China in Translation

The Top 10 Buzzwords in Chinese Online Media in 2020 (咬文嚼字)

Some of the buzzwords that were most noteworthy in Chinese media this year.

Published

5 years ago

December 30, 2020

These are some of the expressions and idioms that have been buzzing in Chinese media in 2020. What’s on Weibo’s Jialing Xie explains.

China’s online media environment is a breeding ground for new terms and niche expressions that suddenly make it to mainstream discussions.

Every year, the most popular new words and expressions are listed by the Chinese magazine 咬文嚼字 (yǎo wén jiáo zì). The magazine selects buzzwords that reflect present-day society and the changing times.

Yǎo Wén Jiáozì, which means “to pay excessive attention to wording,”* is a monthly publication featuring commentary, criticism, and essays on the Chinese language.

Founded in 1995, the magazine has gained social influence for correcting typos in the language used by media and celebrities. Some of these corrections have been impactful, such as their correction of the 2006 CCTV Chinese New Year Gala on writing ‘Shenzhou 6’ (the second human spaceflight of the Chinese space program) as “神州六号” rather than “神舟六号” (different character for ‘zhōu’). It was included in their “Ten Biggest Language Mistakes” list (十大语文差错) of that year.

On social media, Chinese online (state) media always promote the magazine’s selection of the top words and terms of the past year. The ten terms have also become a relatively big topic on Weibo over the past month, with the list of Top 10 Buzzwords in 2020 #2020年度十大流行语# already garnering 460 million views.

*yǎo wén jiáo zì, literal meaning: to talk pedantically and pay excessive attention to wording, often referring to a stickler for detail with an intent to display their fine knowledge; often used negatively or neutrally.

We’ve listed the top 10 buzzwords for you here:

**1. 人民至上，生命至上 (Rénmín zhìshàng, shēngmìng zhìshàng): “People First”**

Literal Meaning: “People are above everything else, life is above everything else.”
The context of this phrase in 2020: On May 22 of 2020, Chinese President Xi Jinping took part in the deliberation of the Inner Mongolia delegation at the annual legislative session, where he stated that “our people come first, people’s lives come first, and the safety and health of our people should be secured at all costs.” “People first, life first” has since become a widely circulated slogan and guiding principle for government and society to combat Covid-19 across the country.

**2. 逆行者 (Nìxíng zhě): “People Going against the Tide”**

Literal Meaning: “People who swim upstream / people who go against the current.”
The context of this phrase in 2020: In a broad sense, this phrase shares a similar meaning as its English counterpart, describing people who dare to differ from the mainstream and to go above and beyond their call of duty. In 2020, it has become a term often used by state media to refer to frontline workers and individuals who made a significant contribution or sacrifice during the battle against the novel coronavirus.

3. 飒 (Sà): “Spirited”

Literal Meaning: “1) Chill and refreshing 2) Onomatopoeia: the sound of the wind
The context of this word in 2020: In modern Chinese literature, this word is commonly used in the idiom “英姿飒爽” (yīng zī sà shuǎng), illustrating how a person, either a man or woman, is high of energy and full of morale and is showing an attitude of heroism and prestige. According to People’s Daily, half of the doctors and more than 90% of the nurses working in healthcare during the fight against COVID19 are female. State media started to use 飒 (sà) as an adjective to eulogize these female medical workers. The word was later used to praise both men and women working in other industries as well.

**4. 后浪 (Hòu làng): “The Rear Waves”**

Literal Meaning: “The rear waves.”
The context of this phrase in 2020: 后浪 hòulàng is often used within the idiom “长江后浪推前浪” (cháng jiāng hòu làng tuī qián làng) which literally means “the rear waves in the Yangtze River drive on those before,” and figuratively referring to how the new generation excels beyond the one before, or how the new is constantly replacing the old. This phrase became an internet meme regarding the young generation in China – specifically, those born in the 90s and 00s – as a result of heated online discussions about a video launched on Bilibili and other social media for Youth Day (May 4th), in which the older actor He Bing talks about the rights and opportunities enjoyed by young people in China today. On various occasions, this word is used to address the more privileged young people. Some associated stereotypes about this group include studying or living abroad, high-quality lifestyle, and luxury material possessions. Those who don’t identify with this privileged group tend to refer to themselves as “韭菜” (Jiǔcài, chives), which shares a similar sentiment as “屌丝” (Diǎosī, loser), as opposed to “the rear waves.”

