Online slang in Chinese might be new to you, but we’ve got you covered.
Some people assume that slang is only used by a certain age group. Others think that slang is mainly negative words. However, neither is true. Slang is just another way that language evolves. people always find new ways to express themselves. In today’s article, we are going to focus on slang for texting and online communication. Being able to understand online slang will also help you manoeuvre Chinese social media and message boards!
Online Slang Using Numbers
1314: This means “forever”. 1314 comes from 一生一世 (Yīshēng yīshì)
4242: This means “Yes,” or “It is”. 4242 comes from 是啊是啊 (shìa shìa).
520: This means “I love you”. 520 comes from 我爱你 (wǒ ài nǐ).
94: This means “So,” “But,” etc. 94 comes from 就是 (jiùshì).
666: This means “You’re doing amazing sweetie,” 666 comes from represents 溜溜溜 (liùliùliù).
Numbers are used a lot in online slang. This is because combinations of numbers can sound very similar to common Chinese phrases. For example, using the above phrases, 4242 is pronounced sìèrsìèr which sounds pretty close to shìa shìa. 94 is the best example of this; 94 is pronounced jiǔsì which sounds just like jiùshì. This is a very common form of wordplay in Chinese, so be sure to look out for it online.
Online Slang Using Latin Alphabet
LZ: lóu zhǔ (楼主), the owner of the thread, the original poster.
BZ: bǎnzhǔ (版主), the moderator of an internet discussion forum
GG: gēge (哥哥), older brother, male friend or “bro”.
MM: mèimèi (妹妹 or 美美), little sister, female friend or young, pretty girl.
HLL: huá lì lì (华丽丽) to describe something that is glamorous or high-profile.
Online Slang Phrases
Tall, rich and handsome (高富帅 gāofùshuài)
难怪女人爱他, 他, 高富帅
Nánguài nǚrén ài tā, tā gāofùshuài
Short, ugly and poor (矮丑穷 ǎichǒuqióng)
我没有男朋友，因为我矮丑穷
Wǒ méiyǒu nán péngyǒu, yīnwèi wǒ ǎichǒuqióng
To hang out (去浪 qùlàng)
有空的时候我们应该出去玩
Yǒu kòng de shíhòu wǒmen yīnggāi chūqù wán
When you’re free we should go hang out
Weird Taste (重口味 zhòng kǒuwèi)
我不喜欢他重口味的幽默
Wǒ bù xǐhuān tā zhòng kǒuwèi de yōumò
I don’t like his strange taste in humour
Try incorporating these phrases next time you text someone or post online. Now that you’ve learnt some of these, you are probably going to start noticing it more and more. This article was inspired by a question we received. So, if you have any Chinese language questions make sure to find us on Quora. Remember, another way to keep your Chinese current is by making sure the content you consume is current! So be sure to read all the latest Chinese news articles on The Chairman’s Bao.
