This section of the Chinese Slang Dictionary focuses on Internet Culture slang. Each entry includes the Chinese characters (汉字), pinyin pronunciation with tone marks, an English translation, at least one example sentence showing real usage, and cultural context explaining where the term comes from and how it is used. Terms are sorted by community popularity. Browse the full list below or use the search bar to find a specific term.
Literally meaning 'bottle cap,' this term is used in online conversations to refer to someone who rarely contributes or participates in discussions, akin to being mute in a group. It can be playful or critical.
In this group, you’re just a bottle cap, not contributing much.
Censored / disappeared / not found — borrowed from the HTTP 404 error code. In Chinese internet culture, 404 refers to content deleted or blocked by censorship. "404'd" means something has been scrubbed from the Chine...
That article has been 404'd — it's gone.
This term means 'to enlighten or educate,' often used in contexts where information is shared to clear up misunderstandings. It's akin to giving a crash course on a topic.
Let me enlighten you on this hot topic.
Literally 'bubble head', this refers to a specific trendy hairstyle characterized by a short bob cut, often associated with youthfulness and fashion. It symbolizes a playful and stylish image.
She got a bubble head hairstyle and instantly became youthful.
Bye bye — 88 sounds like 拜拜 (bāi bāi), the Mandarin phonetic borrowing of the English "bye bye." The quickest and most universal numeric farewell in Chinese digital communication.
Going offline — bye bye!
Translating to 'short but powerful,' this term describes something concise yet impactful, often used for comments or content that delivers strong messages in few words.
His speech was short but powerful, leaving a deep impression.
Referring to a 'fan circle,' this term describes the community of fans surrounding a celebrity or fandom. It often involves intense loyalty and interactions among members.
She joined her idol's fan circle, binge-watching dramas and voting.
Literally 'sweet pie,' this term is used to describe content or stories that are overly sweet or romantic, often to the point of being unrealistic. It’s a playful critique of sugary narratives.
The plot in this drama is just a sweet pie; it's too unrealistic.
Translating to 'mass production,' this term describes the phenomenon of generating content quickly and frequently, often without much depth or quality. It critiques the oversaturation of low-quality media.
Many videos on platforms now are mass-produced and lack creativity.
Literally 'giving away a person's head', this slang is used to describe situations in gaming where someone is easily defeated or gives up points to opponents, often in a humorous sense.
In this game, I really just gave away my points.
This term means 'super topic', referring to a specific fandom or community discussion thread on social media platforms like Weibo. It’s where fans gather to talk about their favorite celebrities or themes.
I saw many interesting discussions in a certain super topic today.
This term refers to someone who is overly obsessed with something, often used in a humorous or mocking context. It can imply that the person's passion has crossed into fanaticism.
He's really obsessed, he loves this TV show to the point of madness.
Forever God / GOAT - An abbreviation of '永远的神' meaning 'eternal god'. Used to express extreme admiration, like saying something is the best ever.
This bubble tea shop is the GOAT! There's always a line.
Translating to 'show-off maniac', this term describes someone who constantly boasts about their possessions or accomplishments on social media. It characterizes a specific behavior that many people find off-putting.
He is such a show-off maniac, posting photos of his luxury car every day.
Literally 'liver emperor,' this term is used to describe someone who plays video games obsessively or spends a lot of time grinding levels. It highlights the dedication and often unhealthy devotion gamers have to cert...
He spends all day grinding in this game and has no time to eat.
Literally meaning 'archaeology', this term is used to describe someone who revisits old posts or trends on the internet, especially on social media. It reflects nostalgia for past trends or content.
I've been revisiting old videos lately; this content is really funny.
Meaning 'rookie' or 'newbie,' it is often used to describe someone who is inexperienced in a particular area, most commonly in gaming or learning a new skill. It can be used in a light-hearted manner.
I’m a rookie at this game; I’ve just started playing not long ago.
Translating to 'Werewolf Kill', this refers to a popular social deduction game where players role-play and try to identify who among them is the 'werewolf'. The game emphasizes strategy and social interaction.
Let’s play Werewolf Kill together this weekend!
Translating to 'only wolf,' this term refers to a tough, single character, often evoking a sense of independence or resilience. It’s frequently used in gaming contexts to describe lone warriors.
He always acts alone; he's truly a lone wolf.
Literally meaning 'explode', in slang it describes something that is extremely exciting or impressive. It can be used to hype up events, news, or trends that gain sudden popularity.
This video is really explosive; the views have already surpassed a million!
Translating to 'see through', it is used when someone can understand the underlying truth of a situation or person, often implying a sense of wisdom.
She saw through his lies.
Seed phrase / Mnemonic - Recovery words for your crypto wallet.
Write your seed phrase on paper, do not store it on your phone.
This is a playful sound that mimics a sheep's bleat and is often used at the end of sentences to add a cute or soft tone. It can express uncertainty or cuteness.
The weather is really nice today, baa~
Meaning 'hot push', it refers to trending topics or content that gain sudden popularity, particularly on social media.
After this song became a hot push, everyone started discussing it.
Digital side dish; addictive short-form content watched during meals
I have to scroll some short videos while eating — otherwise something feels missing.