**5. 神兽 (Shén shòu): “Divine Beasts”**

Literal Meaning: “Divine beasts.”
The context of this word in 2020: Totem worshiping is deeply rooted in the religion and tradition of many ancient cultures. Divine beasts in China are in fact deities, also known as the Four Symbols (四象), as a mixed product of Chinese ancient cosmology and mythology. Since the beginning of remote learning and delay in schools reopening across the country, many parents and caregivers have posted their experience balancing work and remote learning with their children from home. In these posts, parents often call their children ‘divine beasts’ then share their children’s naughty behavior and how they struggled to deal with them.

**6. 直播带货 (Zhíbò dài huò): “Live commerce”**

Literal Meaning: “Live commerce”, “Influencer marketing via live streaming.“
The context of this phrase in 2020: China’s live-streaming economy played an important role in the country’s economic market recovery amidst COVID19. Influencer marketing via live streaming combines talk show-like entertainment and the convenience of online shopping, at times even leveraging social proof and the reputation of influencers themselves to crack astonishing sales records. Apart from internet celebrities, many business executives (i.e. Jack Ma) and even government officials (i.e. 13 local mayors in Hubei Province) also took advantage of the booming live-streaming and appeared in front of webcams to promote certain products which resulted in millions of views on TikTok. On the flip-side of the business, there have been concerns about the quality of the products as well as lawsuits against fraudulent sales practices. Popular topics on Weibo as such include #如何看待直播带货卖假货#(“What do you think of counterfeit goods in live-streaming sales”).

**7. 双循环 (Shuāng xún huán): “Dual Cycle”**

Literal Meaning: “Dual cycle.”
The context of this word in 2020: This term comes from President Xi’s speech at the meeting of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party on May 4, 2020, during which he stated that the dual-cycle system will be the party’s strategy for China’s economic and political development for the near future following COVID19 recovery. The system focuses on recovering and growing the economy by primarily expanding domestic demand mixed with healthy participation in international trade. While it certainly was not the first time the Communist Party introduced this concept of prioritizing the domestic market, according to Xinhua News Agency, the dual-cycle system has been regarded as a suitable strategy given current restrictions facing international trade due to the pandemic and the ongoing trade tensions between China and a few western powers.

**8. 打工人 (Dǎ gōng rén): “Working People”**

Literal Meaning: “Working people”
The context of this phrase in 2020: As agriculture, foreign trade, and investment sectors developed following the economic reform in 1978, a social-economic trend emerged in the 80s during which labor forces across China’s villages and countrysides migrated to cities and worked in blue-collar jobs. These migrant workers are called 打工人 (Dǎ gōng rén) / 打工仔 (Dǎ gōng zǎi). The word later evolved and was used to address the entire working class and salaried employees. For example, the memoir written by Shujuan Liu of the former president of Microsoft China, Jun Tang, was titled “I’m the 高级打工仔 (Gāojí dǎgōng zǎi, high-class worker) at Microsoft”. The term was frequently used as an internet buzzword in 2020 after appearing in a viral video in which a man acted as a migrant worker and showed watchers warm and positive encouragement. The video ended with a “good morning” greeting and addressed watchers as 打工人.

9. **内卷 (Nèi juǎn): “Involution”**

Literal Meaning: “Involution“
The context of this phrase in 2020: According to People’s Daily, this word is a direct translation of the concept of ‘involution’ brought up by the American anthropologist Clifford Geertz. Involution describes the economic situation in which as the population grows, per capita wealth decreases. This year, this word is used to represent the competitive circumstances in academic or professional settings where individuals are compelled to overwork because of the standard raised by their peers who appear to be even more hard working. In the latter half of 2020, a few pictures capturing college students’ multitasking went viral on Weibo. One of the images shows a person working on his computer while riding his bike. These people were then called “卷王” (Juǎn wáng, meaning they are the example of overworking) on social media and became the origin of this buzzword. You can find this word sometimes associated with the 996 working hour system on Weibo.

**10. 凡尔赛文学 (Fán’ěrsài wénxué): “Versailles Literature”**

Literal Meaning: “Versailles literature.”
The context of this phrase in 2020: Social media has made displaying wealth and superiority easier than ever before. Instead of showing off explicitly, some find a way to both satisfy their desire for publicity and avoid doing so ostentatiously, by flaunting wealth and material possessions in an indirect and often negative-toned message. This writing style for social media posts is then referred to as “Versailles literature.” Admittedly not all posts labeled as “Versailles literature” were written with the intent to show off, but those with clear intention are often easily spotted and circulated online and became funny memes. This then led to a wave of discussions and a contest of “Versailles literature” on social media, which became a form of entertainment itself.

By Jialing Xie
Follow @WhatsOnWeibo

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Jialing Xie

Jialing is a Baruch College Business School graduate and a former student at the Beijing University of Technology. She currently works in the US-China business development industry in the San Francisco Bay Area. With a passion for literature and humanity studies, Jialing aims to deepen the general understanding of developments in contemporary China.

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China in Translation

China’s 2025 Year in Review in 12 Phrases

Andrew Methven’s favorite Chinese phrases of the year, a special feature by RealTime Mandarin.

Published

3 months ago

December 31, 2025

Andrew Methven

Dear Reader,

Happy New Year! A new year is, undoubtedly, filled with new resolutions. I have a few on my list, and maybe we have some in common—like reading more books (my new e-reader is arriving from Shenzhen tomorrow!) and being more diligent about practicing my new Chinese vocabulary.

If upping your Chinese is also on your list for 2026, Andrew Methven’s newsletter, RealTime Mandarin, is a must-follow. It’s a free weekly resource that helps you improve your Mandarin in just 10 minutes a week, specifically designed for intermediate to advanced learners. I’ve been following Andrew’s work for over three years and love how he makes mastering the language more manageable, so I highly recommend giving it a follow.

Looking back on 2025, here is Andrew’s curated pick of 12 Chinese phrases to remember.

Every year at this time, we wrap up with our own “unofficial” list of top words and phrases. These are expressions that probably didn’t exist a year ago, but have gone viral and become mainstream lingo over the last 12 months. We’ve picked 12 phrases and avoided overlap with the “official” top ten lists.

Most of these phrases were newly invented or popularised in 2025. So if you haven’t been to China this year, you probably won’t know them.

And as always, these phrases began life in the most unlikely places: from Japanese Manga to Taiwanese baseball; from American online games, to viral moments shared by Chinese students living in the UK.

As we pulled this list together, we noticed something interesting: That it’s full of contradictions. According to these 12 phrases, and the trends they represent, it seems that for any one trend you can say is happening in China right now, you could also find another one that proves the exact opposite is true.

So we decided to explain our favourite phrases of 2025 through five contradictions:

⚔️ Contradiction #1: Consumers are not buying, but are buying like crazy

In January, consumer confidence collapsed, with retail sales in Shanghai and Beijing declining steeply. The broader trend of “consumption downgrading” (消费降级) began in 2024, with policymakers pushing for “rational consumption” (理性消费).

Yet 2025 also saw unbelievable and irrational sales success stories.

“Hard to get a Labubu” (一娃难求) became a trending phrase in June following the explosion of the Labubu (拉布布), an ugly-cute, kind-of-scary toy. Other consumer successes included the move into flavoured beer by ice tea giant, Mixue Bingcheng (蜜雪冰城).

⚔️ Contradiction #2: Businesses had an awful year, but a great year

In April, as the tariff war escalated, many of China’s exporters feared the worst: a “total wipeout” (团灭) of their sales.

China’s tech darling Xiaomi (小米) started the year strong with soaring EV sales, but by the end of the year faced a string of consumer backlashes.

While another EV brand, Neta (哪吒), battled collapse rumours at the start of the year, and outdoor brand, Arc’teryx, was boycotted after its disastrous “mind-blowing” (炸裂) exploding mountain PR stunt.

China’s big three ecommerce platforms — JD, Alibaba, and Meituan — continued in their “tripartite rivalry” (三足鼎立), each invading the others’ turf in a race to the bottom on price.

Yet 2025 also saw stunning business breakthroughs, such as when chipmaker Cambricon (寒武纪), fuelled by China’s “domestic substitution” (国产替代) push, surged from loss-making startup to briefly become China’s most valuable stock, surpassing liquor brand, Moutai (贵州茅台) in the process.

With investors coining a new phrase: “choosing chips over liquor” (喜芯厌酒).

⚔️ Contradiction #3: Government policy was forward-thinking, but also backfired spectacularly

2025 was the year of “Embodied intelligence” (具身智能), after the government prioritised this technology in its Work Report in March.

The following month, Beijing hosted the world’s first “humanoid robot half marathon” (人形机器人半马). And in November, XPENG’s humanoid robot, IRON, stunned observers with its lifelike female form.

Also in March, the State Council announced measures to stamp out “involuted” work practices. And by April, some of China’s tech giants had responded with the introduction of “anti-involution” (反内卷) policies, which has been an ongoing theme throughout the year.

