Chinese Internet Slang You Need to Know (Part 2)

Study Mandarin

Click on the blue word to follow us!

Study Mandarin，come to Mandarin Morning

Want to learn more Chinese internet slang? Here is part 2 of our article.

Why learn Chinese Internet slang?

Even the most advanced language students may find themselves mystified by the quickly evolving world of Chinese Internet slang.

While you may have heard of common online terms like 666 (liùliùliù; awesome) or 88 (bābā; bye-bye), modern Chinese Internet slang also includes an extensive list of commonly used alphabetic acronyms. These acronyms are simply abbreviations based on how certain groups of Chinese characters are written in pinyin.

Although these Internet acronyms are frequently used by Chinese netizens, they aren’t well known among language students. In order to communicate effectively with Chinese people on social media, comprehend Chinese language digital media and keep your Mandarin skills up-to-date, it’s important to understand common online phrases as coined by the mainland’s Internet-savvy population.

4. xswl (笑死我了)

“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.

For example:

这张图片好搞笑, xswl! Zhè zhāng túpiàn hǎo gǎoxiào, xswl!

This photo is so funny, xswl!

For another example:

Xswl，怎么会有这么搞笑的视频? Xswl, zěnme huì yǒu zhème gǎoxiào de shìpín?

Xswl, why is this video so hilarious?

5. plgg (漂亮哥哥), pljj (漂亮姐姐)

漂亮哥哥 (piàoliang gēgē; plgg; used for men) and 漂亮姐姐 (piàoliang jiějiě; pljj; used for women) can be translated as “pretty brother” and “pretty sister,” respectively. Chinese netizens generally use these phrases to compliment someone’s good looks. Keep in mind, however, that “plgg” is typically used to describe stereotypically feminine men.

For example:

哇！这真是个 plgg / pljj 。Wa! Zhè zhēnshi gè plgg/ pljj.

Wow, this plgg/pljj is really attractive.

These terms can also be used as a polite form of address for someone the speaker doesn’t know well. For example:

Plgg / pljj，请问这个是什么？Plgg / pljj, qǐngwèn, zhège shì shénme?

Plgg / pljj, may I ask what this is?

6. bdjw (不懂就问)

不懂就问 (bù dǒng jiù wèn, bdjw) is a helpful transition phrase used to introduce a question. It is similar to “just wondering” or “let me ask” in English.

For example:

Bdjw，什么是阿基米德定律？Bdjw, shénme shì Ājīmǐdé dìnglǜ?

Bdjw, what is Archimedes' law?

Here's another example:

Bdjw，这是什么奇怪的东西？Bdjw, zhè shì shénme qíguài de dōngxī?

Bdjw, what’s this weird thing?