Chinese Internet Slang: Popular Slang Words and Abbreviation Used by Chinese Speakers

If you've spent any time on Chinese social media platforms like Weibo or Douyin, you've probably seen expressions that make absolutely zero sense even if you know Mandarin. That's because Chinese internet slang evolves faster than any textbook can keep up with. These terms pop up overnight, go viral across millions of users, and sometimes disappear just as quickly. Understanding this slang isn't just about keeping up with trends. It's actually one of the best ways to sound natural when chatting with Chinese speakers online and to really get what's happening in Chinese pop culture right now. Ready to start your internet surfing?🏄

Why Chinese internet slang matters when you learn Chinese

Here's the thing about learning any language: textbooks teach you how people should talk, but internet slang shows you how people actually talk. When you learn Chinese through traditional methods, you'll master formal grammar and proper vocabulary. That's great for business meetings or academic writing. But hop onto any Chinese gaming stream or scroll through Xiaohongshu comments, and you'll feel lost without knowing the current slang terms.

Chinese internet slang gives you access to genuine conversations. Native speakers use these expressions constantly in casual digital communication. If you want to chat naturally with Chinese friends, understand memes, or follow what's trending, you need this vocabulary in your toolkit.

The other cool part? Learning slang actually helps reinforce your understanding of how Chinese works. Many slang terms play with pinyin, use creative abbreviations, or twist existing phrases in clever ways. Figuring out how these expressions work deepens your feel for the Chinese language overall.

When Chinese internet slang starts and how it evolves

Chinese internet slang didn't just appear randomly. It started gaining serious momentum in the early 2000s when online forums and chat rooms became popular in China. People needed faster ways to type using Chinese characters, so they started creating shortcuts and playful expressions.

The real explosion happened with social media platforms and mobile messaging apps. WeChat, Weibo, and later Douyin created massive communities where slang could spread instantly. A single viral video or trending post can launch a new term that millions of people start using within days.

Gaming culture has pushed this evolution even further. Competitive games create intense situations where players need quick communication, which leads to abbreviated slang terms. Terms from gaming streams often jump to general social media use.

Right now in 2026, Gen Z users on platforms like Douyin and Bilibili drive most new slang creation. They mix Mandarin with English, create homophone puns, and constantly reinvent expressions to stay ahead of older generations and censorship filters.

Numbers in Chinese internet slang

One of the weirdest things about Chinese internet slang for new learners is how numbers get used as words. This works because Chinese number pronunciations sound similar to certain words or phrases.

666

This is probably the most famous example. In Chinese, the number 6 is pronounced "liù," which sounds similar to "溜" (liū), meaning smooth or slick. When gamers started typing "666" (Pronounced "liù liù liù"), it became a way to say someone's playing really well or did something impressive. You'll see this spammed in gaming chat streams constantly.

The term spread way beyond gaming. Now people use 666 to compliment anything done skillfully. Someone posts a great photo? 666. Your friend aces an exam? 666. It's basically like saying "nice!" or "pro level!"

520

Here's a romantic one. The number 520 is pronounced "wǔ èr líng," which sounds like "wǒ ài nǐ" (我爱你), meaning "I love you." People send 520 yuan as red envelope gifts on messaging apps or use May 20th (5/20) as an unofficial Valentine's Day in China.

88

This abbreviation comes from the pronunciation of 8 in Chinese, "bā," repeated twice. It sounds like "bye bye" in English, so 88 became a quick way to say goodbye in chats. Pretty straightforward compared to some other slang terms. This term was more popular back in 2010s. If you use this term, people may think that you were born in the 80s (outdated to the latest internet culture...)

Popular abbreviations and acronyms

Chinese social media users love creating abbreviations from longer phrases. These save typing time and create an in-group feeling among people who understand them.

YYDS (永远的神)

YYDS stands for "yǒng yuǎn de shén" (永远的神), which literally means "forever god" or "eternal god." It's used to express that someone or something is the absolute best, the GOAT (Greatest of all time). This term blew up around 2020 and is still going strong in 2026.

You'll see YYDS everywhere. Fans use it for their favorite celebrities, gamers use it for top players, and people use it sarcastically too. "This bubble tea flavor is YYDS!" The flexibility makes it super popular across different contexts.

The phrase 永远的神 (yǒng yuǎn de shén) came from esports commentary originally, praising legendary players. The abbreviation made it easier to spam in live chat, and then it jumped to general use.

XSWL (笑死我了)

XSWL is short for "xiào sǐ wǒ le" (笑死我了), meaning "laugh to death me" or basically "I'm dying laughing." It's the Chinese equivalent of "lmao" or "lol," but more exaggerated.

