在上海方言裡，“香辣蟹”這個稱呼對外地人帶有貶義色彩，其來源與一段真實的社會事件有關。上世紀九十年代左右，上海曾經發生過一起嚴重的食品安全事件，一些不良的外地商販為了牟利，用死蟹冒充活蟹，再經過重口味的香辣烹調方式來掩蓋不新鮮的氣味。由於香辣味本身就刺激，很多食客在食用時難以分辨蟹的新鮮程度，結果造成一場群體性的食物中毒事件。當時事件鬧得沸沸揚揚，不僅引起社會強烈關注，還被媒體大幅報導，導致上海的香辣蟹餐館一度幾乎全部關門。

從那以後，“香辣蟹”這個詞便在上海流傳開來，被用來形容那些來上海投機取巧、幹一些不光彩勾當的外地人。因為事件與外地商販直接相關，所以這個名號帶上明顯的地域偏見與批判意味。在上海話裡，用“蟹”來形容人並不罕見，例如“軟腳蟹”指的是懦弱無能的人，“死蟹一隻”則暗示毫無生氣、沒有用處。然而，“香辣蟹”這個說法卻帶有侮辱性質，它不僅僅是一種食物的名字，更成為一個針對外地人的負面標籤。

這一稱呼反映地方社會對某些外地人不良行為的集體記憶與反感情緒，但同時也帶來偏見與排斥。畢竟，食物安全事件的責任不應一概歸咎於所有外地人。如今再去回顧，這個詞既有其歷史文化的趣味性，也提醒人們要警惕因事件而對群體產生的刻板印象和歧視。

In Shanghainese slang, the term “spicy crab” (香辣蟹) is sometimes used as a derogatory nickname for outsiders, and its origin can be traced back to a notorious food safety incident in the city.

Back in the 1990s, Shanghai experienced a scandal involving dishonest vendors from outside the city. These vendors sold dead crabs disguised as live ones, then cooked them with heavy, spicy seasonings to cover up the lack of freshness. Because the strong flavors of the “spicy crab” dish made it difficult for diners to detect whether the crabs were fresh, many people unknowingly ate them. This eventually led to a serious case of mass food poisoning, which caused a major public uproar. The incident was widely reported on television, and as a result, almost all spicy crab restaurants in Shanghai were forced to shut down.

From that point on, the phrase “spicy crab” spread among locals as a metaphor for outsiders who came to Shanghai with questionable intentions, engaging in shady or exploitative practices. The label carried a distinctly negative and prejudiced undertone, since it linked the incident to non-local traders as a group.

It’s worth noting that in Shanghainese, using “crab” to describe people is not uncommon. For example, a “soft-legged crab” refers to someone weak or cowardly, while a “dead crab” suggests someone useless or lifeless. However, unlike these more general expressions, “spicy crab” became a targeted insult, directed specifically at outsiders, and it carried the sting of regional bias.

Today, looking back, the term is both a reflection of a particular cultural and historical moment in Shanghai, and a reminder of how easily stereotypes and discrimination can grow out of isolated incidents. While it has linguistic and cultural interest, it also highlights the dangers of labeling entire groups of people based on the misconduct of a few.