Slang dictionary · Pinyin abbreviations · Chinese internet slang
What does AWSL mean?
Also written: AWSL, 啊我死了, 阿伟死了, wsl
In short
AWSL is the pinyin initialism of 啊，我死了 (a, wǒ sǐ le), "ah, I'm dead". People type it when something is so cute, beautiful or sweet that they can't handle it, much like saying "I'm deceased" or "I can't" in English. It took off in bullet comments on the video site Bilibili, which said AWSL was sent about 3.29 million times in 2019 and named it that year's top bullet comment.
Where AWSL comes from
"Ah, I'm dead" was already a dramatic reaction in anime and fan circles when a scene hit too hard. The four-letter version is quick to type, and on Bilibili, where comments fly across the video, whole screens fill with it. There is no agreed first use.
In December 2019 Bilibili published its yearly comment data: AWSL appeared about 3.29 million times and topped its list of trending bullet comments. From there it spread to Weibo, Xiaohongshu and everyday chat.
How to use AWSL
- （小猫打哈欠）awsl！ ((a kitten yawns) I'm dead!)
- 这两个人的对视，awsl (the way those two look at each other, I can't)
- 新皮肤也太好看了吧 awsl (the new skin is gorgeous, AWSL)
- awsl，宝宝第一次叫妈妈 (AWSL, the baby said "mama" for the first time)
- 啊啊啊 awsl (aaah AWSL), about an idol's new look
Joke readings like 阿伟死了
Because AWSL is just letters, users invented new readings for fun: 阿伟死了 ("A-Wei is dead"), 阿伟瘦了 ("A-Wei lost weight"), 啊我生了 ("ah, I gave birth"). Bilibili even ran a contest to design a character for "A-Wei". They are jokes; the meaning is still "ah, I'm dead".
Dropping the first letter gives wsl (我死了, "I'm dead") with the same sense.
Similar words
| Term | Meaning | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| awsl | ah, I'm dead | overwhelmed by cuteness or sweetness |
| xswl | dying of laughter | about something funny |
| yyds | eternal god, GOAT | about being the best |
| 磕到了 | I'm hooked (on this ship) | about a fictional or celebrity couple |
FAQ
What does AWSL stand for?
啊，我死了 (a, wǒ sǐ le), "ah, I'm dead", from being overwhelmed by something cute.
Who is A-Wei (阿伟)?
Nobody real. 阿伟死了 is a joke re-reading of the letters AWSL; it means the same thing.
Is AWSL only used on Bilibili?
It became famous there as the platform's 2019 bullet comment of the year, but it is now used across Chinese social media.