Every few years — or if we’re considering more recent history, every few months — we hear in the news of someone referring to a person of Asian descent with the age-old phrase “Ching Chong.” While sometimes stereotyped, these works enlighten wider audiences about the hybrid cultural dynamics confronting ABCs. They present Stories that resonate powerfully with my own generational experience. Our friends, lifestyle, pop culture references and worldviews align more closely with mainstream America. Fast forward to the 1960s and 70s, when the “ABC” term first emerged as a way to distinguish American-born generations from foreign-born immigrant parents and communities.

When used by certain Chinese, it can be slightly derogatory, implying that the ABC has lost the connection to Chinese culture. Yang’s graphic novel grapples with Amerasian issues in a coming-of-age story that has now been adapted into an eight-episode series for Disney+. While there are distinct references to the Asian American experience, the story embraces outsider themes that anyone can relate to. Probably the second most common phrase you will see on internet slang or hear as street slang, especially around the date 5/20.

1. Check out our list of three of the major Chinese slang terms that are trending right now.
2. “笑死我了” (xiào sǐ wǒ le; xswl) literally means “laughing to death” and is used by speakers to respond to something funny, comparable to LOL in English.
3. Added to this is 文学 (wénxué) meaning literature but no this slang isn’t talking about Versaille literature.
4. At the same time, the unique bicultural experience shared by ABCs and others with a similar dual background will remain highly relevant.

Check out our list of three of the major Chinese slang terms that are trending right now. Unlike most of the other number slang phrases on our list this one doesn’t represent a phrase that it sounds similar to. Instead 250 actually refers to an ancient Chinese saying for idiot. This internet slang refers to young people who proclaim to have many ideas and or many intentions to do things. Enter your email address below to get free access to my Rules of Language Learning and discover 25 “rules” to learn a new language quickly and naturally through stories.

Chinese Slang Words That Will Help You Sound Like A Native Speaker

As with most languages, lots of Chinese slang is vulgar, and there’s no shortage of words for everything to do with sex and defecation. Netizens use the term 破防了 (Pò fáng le) to describe an intense emotional reaction. As often happens, the Internet snatched this phrase, retained some limited, context-specific aspects of its original meaning, and inflated it. While there’s no direct equivalent, “quitting the rat race” comes close.

Yes, through American immersion many of us can‘t speak Chinese fluently or lack deep knowledge of cultural traditions. But dismissing ABCs as “white-washed bananas” erases the real ways Chinese heritage still profoundly shapes our worldview and life experience. While data can quantify population patterns, nothing reveals ABC experience like real people‘s voices. If you’ve enjoyed this post and want to learn even more Chinese expressions check out this post about Chinese idioms. However, most of the time, the alternative spellings don’t have any particular meaning.

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By the 1980s, the concept of being “ABC” vs. “FOB” (Fresh Off the Boat) took further hold as a cultural divide within Chinese America. Sometimes it is used in a disparaging way to describe Chinese people from the US or other countries who think of themselves as Chinese but who don’t really abc chinese slang understand Chinese culture. Learning Chinese Internet slang is a great way to connect with members of China’s younger generation on their own terms. Remember, if you’re looking for more opportunities to test out your language skills, studying in China is the premier path to fluency.

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There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. The term 宅男／宅女 literally means a person who spends all day and night at home watching TV shows, playing video games etc. It definitely doesn’t have anything to do with the English meaning of this slang term which is often related to the Devil. The video went viral and Chinese netizens created some very funny animated emojis, some people also switch the 难 for “南” (meaning “south”) to make it even more amusing (as in things are going south). This pose overtook Chinese social media a while back, you can think of it as the new peace sign which you always used to see Chinese people making. Depending on where you’re learning Chinese, your accent will most probably change to use the local slang if you’re speaking and hanging out with the locals.

These anecdotes demonstrate the nuanced attitudes toward cultural identity often navigated by ABC community members. The FOB stereotype implies new arrivals clinging to old world Chinese habits, language, and mindsets. Whereas ABCs represent the flipside – Americanized in lifestyle, values, and outlook. To understand where the ABC identity comes from, we need to first look back at the history of Chinese immigration to America. Large numbers of Chinese migrants began arriving on U.S. shores in the 1850s, driven by turmoil in China and the California Gold Rush.

Many Chinese numbers sound very similar to how another character may sound, therefore mimicking the meaning. Instead it’s a term used to describe “the humble brag” it refers to people who flaunt their wealth or or success in a subtle way. You might already be familiar with the word 凡尔赛 (fáněrsài) as the transliteration of the French palace Versailles. Added to this is 文学 (wénxué) meaning literature but no this slang isn’t talking about Versaille literature.

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As you may expect, the internet has been a fertile breeding ground for the creative use of language. Here’s just a small selection of some of the most common words and expressions you’re likely to see. Here’s a list of some of the most common slang words you’re likely to meet in the spoken language. Many of them have been around for some time while others are more recent additions.

Wu can relate to the story as an Asian growing up in a suburb of the San Francisco Bay Area. Despite being a more integrated community than the rest of the country, Wu remembers dealing with similar issues like Jin Wang. As a young student, he was https://simple-accounting.org/ embarrassed to take out his lunch at school because “exotic” Chinese cuisine didn’t fit in. As Wu was coming of age, it was hard for him to know how much of his culture he should show. Nevertheless, Wang can relate to his character’s experience.

This stereotype categorizes ABCs as “not Chinese enough” and entirely disconnected from those cultural roots. We still have a long way to go in terms of nuanced, authentic portrayals in mainstream media. But there are also promising developments like more ABC creators sharing their narratives through YouTube, TikTok and other digital platforms. West Coast – Longer history and majority 3rd/4th generation creates distance from immigrant roots.

Although these Internet acronyms are frequently used by Chinese netizens, they aren’t well known among language students. The term desi comes from the Hindi word देश (deś, lit. ’homeland’). The word has its origin in Sanskrit, deśa, and is pronounced desh in the Bengali language. Desi means ‘of the homeland’ and is generally used by diasporas of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Although it is not used much in South Asia and not as a set identity like the diasporas do.

Keep in mind, however, that “plgg” is typically used to describe stereotypically feminine men. “笑死我了” (xiào sǐ wǒ le; xswl) literally means “laughing to death” and is used by speakers to respond to something funny, comparable to LOL in English. 永远的神 (yǒngyuǎn de shén; yyds) means “eternal God” and describes an outstanding person or thing.

As an ABC myself, I want to give you an inside look into the meaning behind this complex cultural identity. As you can see, Chinese has plenty of fun, creative and interesting slang words and expressions for you to learn and play with. This word literally means “electric light bulb” but is used as a slang term for an unwelcome third person who is spoiling a couple’s date.

Stay hip to the culture by mastering these six popular Chinese Internet slang acronyms today. In order to keep your Mandarin skills fresh, it’s important to familiarize yourself with Chinese Internet slang. In this article, we’ll dive into some of 2024’s most commonly used Mandarin cyberspeak. These days, speakers of almost every language on earth have developed their own systems of Internet shorthand that help them express thoughts and feelings efficiently. The world of Chinese Internet slang, of course, is no exception. Join CLI and learn Chinese with your personal team of Mandarin teachers online or in person at the CLI Center in Guilin, China.