But other government policies backfired spectacularly.

Strict alcohol bans introduced for government officials were criticised as “bureaucratic overreach” (层层加码), the introduction of the K-visa (K签) aimed at attracting foreign talent was derided on social media as youth unemployment sat at 19%. Mosquito eradication efforts in Guangdong were criticised as “using a cannon to kill a fly” (高射炮打蚊子) following heavy-handed measures reminiscent of COVID.

And in Hangzhou, a water contamination scandal resurrected one of our top phrases from 2024 when locals blasted the city government as an “unprofessional team” (草台班子).

⚔️ Contradiction #4: Youth are lying flat, but are fighting back

In August, we discussed a new phrase which had emerged: “rat people” (老鼠人).

It started when Chinese students in the UK began sharing “low-energy rat people” (低能量老鼠人) videos of their isolated lives enduring long, dark British winters. The meme took off as young people embraced “low energy” lifestyles.

But not all youngsters were taking it easy and giving up.

A Chery Auto (奇瑞) graduate employee went into “full confrontation mode” (贴脸开大) with his employer in August after refusing to work Saturdays, citing the government’s “anti-involution” (反内卷) directive.

And earlier in the year, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) faced “widespread condemnation” (千夫所指) after its tone-deaf PR campaign celebrated how it had received 1 million applications for just 8,000 graduate positions.

⚔️ Contradiction #5: Influencers are out, but influencers are in

2025 saw established celebrities fall out of favour with their fans.

High profile entrepreneurs Lei Jun (雷军) and Jia Guolong (贾国龙), were branded “out-of-touch middle-aged men” (老登).

Meanwhile, unlikely viral stars emerged from the grassroots. Director Fang (房主任), a 50-year-old divorced housewife from Shandong, became one of China’s most-watched stand-up comics.

And a street vendor selling 6-yuan fried chicken cutlets in Jingdezhen (景德镇) became “Chicken Cutlet Brother” (鸡排哥) after a customer’s Douyin video of him cooking and serving customers went viral.

Of course, some unchanging themes continued to draw attention in 2025 as in previous years.

Like the abuse of power and privilege by China’s “celestial dragons” (天龙人): the next generation of elites who “leverage family ties” (拼爹) for their own interests.

So, let’s dive in!

Our Favourite Phrases of 2025

1. Mind-blowing

炸裂 zhà liè

💬 一个标榜户外精神的户外品牌，在最脆弱的生态环境里，搞了一场炸裂的秀。

💬 An outdoor brand that claims to embody the spirit of nature put on a “spectacular” fireworks show in one of the most fragile ecosystems.

Background:

Internet slang which started in Japanese baseball to describe explosive performance. It gained popularity in Taiwan baseball to describe spectacular moments. In Mainland Chinese it describes stunning and sudden success — such as the overtaking of Moutai by semi chip maker, Cambricon (寒武纪).

“Mind-blowing” can also be used as an ironic statement when something goes mind-blowingly wrong, like Arc’teryx’s disastrous fireworks PR stunt in the Himalayas in September.

Related RTM content:

2. Total wipeout

团灭 tuán miè

💬 最坏的情况下，储能在美国的业务会被“团灭”。

💬 In the worst-case scenario, the energy storage business in the U.S. will be totally wiped out.

Background

Started as a gaming phrase in team-based video games like World of Warcraft and League of Legends to describe total team wipe outs (all members dying together). It extended beyond gaming to describe collective failures in exams, work, or daily life.

We first came across it listening in to discussions between Chinese exporters in the face of US tariffs and the growing tariff war.

Related RTM content:

3. Out-of-touch middle-aged man

老登 lǎo dēng

💬 一连串的老登翻车，不能单纯用偶然和倒霉解释。

💬 When one boomer after another messes up, it’s not just coincidence or bad luck anymore.

Background

Originally a northern slang phrase, and a derogatory term for an old man (something like the English, “old git”). It took off this year after a number of high profile, self-inflicted PR disasters of high profile, influential male entrepreneurs. The most notable is Xiaomi founder, Lei Jun (雷军).

You can use it to describe any middle aged man who is condescending and appears out of touch with reality.

Related RTM content

4. Hard to get a Labubu

一娃难求 yì wá nán qiú

💬 火爆到“一娃难求”的LABUBU是泡泡玛特旗下“THE MONSTER”系列的一员。

💬 Labubu is part of Pop Mart’s “THE MONSTER” series, which has become so popular that it’s impossible to get one.

