IKEA Toy With Name That Translates Into Naughty Word Sells Out In Hong Kong

You naughty boy.

He’s no Tickle Me Elmo, but another stuffed toy has been flying off the shelves at IKEA stores in Hong Kong. And not, it’s not because he’s the “it” toy this holiday season. Lufsig the wolf’s name translates into Cantonese with a very naughty meaning, apparently making him the perfect object for protestors to lob at Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong CY Leung, who some have nicknamed “the wolf.”

While Lufsig the wolf seems to just be an innocent type (besides that whole trying to eat Little Red Riding Hood), his name in Cantonese sounds a lot like a profanity that translates to something bad about female genitalia, reports the South China Morning Post.

The toy has been selling out at IKEA in Hong Kong, with shoppers lining up to buy it after an anti-government protestor tossed one at Leung over the weekend, according to the BBC.

An IKEA Hong Kong spokesman said shoppers were lining up as early as 7:00 a.m. for Lufsig and the toy was sold out by 11:10, but didn’t have any comment on the political message some are reading into the stuffed animal. His name is Lufsig wherever he’s sold all over the world, so it’s not like this is just special to customers in China.

Leung has been dubbed “the wolf” by some in China who see him as cunning, and it sounds like he’s had pretty low popularity ratings since he was appointed by a committee last year to be Hong Kong’s chief exectuive.

Ay protestors still yearning for Lufsig will have to wait for early January 2014, when IKEA says a new stock will be in stores.

Ikea toy wolf becomes Hong Kong protest symbol [BBC]

Hong Kong toymakers upset over stuffed symbol of protest Lufsig the wolf [South China Morning Post]

by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist