养鱼
yǎng yú
To "raise fish": keep several romantic prospects on the hook at once — never committing, never rejecting, stringing multiple admirers along in parallel. The pool of admirers is a 鱼塘 ("fish pond").
Origin
The "fish pond" imagery is commonly traced to the 2014 drama Boss & Me (杉杉来了), whose CEO lead calls an admirer a fish in his pond — a line that went viral. The dating sense of 养鱼 crystallized around it and peaked in 2018–2019.
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What does 养鱼 mean? The complete guide — origin, usage, related slang, and cultural context.
Examples
他同时跟三个女生暧昧，纯纯在养鱼。(He's flirting with three girls at once — straight-up raising fish.)
我发现自己只是她鱼塘里的一条。(I realized I'm just one fish in her pond.)
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.