs for the same reason, too much trouble – Tang Ho Sep 23 '16 at 8:37
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This is somewhat universal. – mootmoot Sep 23 '16 at 15:25
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Definitely agree with the above comment by Tang Ho.
The comic is written by a Taiwanese artist using the pen name Duncan. If you see him in the public, he always has a face mask of his comic book character on. In past interviews, duncan explains that when he's in public, he wants to observe human behaviors and draw about them.
This comic strip is about eating food that are tasty, but are tedious and time consuming. Shrimp shells take a long time to peel (about 10 secs, 30 if the shrimp is hot). We all love eating shrimp, but the peeling time, and the seafood smell on your hands just make it too tedious to eat.
Side note: An all you can eat BBQ shop called 燒肉屋, located in Kaohsiung Taiwan was famous for helping its customers peel the shrimp shell in front of their customers.
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Here is interview of Ben Hedges and Duncan Comics youtube.com/watch?v=Y7SEGNG61Es – 辛祐賦 hsinyofu Sep 24 '16 at 6:05
