刺客

cì kè

Price assassin — a product that looks cheap but shocks you with an unexpectedly high price at checkout.

Origin

Started with "雪糕刺客" (ice cream assassin) in 2022 when expensive ice cream brands tricked people expecting cheap prices.

Examples

That ice cream was a 刺客 — looked normal but cost $8!

小心超市里的雪糕刺客。(Watch out for ice cream assassins in the supermarket.)

Related terms

躺平

tǎng píng

Lying flat — rejecting the rat race, choosing to do the bare minimum instead of overworking.

摆烂

bǎi làn

Let it rot — giving up entirely on trying, embracing failure or mediocrity.

干饭人

gān fàn rén

Eating machine / foodie warrior — someone who eats with great enthusiasm and passion.

佛系

fó xì

Buddha-like — having a zen, whatever-happens-happens attitude toward life. Not caring about outcomes.