Background

One of the craziest shopping trends of 2025 — the obsession with these tiny, ugly, key ring toys made by Chinese company, Pop Mart. Since early 2025, images of Labubu filled social media feeds and become a must-have item for millions of fans and collectors in China.

Expect to see more from the Labubu in 2026.

Related RTM content:

Labubu are selling like hot cakes, and so are the fakes

5. “Chicken Cutlet Brother”

鸡排哥 jī pái gē

💬 最近，景德镇有个卖鸡排的大哥突然爆火，还被广大网友封为“鸡排主理人”。

💬 Recently, a man selling fried chicken in Jingdezhen suddenly went viral and was even dubbed the “chicken chop curator” by netizens.

Background

The “Chicken Cutlet Brother” (鸡排哥) story is one of our favourites from 2025. This 48-year-old overnight sensation is genuine, authentic, and unpolished – a refreshing change from the heavily curated content that dominated Chinese social media this year. His story echoes the “Second Uncle” (二舅) phenomenon we covered in 2022.

The sheer volume of memes and slang spawned by a single short video is staggering. Three phrases in China’s official top ten lists came directly from him. “Chicken Cutlet Brother” will likely become shorthand for authentic grassroots creators in 2026.

Related RTM content:

6. Rat person

老鼠人 lǎo shǔ rén

💬 今年以来，“低能量老鼠人的一天”系列短视频走红社交媒体，很多年轻人热衷于自我诊断为“低能量老鼠人”。

💬 This year, the short video series “A Day in the Life of a Low-Energy Rat Person” went viral on social media, with many young people eager to self-diagnose as such.

Background

The phrase “rat people” (老鼠人) began gaining traction in early 2025. It evolved from an earlier internet meme, “rat literature” (鼠鼠文学), a buzzword that first emerged in early 2023. By 2025, a related phrase emerged on social media: “low-energy rat people” (低能量老鼠人). It was first popularized by Chinese students in the UK, enduring long, dark winters in isolation.

It’s now become a way young people describe their low energy lifestyles.

Related RTM content:

There’s a new phrase in China’s “lie flat” movement

7. Over-privileged elite

天龙人 tiān lóng rén

💬 这的确是中国“新天龙人”的普遍特点——他们是很真诚地认为，集众美于一身的人生赛道是理所应当的。

💬 This indeed reflects a common trait of the next generation of the privileged in China—they genuinely believe that inheriting multiple forms of privilege is their birthright.”

Background

Originates from the Japanese manga, One Piece by Oda Eiichiro, referring to the descendants of twenty kings who founded the World Government. These characters enjoy extreme privileges, and consider themselves superior to ordinary people.

In Chinese online discourse, the term has evolved into internet slang to describe privileged elites in real life who are disconnected from ordinary people, who possess power and resources, live luxurious lives, and operate above the rules that govern everyone else.

Related RTM content:

8. Consumption downgrade

消费降级 xiāo fèi jiàng jí

💬 也只有走上消费降级，扩大食客基础的道路。

💬 The only way out is to embrace the consumption downgrade and broaden their customer base.

Background

Emerged around 2018 in response to economic pressures like high housing costs and slowing income growth. The explosive rise of discount e-commerce platforms like PDD (拼多多) became a symbol of this shift. The phrase represents a reversal of China’s decades-long consumption upgrade trend.

This year we’ve seen a number of major trends which fit the “consumption downgrade trend” — including the collapse of consumer confidence in Beijing and Shanghai, and incredible success of low priced convenience products like “one yuan iced cup” by tea brand, Goodme (古茗).

Related RTM content

9. Full confrontation mode

贴脸开大 tiē liǎn kāi dà

💬 一名00后奇瑞校招生李某凯“贴脸开大”，在收到公司周六开会的邮件后，直接回复拒绝，并且将邮件抄送公司高层，包括集团二把手。

💬 Li, a Gen Z Chery campus recruit, chose to confront it head-on by saying no to the Saturday meeting in an email, in which he copied the company’s senior executives, including the group’s second-in-command.

Background

Started online gaming where it describes high-risk, high-reward move of rushing directly up to an enemy and unleashing your ultimate ability at point-blank range. The phrase has evolved into internet slang to describe being direct or blunt.

It’s similar to “bringing up exactly what shouldn’t be mentioned” or being brutally frank, often used with a teasing or mocking tone. Just like a graduate employee at Chery did this year when he refused to attend Saturday training and meetings.

