Modern Chinese Slang Guide: Chinese Slang Words and Phrases You Need in 2026

If you've spent any time on Chinese social media or chatting with native speakers online, you've probably seen expressions like "666" or "YYDS" and wondered what the heck they mean. Chinese internet slang evolves crazy fast, especially with Gen Z driving most of the trends on platforms like Weibo, Douyin, and Xiaohongshu. Learning these slang words isn't just fun, it actually helps you understand what people are really saying in casual conversations, gaming chats, and comment sections. Let me walk you through the most popular Chinese slang terms you'll encounter in 2026.🤳

Why Chinese internet slang matters for learners

You can study Mandarin Chinese textbooks for years and still feel completely lost when reading actual social media posts or watching live streams. That's because modern Chinese slang changes faster than any curriculum can keep up with.

Understanding these expressions gives you insight into what Chinese speakers actually care about right now. Plus, using slang appropriately makes you sound way more natural than someone who only knows textbook phrases.

The cool part? A lot of Chinese internet slang uses numbers, abbreviations, or creative wordplay that's actually easier to remember than formal vocabulary once you understand the logic behind it.

Numbers as slang in Chinese

Chinese speakers love using numbers as slang because they're quick to type and often sound like actual words. This creates a whole coded language that looks confusing at first but makes total sense once you know the system.

What does 666 (liù liù liù) mean in Chinese slang

You'll see "666" or "6666" spammed in gaming chats and comment sections all the time. It literally means "awesome" or "skilled play" and comes from the Mandarin word 溜 (liù), which sounds like the number six. When someone pulls off an impressive move in a game or does something clever, people type "666" to show appreciation. The more sixes, the more impressed they are. Pretty cool!

This started in the gaming community but spread everywhere. Now you might see it used for anything from a great cooking video to an impressive dance performance.

What is 88 in Chinese online language

The number "88" sounds like "bye bye" in Mandarin (), so it's used as a quick way to say goodbye in text messages and online chats. Super simple and way faster to type than actual characters.

You might also see "886" which means "bye bye now" (). The number 1 can mean "want" because it sounds like , so "5201314" became internet code for "I love you forever" (). Numbers get really creative in Chinese slang.

Other number slang you should know

The number "520" sounds like "I love you" ((wǒ)我(ài)爱(nǐ)你), so May 20th became an unofficial Valentine's Day in China. People send red envelopes with 52.0 yuan or 520 yuan to romantic partners.

"250" is actually an insult meaning "idiot" or "fool". Don't call anyone 250 unless you want to start a fight.

Common Chinese internet slang abbreviations

Abbreviations dominate Chinese social media because they're fast to type and create an in-group feeling. Most come from the first letters of pinyin or creative combinations of characters.

YYDS (永远的神)

This abbreviation stands for , which literally means "forever god" or "eternal god." It's used to describe someone or something as the absolute best, the GOAT (Greatest of all time). You'll see this everywhere in 2026, from sports discussions to food reviews.

Example: "Messi YYDS!" when talking about soccer, or "This hotpot restaurant YYDS" when you find an amazing place to eat.

XSWL (笑死我了)

XSWL stands for , which literally means "laughing to death" or "dying of laughter." It's the Chinese equivalent of "LOL" or "I'm dead." When something is hilarious, you type XSWL instead of typing out the full phrase.

This is super common in comment sections and group chats when someone shares a funny meme or video.

AWSL (啊我死了)

AWSL means , literally "ah, I'm dead." People use this when something is so cute, touching, or amazing that they can't handle it. It's an emotional reaction to being overwhelmed in a good or a bad way.

You'd use this when seeing an adorable puppy video or when you suddenly have an overwhelming workload.

Workplace and lifestyle slang words and phrases

Chinese Gen Z created tons of slang around work culture and life attitudes, especially as a reaction to intense competition and long working hours. These terms reflect real frustrations and coping mechanisms.

摸鱼 (mō yú)

This literally means "touch fish" or "catch fish," but it's used to describe slacking off at work or pretending to be busy while actually doing nothing productive. It's become a whole lifestyle philosophy for young workers who feel burnt out.

The idea is that you're fishing during work hours instead of actually working. Someone might say "I'm just today" when they're browsing social media at their desk or taking extra long breaks.

内卷 (nèi juǎn)

This term originally came from academic sociology but exploded in popularity to describe intense, often pointless competition. It's used to describe situations where everyone works harder and harder but nobody actually gets ahead. Think of students all studying 16 hours a day just to maintain average grades, or companies forcing employees to work overtime when it doesn't actually improve results.

