Illegally give flowers

fēifǎ xiànhuā 非法献花

Source: Sohu

Seemingly extemporaneous charge that a security official reportedly informed mock-mourners they were committing outside of Google's Beijing headquarters following the company's announcement that they would be shutting down their China division.

After Google announced it was pulling out of China in January of 2010, a number of people offered a mock tribute of flowers in front of the Google headquarters in Beijing as a symbolic act of mourning. Some of these people were dispersed by security guards who alleged that what they were doing amounted to the “illegal dedication of flowers.” Because the charge sounded like it had been made up on the spot, it quickly spread around the web, inspiring a few spin-off terms:

•非法吃喝 (fēifǎ chīhē): illegal eating and drinking—This term was created when users of Twitter (which is blocked in China) met together to discuss the imprisonment of three netizens in Fujian. Domestic Security Department agents broke up the meeting and accused those present of “illegal eating and drinking.”

•非法默哀 (fēifǎ mòāi): illegal silent tribute—A phrase based on “illegal dedication of flowers.” Example: I hear that Google is leaving China. Let’s all conduct an illegal silent tribute.

•非法XX (fēifǎ XX): illegal XX—Phrase based on “illegal dedication of flowers.” Indicates some innocuous action that the government bans because of its symbolic meaning.