Chinese Internet Slang
From YYDS to 内卷, Chinese internet slang evolves rapidly. This guide covers 49 of the most popular and widely-used Chinese internet slang terms, memes, and social media expressions.
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Work & Hustle
内卷
nèi juǎn
Involution — excessive, often pointless competition where everyone works harder but nobody gains more.
2020s打工人
dǎ gōng rén
Working people / wage slaves — a self-deprecating term workers use to describe themselves.
2020996
jiǔ jiǔ liù
Working 9am to 9pm, 6 days a week — describes the grueling work culture in Chinese tech companies.
2019卡点
kǎ diǎn
Arriving at exactly the last possible moment — being precisely on time with zero margin.
2020s割韭菜
gē jiǔ cài
Harvesting leeks — scamming or exploiting consumers/investors, especially through overpriced products or bad investments.
2018画大饼
huà dà bǐng
Drawing a big pancake — making empty promises, especially by bosses promising raises or promotions that never come.
2020s下班脑
xià bān nǎo
Off-work brain — the mental state of only thinking about leaving work, having zero motivation.
2023Attitude & Lifestyle
躺平
tǎng píng
Lying flat — rejecting the rat race, choosing to do the bare minimum instead of overworking.
2021摆烂
bǎi làn
Let it rot — giving up entirely on trying, embracing failure or mediocrity.
2022干饭人
gān fàn rén
Eating machine / foodie warrior — someone who eats with great enthusiasm and passion.
2020佛系
fó xì
Buddha-like — having a zen, whatever-happens-happens attitude toward life. Not caring about outcomes.
2017第三空间
dì sān kōng jiān
Third space — a place that's neither home nor work where you can relax (cafes, libraries, parks).
2023松弛感
sōng chí gǎn
Relaxed vibe — the quality of being effortlessly calm and unbothered, not anxious about everything.
2022报复性消费
bào fù xìng xiāo fèi
Revenge spending — splurging excessively after a period of being unable to spend (e.g., after lockdowns).
2020刺客
cì kè
Price assassin — a product that looks cheap but shocks you with an unexpectedly high price at checkout.
2022润
rùn
To emigrate / leave China — from the English word "run," used to describe people leaving the country.
2022Internet Culture
YYDS (永远的神)
yǒng yuǎn de shén
GOAT (Greatest of All Time). Used to praise someone or something as the absolute best.
2020s真香
zhēn xiāng
Smells good / So good — used when someone ends up loving something they previously said they'd never do.
2018高情商
gāo qíng shāng
High EQ — being tactful, diplomatic, or knowing exactly the right thing to say.
2021CP (嗑CP)
kè CP
Shipping / pairing — supporting or fantasizing about a romantic couple, whether real or fictional.
2019打call
dǎ call
To show support / cheer for — enthusiastically supporting someone or something.
2017老六
lǎo liù
Sneaky player / camper — someone who plays dirty or hides and waits for others to fight first.
2022吃瓜
chī guā
Eating melon — being a spectator watching drama unfold, enjoying gossip without getting involved.
2016梗
gěng
Meme / running joke — an internet joke, reference, or catchphrase that people repeatedly use.
2018鸡汤/毒鸡汤
jī tāng / dú jī tāng
Chicken soup (for the soul) / toxic chicken soup — inspirational quotes vs. darkly humorous anti-motivational quotes.
2016点赞
diǎn zàn
To like / give a thumbs up — pressing the like button, or more broadly, to approve of something.
2012天花板
tiān huā bǎn
Ceiling — the absolute peak or highest level of something. Used as a superlative.
2021野生
yě shēng
Wild / unofficial — something or someone that's self-made, unofficial, or discovered in an unexpected place.
2019Emotions & Reactions
绝绝子
jué jué zǐ
Absolutely amazing / Absolutely terrible — an emphatic expression that can be positive or negative depending on context.
2021社死
shè sǐ
Social death — an extremely embarrassing moment that makes you want to disappear.
2020sEMO/emo
emo
Feeling down, sad, or melancholic — used when experiencing a wave of negative emotions.
2021牛/牛逼
niú / niú bī
Awesome / badass — strong praise for something impressive or someone skilled.
2000s尬
gà
Awkward / cringe — describes an uncomfortable, secondhand-embarrassment situation.
2018内耗
nèi hào
Internal friction — overthinking, self-doubt, and mental energy drain from excessive worry.
2022算了
suàn le
Forget it / never mind — expressing resignation or deciding not to bother with something.
2010sYouth Culture
i人/e人
i rén / e rén
Introvert/Extrovert — referencing MBTI personality types, used casually to describe social preferences.
2022双减
shuāng jiǎn
Double reduction — the government policy reducing homework burden and after-school tutoring for students.
2021颜值
yán zhí
Attractiveness score / face value — a numerical rating of someone's physical appearance.
2015饭圈
fàn quān
Fan circle / fandom — the organized community of fans around a celebrity or idol.
2018学霸
xué bà
Academic overachiever / study god — someone who excels at studying and always gets top grades.
2010s特种兵旅游
tè zhǒng bīng lǚ yóu
Special forces tourism — extreme speed travel, cramming maximum sightseeing into minimum time on a tiny budget.
2023About Chinese Internet Slang
What is Chinese internet slang (网络用语)?
Chinese internet slang refers to informal expressions, abbreviations, and phrases that originate from Chinese social media platforms like Weibo, Douyin (TikTok), and WeChat. These terms often reflect current social trends, youth culture, and viral memes.
How is internet slang different from traditional Chinese idioms?
Traditional Chinese idioms (成语) are four-character expressions with thousands of years of history, rooted in classical literature. Internet slang is modern, informal, and constantly evolving — some terms go viral and fade within months.
Should I learn Chinese internet slang?
Understanding internet slang is valuable for comprehending modern Chinese media, chatting with native speakers online, and following social media trends. However, these terms are very informal and should not be used in formal or professional settings.
Social & Relationships
凡尔赛
fán ěr sài
Humble-bragging — showing off wealth or achievements while pretending to be modest or complaining.
2020PUA
PUA
Psychological manipulation — used broadly to describe gaslighting, emotional manipulation, or toxic behavior by bosses, partners, etc.
2020s秀狗/秀恩爱
xiù ēn ài
Showing off affection / PDA — couples who publicly display their relationship in an over-the-top way.
2010s鸡娃
jī wá
Tiger parenting on steroids — pushing children extremely hard academically with endless tutoring and activities.
2020s虾头
xiā tóu
Shrimp head — describes someone who is attractive from behind but disappointing from the front.
2023搭子
dā zi
Activity buddy — a person you pair up with for specific activities (meal buddy, study buddy, travel buddy).
2023晒
shài
To show off / share publicly — posting photos of purchases, trips, or achievements on social media.
2010s大地/大爹
dà dì / dà diē
Big daddy — used sarcastically to describe arrogant or domineering behavior.
2022