When something's genuinely hilarious, Chinese netizens type XSWL. You might also see variations like "awsl," which is the same pinyin initials but can stand for different phrases depending on context. The "sǐ wǒ le" (死我了) ending shows up in lots of slang because it adds dramatic emphasis. You can also phrase it shorter as 笑死 (xiào sǐ).

NSDD (你说得对)

This stands for "nǐ shuō de duì" (你说得对), meaning "you're right" or "what you said is correct." People often use NSDD sarcastically when they want to agree just to end an argument, even if they don't actually agree. It's got that passive-aggressive energy.

ZQSG (真情实感)

Short for "zhēn qíng shí gǎn" (真情实感), this means "real feelings" or "genuine emotions." People use ZQSG when they're being serious about something or when they genuinely feel emotional about a topic, as opposed to just joking around.

Gaming slang and competitive terms

Chinese gaming communities have created tons of slang that's spread into everyday conversation.

GG

Yeah, this came from English "good game," but Chinese gamers use it constantly. Sometimes they'll say "寄了" (jì le), which means "sent" or "shipped," as in the game is over, you're done for. It's become a way to say something's hopeless or failed.

菜 (cài)

This word normally means "vegetable" or "dish," but in gaming slang, calling someone 菜 means they're a noob or playing badly. "You're so 菜!" is basically calling someone trash at the game. The pronunciation "cài" makes it quick to type during intense matches.

大神 (dà shén)

Related to YYDS, this term means "great god" and refers to expert players or masters of something. If you need help with a game, you might ask "有大神吗?" (yǒu dà shén ma?) meaning "any experts here?"

Emotional and exaggerated expressions

Chinese internet users love dramatic, over-the-top expressions for emotional reactions.

绝绝子 (jué jué zi)

This term took off around 2021 and means something like "absolutely amazing" or "too much" (in a good way). The "绝" (jué) means extreme or absolute, and adding "子" (zi) at the end gives it a cute, playful tone. Gen Z users especially love this one.

You'll hear "绝绝子" used for anything impressive, beautiful, or exciting. "This outfit is 绝绝子!" It can also be used sarcastically when something's absurdly bad.

破防了 (pò fáng le)

Originally a gaming term meaning your defense was broken, "pò fáng le" now describes being emotionally affected by something. When a sad story or touching moment gets to you, you've been 破防了. Your emotional defenses broke down.

爷青回 (yé qīng huí)

Short for "爷的青春回来了" (yé de qīng chūn huí lái le), meaning "my youth has returned." People use this when something nostalgic comes back, like a childhood show getting a reboot or an old song going viral again.

Sarcastic and playful slang terms

Some of the best Chinese internet slang comes from creative wordplay and sarcasm.

栓Q (shuān Q)

This is a homophone play on "thank you" that sounds like "shuān Q" in Chinese pronunciation. But 栓 (shuān) means "bolt" or "plug," so it's a sarcastic "thanks" used when you're annoyed or frustrated. "栓Q, I really needed that" when something goes wrong.

芭比Q了 (bā bǐ Q le)

Another homophone gem. "Bā bǐ Q" sounds like "barbecue" in English, but Chinese users say "芭比Q了" to mean you're finished, burned, done for. It's a playful way to say you're in trouble or something went badly wrong.

摸鱼 (mō yú)

Literally means "touch fish" or "catch fish," but it's slang for slacking off at work or school. When you're pretending to work but actually scrolling social media, you're 摸鱼. This term is super relatable and gets used constantly in work chat groups.

内卷 (nèi juǎn)

This term describes intense, often pointless competition where everyone works harder but nobody really gets ahead. It originally came from sociology but became massive slang for the rat race mentality in Chinese education and work culture. "This job market is so 内卷." A more popular version is 卷, used as a verb or an adjective.

How to use Chinese internet slang in the world of Chinese internet

Knowing these slang words is one thing, but using them naturally takes practice. Here's what works:

Anyway, if you want to learn Chinese through actual content where this slang appears naturally, Migaku's browser extension and app let you look up words and save them while watching Chinese shows or browsing Weibo. Makes picking up this kind of vocabulary way more practical than memorizing lists. There's a 10-day free trial if you want to check it out.

Where to learn more Chinese slang

The best way to stay current with Chinese internet slang is to consume actual Chinese content regularly. Watch Chinese streamers, read comment sections on Weibo posts, and follow Chinese meme accounts. You'll pick up new terms as they emerge. When you find it hard to understand a term, trace back to its original video where the term comes from. The context can guide your understanding better.

Internet slang is where the language really comes alive.