Chinese Internet slang (Chinese: 中国网络用语; pinyin: zhōngguó wǎngluò yòngyǔ) refers to various kinds of Internet slang used by people on the Chinese Internet. It is often coined in response to events, the influence of the mass media and foreign culture, and the desires of users to simplify and update the Chinese language. Slang that first appears on the Internet is often adopted to become current in everyday life. It includes content relating to all aspects of social life, mass media, economic, and political topics and the like. Internet slang is arguably the fastest-changing aspect of the language, created by a number of different influences—technology, mass media and foreign culture amongst others.
The categories given below are not exclusive and are used distinguish the different kinds of Chinese internet slang. Some phrases may belong in more than one category.
Latin abbreviations
Chinese users commonly use a pinyin-enabled QWERTY keyboard. Upper-case letters are easy to type and require no transformation. (Lower-case letters spell words which are changed into Chinese characters). Latin alphabet abbreviations (rather than Chinese characters) are also sometimes used to evade censorship.[3]
- LZ – lóu zhǔ (楼主), the owner of the thread, the original poster
- A片 – A piān, an 'adult' video[4]
- BZ – bǎnzhǔ (版主), the moderator of an internet discussion forum[4]
- BS – bǐshì (鄙视), to despise (verb)[4]
- JB – jiba (鸡巴), vulgar word referring to a man's private parts (male genitalia)[4]
- CCAV – China Central Adult Video, ironic nickname for China Central Television (CCTV)[4]
- CN – chǔnǚ or chǔnán (处女 or 处男), virgin (female or male)[4]
- CNM – cāonǐmā, fuck your mother. The most common way of cursing in China. Some phrase it "sao ni ma".
- CNMB – cāonǐmābī, fuck your mother's vagina. Used as an insult
- FL – fàláng (发廊), hairdresser, possibly providing sex services[4]
- FQ – fènqīng (愤青), indignant/angry youth[4]
- GC – gāocháo (高潮), orgasm[4]
- GCD – gòngchǎndǎng (共产党), the Communist Party[4]
- GG – gēge (哥哥), literally older brother, by extension male friend, or guy.[4] Nowadays, people say "GG" to mean good job on the game (these two letters also mean "Good Game").
- GD – gōudā (勾搭), gang up with
- HLL – huá lì lì (华丽丽), glamorous, high-profile[4]
- JC – jǐngchá (警察), police[4]
- JC – jié cāo (节操), moral integrity, moral principle
- JJ – jījī (鸡鸡), reference to the male genitalia
- JP – jípǐn (极品), high quality, but used ironically for things that are extremely low quality[4]
- JY – jīngyīng (精英), elite, right-wing intellectuals, but also jīngyè (精液) sperm, semen[4]
- KD – kēngdiē (坑爹), to cheat someone
- KJ – kǒujiāo (口交), oral sex[4]
- LD – lǐng dǎo (领导), leadership, i.e. the government and officials[4]
- ML – to make love[4]
- MM – mèimèi (妹妹, 美美, 美妹 or 美眉), little sister, young girl, pretty girl. Often written as "MM", which usually refers to a young girl or pretty girls[4]
- NB – niúbī (牛逼), an arrogant, annoying person, but also used positively for an awesome, impressive, person, similar to "badass"[4]
- NMSL – nǐmāsǐle (你妈死了), lit. "Your mom is dead", used as an insult[5]
- PG – pìgu (屁股), buttocks[4]
- P民 – pì mín (屁民), rabble, hoi polloi, ordinary people, often used ironically[4]
- PLGG – piàoliàng gēgē (漂亮哥哥), pretty boy (see GG above)
- PLMM – piàoliàng mèimei (漂亮妹妹), beautiful girl (see MM above)
- PS or P出 – Photoshopped (picture)[4]
- RS – rèsōu (热搜), popular search term
- SB – shǎbī (傻逼), lit. "dumb cunt", commonly used as an insult[4]
- SMT – shāmǎtè (杀马特), unusual appearance and strange style
- SN – sauna,[4] reinforced by its Chinese translation sāngná (桑拿)
- TMD – tāmāde (他妈的), common Chinese expletive used for "damn", "fuck", and the like[4]
- TT – tàotao (套套), condom[4]
- TTL – Tomboy's Love/太甜了 (too sweet)
- WDR – wàidìrén (外地人), stranger, outsider, foreigner[4]
- WSND – "Wo Shi Ni Die", "I am your father"
- XJ – xiǎojiě (小姐), young woman, but also commonly for prostitute[4]
- XSWL – xiàosǐwǒlè (笑死我了), LMAO
- YD – yín dàng (淫荡), obscene, perverted[4]
- YP – yuē pào (约炮), casual sex
- YQZH – yǒuqiánzhēnhǎo (有钱真好), so good to be rich, or sometimes, admire another who is rich
- YY – yì yín (意淫), fantasizing, sexual thoughts[4]
- YYDS – yǒngyuǎn de shén (永远滴神), "eternal God", describes an outstanding person or thing
- ZF – zhèngfǔ (政府), government[4]
- ZG – zhōngguó (中国), China[4]
- WDNMD – Wǒ diào nǐ mā de (我屌你妈的), fuck you, commonly used in games such as CSGO
- SMWY – Shénme wányì (什么玩意), what the fuck, commonly used in video games
- GB – Gǒu bī (狗逼, 勾八), stupid
- LJ – Lā jī (垃圾), calling someone out for being bad at playing a certain video game
- CB Southern Peninsular Malaysian Hokkien – Jī bài (鸡拜), (vagina) a Hokkien slang for fuck
- LJ Southern Peninsular Malaysian Hokkien – Lǎn jiào (懒觉), a Hokkien slang for penis
- LC Malaysian Cantonese – Lan si (撚屎), commonly used for someone being uptight
- DLLM Cantonese – Diu lei lou mou (屌你老母), commonly used phrase in the internet as fuck you
- AZ – A zhè (啊这), used as shocked expression, something happened out of the ordinary
- WC – Wǒ chāo (我焯), I'm screwed.
- LCLY Malaysian Cantonese – lan si lan yong (撚屎撚樣), a uptight arrogant person who only talks about themselves
- NJHL Malaysian Mandarin – Nǐ jiù hǎo lo (你就好咯), you have good things, and I'm miserable
Criticism
The People's Daily coined the term "vulgar Internet language" to refer the Internet language that "offends the moral" and suggested a blacklist to discourage the usage of them.[13]
