Internet slang dictionary
Short, sourced answers to "what does it mean?" for the Chinese and English internet words people search most: number codes, pinyin abbreviations, work and life buzzwords, moods, dating talk and English slang.
Number slang · Pinyin abbreviations · Work and life · Moods and personality · Love and relationships · English internet slang
Number slang 3 words
Pinyin abbreviations 5 words
- yydsChinese abbreviation of 永远的神, "eternal god": the GOAT, the best ever
- xswlChinese abbreviation of 笑死我了, "I'm dying of laughter", like LMAO
- awslChinese abbreviation of 啊我死了, "ah, I'm dead", said about something unbearably cute
- dbqChinese abbreviation of 对不起 (duì bu qǐ), "sorry", used in casual chat
- cpddChinese gaming slang: "looking for a CP (partner), hit me up"
Work and life 7 words
- Neijuan (内卷)Chinese slang for "involution": ever harder competition that leaves everyone worse off
- Tang ping (躺平)Chinese slang for "lying flat": opting out of the rat race and living with low desires
- Bai lan (摆烂)Chinese slang for "letting it rot": giving up on something that won't get better
- Niuma (牛马)Chinese office slang: "oxen and horses", workers worked like beasts of burden
- Caotai banzi (草台班子)Chinese slang for a slapdash outfit that only looks professional
- Fanersai (凡尔赛)Chinese slang for "Versailles": a humblebrag dressed up as a complaint
- Chigua (吃瓜)Chinese slang for "eating melon": watching gossip and drama from the sidelines
Moods and personality 6 words
- Emo (Chinese slang)Chinese internet slang for feeling down or blue, as in 我emo了 ("I'm feeling emo")
- Pofang (破防)Chinese slang for having your emotional defenses broken: deeply moved, hurt or provoked
- Qingxu jiazhi (情绪价值)Chinese buzzword for "emotional value": how good someone makes others feel
- i ren / e ren (i人 / e人)Chinese MBTI slang: i人 is an introvert, e人 an extrovert
- Sheniu (社牛)Chinese slang for a fearless socializer who is never embarrassed in public
- Hajimi (哈基米)Chinese slang for a cat, from a misheard Japanese word for honey in Uma Musume
Love and relationships 7 words
- Baiyueguang (白月光)Chinese slang for the one you never got and never forgot, often a first love
- Haiwang (海王)Chinese slang for a player who keeps many romantic interests on the hook
- Zhanan (渣男)Chinese slang insult for a man who cheats, lies or treats partners badly
- Puxinnan (普信男)Chinese slang for an ordinary man with unearned confidence
- Lianainao (恋爱脑)Chinese slang for a "love brain": someone who loses all judgment when in love
- Tiangou (舔狗)Chinese slang for a simp: someone who keeps fawning over a person who isn't interested
- PUA (Chinese slang)From "pickup artist"; in Chinese, manipulating someone with put-downs, at work or in love
English internet slang 12 words
- 67 (6 7, six seven)A shouted "six seven" meme from a 2025 rap song; it has no fixed meaning
- rizzCharm or skill at flirting; to "rizz someone up" is to win them over
- FOMOFear of missing out: worry that others are having fun or gains without you
- crushA strong, often secret, romantic liking for someone, or the person you like
- OOTDOutfit of the day: a post showing what you are wearing today
- situationshipA romantic or physical relationship that has never been defined or labelled
- NPCA game's non-player character; as slang, someone who seems to act on autopilot
- deluluShort for delusional; believing something unrealistic, often on purpose
- IYKYKIf you know, you know: marks an inside joke only some people will get
- SMHShaking my head: shows disappointment, disbelief or disapproval in a text
- simpMocking slang for someone who tries too hard to please a person they like
- no cap"No lie" or "for real": stresses that you are not exaggerating
Every entry answers the question first, then explains where the word came from, shows how people use it in chats and comments, and compares it with words that mean something close.
Words were picked from what people actually search for, and origins are checked against dictionaries, official word-of-the-year lists and other public sources. Slang moves fast, so each page shows when it was last updated.
FAQ
What is internet slang?
Words, abbreviations, numbers and memes that spread through chats, comments and short videos, such as yyds in Chinese or rizz in English. Many fade within a year; some, like 内卷 (neijuan), reach newspapers and dictionaries.
Why do Chinese netizens use numbers and letters?
Numbers sound like words (520 sounds like "I love you" in Mandarin) and pinyin initials are fast to type (yyds is yong yuan de shen). They are quicker to write and feel like an in-group joke.
Is it OK to use these words at work?
Most are casual. Playful ones like 666 or yyds are fine with friends, while words that judge people, such as 渣男 or simp, can offend. Each entry has a note on tone.