钓鱼
diào yú
"Fishing" — baiting someone into showing romantic interest (a flattering selfie, an ambiguous late-night text) to see who bites. The people who bite become the "fish."
Origin
Began as general internet slang for trolling/baiting (posting provocative content to get a reaction), common on forums since the early 2010s. The romantic sense is a later extension that rode in on the 养鱼/海王 fishing-metaphor cluster around 2018–2019.
Read the full story
What does 钓鱼 mean? The complete guide — origin, usage, related slang, and cultural context.
Examples
他半夜发那种朋友圈，就是在钓鱼。(Posting stuff like that on WeChat Moments at midnight — he's just fishing for attention.)
Don't fall for it, she's just 钓鱼-ing.
Related terms
显眼包
xiǎn yǎn bāo
An 'attention-grabber' — a person, animal, or thing that grabs everyone's attention through a loud personality, bold appearance, or conspicuous antics; the class clown or show-off, now usually warm and teasing rather than harsh.
嘴替
zuǐ tì
Literally 'mouth substitute' — someone who voices an opinion exactly the way you wish you could, saying what's in your head but more clearly, bravely, or eloquently; 'they took the words right out of my mouth.'
凡尔赛
fán ěr sài
Humble-bragging — showing off wealth or achievements while pretending to be modest or complaining.
PUA
PUA
Psychological manipulation — used broadly to describe gaslighting, emotional manipulation, or toxic behavior by bosses, partners, etc.