Couch potato
Meaning: A lazy person who spends most of their time sitting on the couch watching TV.
A 'couch potato' is the image of ultimate laziness — someone planted on the couch like a potato, barely moving, binge-watching TV for hours. The term reflects American anxieties about sedentary lifestyles and excessive screen time. While originally about TV, it now extends to anyone who lounges around consuming media instead of being active.
Examples
- I was a total couch potato all weekend — watched three seasons straight. 整个周末我完全就是个沙发土豆——一口气刷了三季。El fin de semana fui un auténtico teleadicto — me vi tres temporadas del tirón.週末は完全にソファの住人だった——3シーズン分ぶっ通しで観た。주말 내내 완전 소파 감자였어 — 시즌 세 개를 연달아 봤다.
- Get off the couch, you couch potato. Let's go for a walk. 从沙发上起来吧,你这个懒虫。咱们出去走走。Levántate del sofá, so vago. Vamos a dar un paseo.ソファから離れろ、このぐうたら。散歩に行こうよ。소파에서 일어나, 이 게으름뱅이야. 산책이나 가자.
- He turned into a couch potato after he retired. 他退休后就变成了一个沙发土豆。Se convirtió en un teleadicto después de jubilarse.彼は退職してからソファの住人になってしまった。그는 은퇴한 후로 소파 감자가 되어버렸다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: laziness, TV watching, lifestyle, humor
Tone: teasing, self-deprecating
✓ Do Say
- I'm such a couch potato.我简直就是个沙发土豆。Soy un auténtico teleadicto.私は本当にぐうたらだ。나 진짜 완전 카우치 포테이토야.
- Don't be a couch potato.别当沙发土豆了。No seas tan vago.ぐうたらするな。카우치 포테이토가 되지 마.
✗ Don't Say
- Often used self-deprecatingly — calling yourself a couch potato is common and accepted. Calling others that can be nagging常用于自嘲——说自己是沙发土豆很常见也能被接受。说别人是沙发土豆则有唠叨的感觉。Se usa a menudo de forma autoirónica — llamarte a ti mismo 'couch potato' es habitual y aceptado. Llamar así a otros puede sonar a reproche自虐的に使われることが多い——自分をcouch potatoと呼ぶのはよくあることで受け入れられている。他人に使うと小言に聞こえることがある자기 비하적으로 쓰는 경우가 많다 — 스스로를 카우치 포테이토라고 부르는 건 흔하고 괜찮지만, 남에게 그렇게 부르면 잔소리처럼 들릴 수 있다
Origin & History
Coined in 1976 by Tom Iacino of Pasadena, California, as a play on 'boob tube' (slang for TV). The image of a potato-shaped person on a couch became iconic. The term was trademarked briefly and became one of America's most recognizable slang expressions.
Cultural Context
Era: 1976 onwards
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
Regional notes: Coined in Pasadena, California
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