Emotions & Reactions2021very informal

EMO/emo

emo

Feeling down, sad, or melancholic — used when experiencing a wave of negative emotions.

Origin & Background

Borrowed from English "emo" but used more broadly in Chinese to mean any temporary sadness or emotional low point.

Examples

Rainy days make me so emo.

今天又emo了。(I'm feeling emo again today.)

Related Slang

绝绝子

jué jué zǐ

Absolutely amazing / Absolutely terrible — an emphatic expression that can be positive or negative depending on context.

社死

shè sǐ

Social death — an extremely embarrassing moment that makes you want to disappear.

牛/牛逼

niú / niú bī

Awesome / badass — strong praise for something impressive or someone skilled.

尬

gà

Awkward / cringe — describes an uncomfortable, secondhand-embarrassment situation.