This term translates to 'immortal operation' and refers to extraordinary skills or talents, especially in gaming or sports. It denotes actions that are exceptionally impressive or seemingly beyond the ordinary.
His skills are truly exceptional; they leave people in awe.
Translating to 'echo', it refers to situations where one's words or opinions resonate with others, often used in discussions about social media trends or content that gains a lot of attention.
This video has a big echo; everyone is discussing it.
Meaning 'short video traffic generation', this term is used in marketing contexts to refer to strategies that attract an audience using short video formats. It highlights the trend of using quick, engaging content to ...
We need to use short videos to attract traffic for product promotion.
Literally meaning 'fried chicken,' this term is a play on words for '超级' (super) and is used to express something being extremely good or excellent. It is often used to convey enthusiasm for something, like a movie or...
This movie is super awesome!
Meaning 'eye-catching' or 'striking', this term is used to describe something that stands out or is impressive, often in a visually appealing way. It's used to compliment design, aesthetics, or performances.
This design is really eye-catching and has attracted many people's attention.
Translating to 'various styles of marketing', this term refers to innovative and creative marketing techniques that engage audiences in entertaining ways. It reflects the need for originality in a crowded market.
There are more and more brands using various styles of marketing now; it’s really interesting.
This term means 'dark horse' and is used to describe someone or something that unexpectedly achieves success, especially in competitive environments. It emphasizes the surprise aspect of their victory.
This movie unexpectedly became a dark horse, surpassing box office expectations.
This term is akin to saying 'so-and-so' or 'someone' and is used to refer to unnamed people or things. It often appears in discussions when the actual names or specifics are not relevant or known.
So-and-so said today’s meeting has been canceled.
Literally 'digging graves', this term is used to describe the act of reviving or bringing attention back to old topics or posts on the internet, especially when it resurfaces unexpectedly. It's often used humorously.
She was digging graves in the forum, finding popular posts from years ago.
This term means 'science popularization' and refers to the act of making complex scientific concepts accessible to the general public. It's commonly used in educational contexts, especially online.
This channel focuses on science popularization, hoping everyone can understand science.
Translating to 'algorithm recommendation,' this term is often used to discuss how social media platforms curate content for users based on their interactions. It reflects both fascination and frustration with digital ...
I really don't know why the algorithm recommendations always give me weird videos.
Translating to 'black technology', this term refers to advanced, often innovative technologies that seem to defy conventional understanding. It’s used to describe cutting-edge trends, particularly in tech discussions.
The features of this phone are truly black technology.
Meaning 'African rainbow,' this slang is used to humorously describe something that is unexpectedly vibrant or colorful, often in a surprising or ironic way. It highlights creativity in expression.
His outfit combination is truly an African rainbow; it’s so cool!
This term means 'forwarding for a lottery' and refers to a common practice on social media where users share posts to enter a prize draw. It represents the interactive and promotional nature of social media.
There are many forwarding lotteries; I want to try my luck too.
Healing genre — a category of content or aesthetics with a soothing, restorative quality. Originally from Japanese iyashikei, it describes anything — videos, animals, food, slow life — that makes you feel calm and hea...
Snow Mountain Fox Rescue is typical healing-genre content — I felt much less stressed after watching.
The term mimics the sound of something rolling or tumbling, often used to represent procrastination or an idle lifestyle. It can also describe a situation where things don't go as planned, adding a playful tone.
I rolled around all afternoon and didn't get anything done.
Meaning 'to question' or 'to doubt', this term is used when expressing skepticism about something, often in the context of discussions or news online. It reflects critical thinking in digital conversations.
I have some doubts about this news; I don't know if it's true.
Smiling proudly through the jianghu — the title of Jin Yong's beloved novel about a wandering swordsman who refuses to be bound by any faction or ambition. Online, used to describe a carefree, unbothered attitude towa...
After quitting, I can finally smile proudly through the jianghu — no more rat race for me.
This literally means 'seafood', but in internet slang, it's used to describe someone who is 'fresh' or 'new', often in a humorous or mocking way.
His performance today was really fresh.
Iron Dummy — affectionate nickname for robots, especially delivery robots and service robots, that are visibly limited or fail in endearing ways.
That food delivery robot got stuck spinning in the doorway — what an iron dummy.
Translating to 'ride the hot spots', this term refers to the practice of taking advantage of trending topics or events to gain attention or relevance, especially in marketing and social media.
Many brands leverage hot spots to increase their visibility.
Gold farming / Play to earn - Making money by playing blockchain games.
He earns thousands per month gold farming.
Literally 'internet sprayer', this term denotes online trolls or individuals who post negative comments and criticisms indiscriminately. It's often used to describe people who enjoy stirring up trouble online.
The comments from these internet trolls are really frustrating.
Translating to 'brain teasers', this term refers to riddles or puzzles that require lateral thinking. It emphasizes wit and cleverness.
This brain teaser is really interesting; I thought about it for a long time.
Translating to 'surfing online', this term describes the act of browsing the internet, often aimlessly or for entertainment, similar to the English phrase 'surfing the web'.
Today, I was surfing online and found a lot of interesting content.
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