Emotions & Reactions2018informal

尬

gà

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

Origin & Background

Short for 尴尬 (awkward). Became popular shorthand in text messages and social media posts.

That conversation was so 尬.

好尬啊，不知道说什么好。(So awkward, I don't know what to say.)

jué jué zǐ

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

shè sǐ

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

emo

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

niú / niú bī

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