Related RTM content:

Graduate employee takes on Chery Auto and its overtime work culture

10. Choosing chips over liquor

喜芯厌酒 xǐ xīn yàn jiǔ

💬 在资本市场「喜芯厌酒」情绪托举下，寒武纪摇身变新王。

💬 Fueled by investor’s shift from liquor to chips, Cambricon is crowned the new king on the capital markets.

Background

A clever wordplay on the Chinese idiom “love the new, hate the old” (喜新厌旧), which is typically used to criticise disloyalty in relationships or fair-weather behaviour. The new version substitutes two characters while maintaining the original pronunciation: “new” (新 xīn) becomes “microchip” (芯 xīn), and “old” (旧 jiù) becomes “alcohol” (酒 jiǔ). This perfectly captures investor enthusiasm for semiconductor stocks like Cambricon while abandoning traditional alcohol companies like Moutai.

But the wordplay retains the original idiom’s critical edge, questioning whether Cambricon represents genuine long-term value or just another fleeting trend investors will abandon.

Related RTM content:

11. Using a cannon to kill a fly

高射炮打蚊子 gāo shè pào dǎ wén zi

💬 重型机械来灭蚊，真有种高射炮打蚊子的既视感。

💬 Heavy machinery for mosquitoes? Brilliant strategy, just like using a cannon to kill a fly.

Background

Literally “using anti-aircraft guns to kill mosquitoes”, which is a xiehouyu (歇后语), a traditional two-part allegorical saying where a vivid scenario delivers its punchline through absurd imagery. The phrase describes massively disproportionate responses to minor problems. While not coined in 2025, it became popular this year as commentary on heavy-handed government policies, particularly Guangdong’s extreme mosquito eradication campaigns.

It perfectly captures public frustration with bureaucratic overreach, when authorities deploy maximum force against minimal threats.

Related RTM content:

12. The beauty of an economic upturn

经济上行期的美 jīng jì shàng xíng qī de měi

💬 最近刷到越来越多人开始怀念10年代经济上行期的美。

💬 Lately, I’ve seen more and more people reminiscing online about the beauty of the economic upturn during the 2010s.

Background

This has become a viral hashtag on Chinese social media. It refers to roughly 2001-2015, when China’s economy maintained near double-digit growth and quality of life visibly improved year after year. Upward mobility felt tangible. Opportunities seemed everywhere.

This optimism defined early iterations of China’s largest online shopping festival, Double 11, launched in 2009, when it was ok to “consume and be happy” (消费即幸福).

But for many, that sense of optimism has now faded.

Related RTM content:

China’s Double 11 shopping festival loses its shine

By Andrew Methven

China in Translation

Jiehun Huazhai (结婚化债): Getting Married to Pay Off Debts

Published

9 months ago

July 3, 2025

Manya Koetse

🔥 A version of this story also appeared in the Weibo Watch newsletter. Subscribe to stay in the loop.

Our Weibo phrase of the week is 结婚化债 jiéhūn huàzhài. Lately, the term “结婚化债” jiéhūn huàzhài, which translates to “marriage as debt resolution” or “getting married to resolve debt” is a recurring term on Chinese social media.

The word refers to a phenomenon that has become more prevalent alongside rising debts among younger people in China due to credit card debts or personal (online) loans. Instead of resolving their debts in other ways, there are people who turn to marriage as a way to solve financial problems. It’s not a promise of love-it’s a calculated transaction.

By getting married, women in particular can demand high bride prices and make their new husbands help repay their premarital loans.

Once they’re out of debt, they quickly divorce and leave their partners both emotionally and financially ruined.

Especially in China, where there are many more men of marriage age than women, women find an easy target in marriage-minded men who might not even be aware of their partner’s debt before tying the knot.

As a result of this controversial trend, bloggers and influencers are now warning people not to rush into marriage—recommending they check for financial transparency and, if needed, hire a lawyer to conduct a premarital financial investigation.

“The practice is old, the word is new,” one Weibo commenter wrote (“旧行业新名词”).

Others also agree that the phenomenon itself is not new: “Actually, this kind of scheme has been around for a long time, I heard about it twenty years ago. It just wasn’t that widespread back then because online lending didn’t exist yet. That said, society tends to adapt. Once a particular tactic becomes too common in the market, it naturally starts to lose its effectiveness.”

In the end, the best prevention against these sorts of practices is to increase social awareness—and not get blinded by love.

Explore more Chinese buzzwords and online language trends here.

By Manya Koetse

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