网络用语 · 62 terms

Chinese Internet Slang, Decoded

The words that define how China talks online — from workplace frustration to viral memes to relationship drama.

YYDS (永远的神)

yǒng yuǎn de shén

GOAT (Greatest of All Time). Used to praise someone or something as the absolute best.

内卷

nèi juǎn

Involution — excessive, often pointless competition where everyone works harder but nobody gains more.

躺平

tǎng píng

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

Filter by era

Work & Hustle

10

内卷

nèi juǎn

Involution — excessive, often pointless competition where everyone works harder but nobody gains more.

打工人

dǎ gōng rén

Working people / wage slaves — a self-deprecating term workers use to describe themselves.

996

jiǔ jiǔ liù

Working 9am to 9pm, 6 days a week — describes the grueling work culture in Chinese tech companies.

卡点

kǎ diǎn

Arriving at exactly the last possible moment — being precisely on time with zero margin.

割韭菜

gē jiǔ cài

Harvesting leeks — scamming or exploiting consumers/investors, especially through overpriced products or bad investments.

画大饼

huà dà bǐng

Drawing a big pancake — making empty promises, especially by bosses promising raises or promotions that never come.

下班脑

xià bān nǎo

Off-work brain — the mental state of only thinking about leaving work, having zero motivation.

班味

bān wèi

Office stench — the lingering aura of exhaustion and despair that clings to you after work. Not a literal smell, but the dead-eyed, soul-drained vibe.

牛马

niú mǎ

Beasts of burden — self-deprecating label for overworked, underpaid workers who toil like oxen and horses.

摸鱼

mō yú

Touching fish — slacking off at work while pretending to be productive. Scrolling your phone, browsing Taobao, looking busy.

Attitude & Lifestyle

9

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.

第三空间

dì sān kōng jiān

Third space — a place that's neither home nor work where you can relax (cafes, libraries, parks).

松弛感

sōng chí gǎn

Relaxed vibe — the quality of being effortlessly calm and unbothered, not anxious about everything.

报复性消费

bào fù xìng xiāo fèi

Revenge spending — splurging excessively after a period of being unable to spend (e.g., after lockdowns).

刺客

cì kè

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

润

rùn

To emigrate / leave China — from the English word "run," used to describe people leaving the country.

Social & Relationships

10

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.

秀狗/秀恩爱

xiù ēn ài

Showing off affection / PDA — couples who publicly display their relationship in an over-the-top way.

鸡娃

jī wá

Tiger parenting on steroids — pushing children extremely hard academically with endless tutoring and activities.

虾头

xiā tóu

Shrimp head — describes someone who is attractive from behind but disappointing from the front.

搭子

dā zi

Activity buddy — a person you pair up with for specific activities (meal buddy, study buddy, travel buddy).

晒

shài

To show off / share publicly — posting photos of purchases, trips, or achievements on social media.

大地/大爹

dà dì / dà diē

Big daddy — used sarcastically to describe arrogant or domineering behavior.

淡人/浓人

dàn rén / nóng rén

Mild person vs. intense person — a simplified personality split. 淡人 are low-energy and unbothered, 浓人 are loud, passionate, and extra about everything.

狗粮

gǒu liáng

Dog food — what single people are "fed" when couples show off their relationship in front of them. Forced to consume PDA.

Internet Culture

14

YYDS (永远的神)

yǒng yuǎn de shén

GOAT (Greatest of All Time). Used to praise someone or something as the absolute best.

真香

zhēn xiāng

Smells good / So good — used when someone ends up loving something they previously said they'd never do.

高情商

gāo qíng shāng

High EQ — being tactful, diplomatic, or knowing exactly the right thing to say.

CP (嗑CP)

kè CP

Shipping / pairing — supporting or fantasizing about a romantic couple, whether real or fictional.

打call

dǎ call

To show support / cheer for — enthusiastically supporting someone or something.

老六

lǎo liù

Sneaky player / camper — someone who plays dirty or hides and waits for others to fight first.

吃瓜

chī guā

Eating melon — being a spectator watching drama unfold, enjoying gossip without getting involved.

梗

gěng

Meme / running joke — an internet joke, reference, or catchphrase that people repeatedly use.

鸡汤/毒鸡汤

jī tāng / dú jī tāng

Chicken soup (for the soul) / toxic chicken soup — inspirational quotes vs. darkly humorous anti-motivational quotes.

点赞

diǎn zàn

To like / give a thumbs up — pressing the like button, or more broadly, to approve of something.

天花板

tiān huā bǎn

Ceiling — the absolute peak or highest level of something. Used as a superlative.

野生

yě shēng

Wild / unofficial — something or someone that's self-made, unofficial, or discovered in an unexpected place.

硬控

yìng kòng

Hard-controlled — when something is so captivating it pins you in place. From gaming CC (crowd control) applied to real life.

666

liù liù liù

Smooth / well played / awesome — universal approval in gaming and internet culture. The number 6 (六/溜) sounds like 溜 (smooth/skilled).

Emotions & Reactions

11

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.

EMO/emo

emo

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

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.

内耗

nèi hào

Internal friction — overthinking, self-doubt, and mental energy drain from excessive worry.

算了

suàn le

Forget it / never mind — expressing resignation or deciding not to bother with something.

抽象

chōu xiàng

Abstract — when something is so bizarre, confusing, or absurd that you're speechless. The 2024 catch-all for "what am I even looking at."

偷感

tōu gǎn

Thief vibes — the feeling of doing normal things (eating alone, going to the gym) while looking around nervously like you're doing something wrong.

破防

pò fáng

Defenses breached — when something hits you so emotionally hard that your composure breaks. Can be happy tears or devastating news.

心态崩了

xīn tài bēng le

Mentality collapsed — when stress, bad luck, or frustration pushes you past your breaking point. Mental boom.

Youth Culture

8

i人/e人

i rén / e rén

Introvert/Extrovert — referencing MBTI personality types, used casually to describe social preferences.

双减

shuāng jiǎn

Double reduction — the government policy reducing homework burden and after-school tutoring for students.

颜值

yán zhí

Attractiveness score / face value — a numerical rating of someone's physical appearance.

饭圈

fàn quān

Fan circle / fandom — the organized community of fans around a celebrity or idol.

学霸

xué bà

Academic overachiever / study god — someone who excels at studying and always gets top grades.

特种兵旅游

tè zhǒng bīng lǚ yóu

Special forces tourism — extreme speed travel, cramming maximum sightseeing into minimum time on a tiny budget.

city不city

city bù city

City or not city? — asking whether something is modern, hip, or cosmopolitan enough. A vibe check for urbanness.

小孩哥/小孩姐

xiǎo hái gē / xiǎo hái jiě

Kid bro / Kid sis — a child who is surprisingly wise, skilled, or mature beyond their years. Used with genuine admiration.

Frequently asked questions

What is Chinese internet slang?

Informal expressions from Weibo, Douyin, Bilibili, and WeChat that reflect social trends, youth culture, and viral moments.

How is it different from chengyu?

Chengyu are four-character idioms with thousands of years of history. Internet slang is modern, informal, and evolves fast — some terms die in months.

Should I learn this?

Yes, for understanding modern Chinese media and chatting with native speakers online. But don't use these in formal or professional settings.

Where does it come from?

Gaming culture, workplace frustration, and viral moments. Most terms originate from Douyin, Weibo, or Bilibili.