Origin of the Phrase
Yi Jing, also named The Book of Changes, says: "Yin and Yang form Tai Chi; Tai Chi forms two-stage; two-stage forms four-quadrant and four-quadrant forms Eight Diagrams." A founder of a gossip magazine in Hong Kong thinks that various gossip in the world are formed from what happened in the world, just like Yin and Yang breed Eight Diagrams. So the gossip magazine is named 八卦(bāguà).
Meaning of the Phrase
In 八卦(bāguà), 八(bā) means the number eight and 卦(guà) refers to divinatory trigram. But now, 八卦(bāguà) is widely used to refer to a kind of attitude or behavior where people are keen on asking, guessing, or gossiping upon others' private affairs. So the origin meaning of 八卦(bāguà) is used less often.
Usage of the Phrase
八卦(bāguà) can be used as noun, adjective and verb. For example:
(1) n. gossip
e.g. 八卦新闻(bāguà xīnwén) gossip news
八卦杂志(bāguà zázhì) gossip magazine
八卦媒体(bāguà méitǐ) gossip media
(2) a. gossipy
e.g. 她是个很八卦的人。 Tā shì gè hěn bāguà de rén.
She is very gossipy.
别那么八卦！ Bié nàme bāguà!
Don’t be so gossipy!
(3) v. gossip∕spread rumors
e.g. 她又要开始八卦了。 Tā yòu yào kāishǐ bāguà le.
She will start to gossip right now.
这人没事儿就爱八卦。 Zhè rén méi shìér jiù ài bāguà.
This person is keen on spreading rumors.
美眉(měiméi) beautiful girl
美眉(měiméi) was first used in an Internet novel which became very popular. Literally speaking, 美眉(měiméi) means pretty eyebrows or beautifying eyebrow because 美(měi) means beautiful and 眉(méi) refers to eyebrows. Now however, 美眉(měiméi) refers to beautiful young girls. Sometimes this phrase is also used in the form of MM.
