Chinese Slang Dictionary
Curated and explained by the Fluentide team. Updated June 2026.
38 modern Chinese slang terms — the internet, Gen-Z, work, and dating words you'll never find in a textbook. Each one explained in plain English with pinyin, what it really means, an example sentence, and where it came from.
What is Chinese slang?
Chinese slang — 网络流行语 (wǎngluò liúxíngyǔ) — is the living layer of the language that textbooks can't keep up with.
It's how real people talk online and with friends: pinyin acronyms like yyds (永远的神, “the GOAT”), number codes like 666 (“nicely done”), homophone puns, and ordinary words bent to new meanings like 内卷 (the rat race) and 躺平 (lying flat).
Knowing it is the difference between understanding a Chinese textbook and understanding a Chinese group chat. Browse by category below, or search for a specific word.
38 terms · page 1 of 5
社交恐惧 shè kǒng
Social anxiety — dreading small talk, parties, or phone calls. Used loosely and half-jokingly. Its opposite is 社牛, a social butterfly.
pò fáng
To have your emotional guard shattered — something hits so hard you tear up or lose composure. Can be sad or deeply moved.
fán ěr sài
Humblebragging — showing off wealth or success while pretending to complain. The whole genre is 凡尔赛文学.
chōu xiàng
Absurd, chaotic, makes-no-sense-on-purpose humor or behavior. Calling something 抽象 means it's so random and surreal that it's funny.
zhēn xiāng
The moment you eat your words: you swore you would never, then ended up loving it. The ultimate "I take it back".
tǎng píng
Opting out of the grind — refusing to overwork, over-compete, or chase society's expectations. A quiet protest against 内卷.
dā zi
An activity buddy for one specific thing — a 饭搭子 (meal buddy), 咖啡搭子 (coffee buddy), 旅游搭子 (travel buddy). Lighter than a close friend.
hóng wēn
Going red in the face from anger, embarrassment, or losing your cool — your 'temperature' visibly spikes.
The method in practice
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