"" captures the exhausting treadmill feeling of modern competitive culture in China. It's one of the most important slang terms for understanding current social attitudes.

摆烂 (bǎi làn)

This literally means "let it rot" and describes the attitude of giving up and letting things fall apart. It's the opposite of trying hard in the system. When someone says they're , they mean they've stopped caring about competing or meeting expectations.

It's like quiet quitting but more aggressive. "I'm not getting promoted anyway, so I'm just " means someone has completely checked out and accepted their situation.

躺平 (tǎng píng)

"Lying flat" became huge slang in recent years and refers to rejecting hustle culture entirely. Instead of grinding for success, you just lie flat and do the bare minimum. It's a protest against unrealistic social pressures and expectations.

This movement reflects real generational attitudes about work-life balance and rejecting traditional definitions of success.

Praise and gaming expressions in Chinese slang words and phrases

Gaming culture heavily influences Chinese slang, creating expressions that spread beyond just gamers into everyday conversation.

爆灯 (bào dēng)

This literally means "explode the lights" and comes from talent shows where judges hit a button that lights up when they're impressed. Now it's used to describe anything that exceeds expectations or blows you away. "This performance !" means it was incredibly impressive.

牛逼 (niú bī)

This is probably the most common slang word for "awesome," "badass," or "amazing." It's slightly vulgar (The second character is crude and gender-biased), so you wouldn't use it in formal settings, but it's everywhere in casual conversation. You can also say by itself for a slightly more polite version.

When someone does something impressive, you just say "牛逼!" as a compliment.

绝绝子 (jué jué zi)

This trendy expression means something is absolutely amazing or perfect. It comes from , which means "extreme" or "amazing," with 子 added for a cute, playful effect. It's very Gen Z and often used by young women on social media.

"This outfit is !" means the outfit is absolutely perfect.

Emotional reaction slang phrases

Chinese internet users created vivid slang for describing emotional states and reactions to situations. These terms capture specific feelings that don't have easy translations.

破防了 (pò fáng le)

This literally means "defense broken" and comes from gaming terminology. It describes when something emotionally hits you so hard that your defenses break down. You might use this when a sad movie makes you cry or when someone's story really touches your heart.

"I watched that documentary and " means it emotionally affected you deeply despite trying to stay composed.

社死 (shè sǐ)

Short for , meaning "social death," this describes extremely embarrassing situations where you want to disappear. It's used to describe moments of intense public humiliation or cringe.

"I called my teacher 'mom' in class, total moment" captures that feeling of wanting the earth to swallow you whole.

Emo了

Borrowed from English "emo," this is used when someone feels sad, melancholic, or emotionally down. "I'm emo了 today" means you're in your feelings and feeling kind of depressed or moody.

It can also be used ironically when something mildly disappointing happens.

Chinese slang expressions you'll see everywhere

Let me give you a quick reference list of other essential slang terms that didn't fit neatly into the categories above.

凡尔赛 (Fán'ěrsài)

Named after Versailles, this describes humble-bragging or showing off while pretending to complain. "My boyfriend bought me a Chanel bag but it's the wrong color, so annoying" is classic behavior.

栓Q (shuān Q)

This sounds like "thank you" but is actually used sarcastically to mean the opposite, like "thanks for nothing" or expressing frustration. It's a homophone play on the English phrase that became popular slang.

芭比Q了 (bā bǐ Q le)

This sounds like "barbecue" in English but is used to mean "it's over" or "I'm screwed." It's playful slang for when things go wrong. The abbreviation can also be used in situations where you're metaphorically "cooked."

真香 (zhēn xiāng)

This literally means "really fragrant" but is used to describe when someone says they'll never do something, then does it anyway and loves it. It comes from a reality show where someone refused to eat, then later said "!" while eating enthusiastically.

How to learn Chinese slang as language learners

Reading lists like this is helpful, but you need exposure to real usage to actually internalize these expressions.

Anyway, if you want to actually absorb this stuff naturally, Migaku's browser extension lets you look up slang and save examples while watching Chinese shows or scrolling through actual social media. Way more effective than memorizing lists. There's a 10-day free trial if you want to check it out.

FAQs

Should you include slang in your vocab learning routine?

As you start to learn Chinese, although it would sound cool to use slang naturally, it'd be best not to include slang in your daily vocab learning list. While the vocab list offers words that have relatively stable context and collocation, slang evolves over time and has trickier context for proper usage. Pick up slang here and there, just like what Chinese netizens do, and use them when you've seen them dozens of times.

Take slang as a nice addition, not a must.