Slang dictionary · Love and relationships · Chinese internet slang
What does puxinnan (普信男) mean?
Also written: 普信, 普信女, pu xin nan
In short
普信男 (pǔxìnnán) is short for 普通却自信的男人, "an ordinary yet confident man": a man who is average in every way but rates himself far too highly. It is mocking. The phrase comes from comedian Yang Li (杨笠) on the stand-up show Rock & Roast (《脱口秀大会》) season 3 in August 2020, with the line 他明明那么普通，却那么自信 ("he is so ordinary, yet so confident"). The line went viral and was also highly controversial; spin-offs include 普信女 for women and plain 普信.
Origin
In August 2020, on season 3 of the stand-up show Rock & Roast, Yang Li joked about some men: "he is so ordinary, yet so confident." The clip spread fast, viewers shortened the line to 普信 (ordinary + confident) and added 男 ("man").
Reactions split. Many viewers, especially women, felt the joke captured something real; others said it insulted men and stirred up gender conflict. Since then 普信男 has been a fixture of online arguments about gender.
How to use it
- 「第一次见面就说『你配我刚好』，普信男本信。」 (First date and he says "you're just about good enough for me". Peak 普信男.)
- 「自己迟到半小时还嫌对方不热情，太普信了。」 (Thirty minutes late and complaining she isn't warm enough. So overconfident.)
- 「普信不分男女。」 (Unearned confidence has no gender.)
普信 also works alone as an adjective: 有点普信 ("a bit full of himself"), 太普信了 ("way too full of yourself").
Similar words
| Term | Meaning | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| 普信男 / 普信女 | ordinary but overconfident | mocks a gap between self-image and reality |
| 凡尔赛 (fán'ěrsài) | humblebragging | a way of talking; not necessarily overconfident |
| 渣男 (zhānán) | treats partners badly | about behavior, not self-image |
| 自信 (zìxìn) | confidence | neutral or positive; 普信 means confidence with no basis |
Tone
普信男 is a gendered jab and many people find it offensive; it often derails discussions into gender arguments. Pointing at a specific behavior is one thing, but using the label on a whole group, or to dismiss someone's point, is best avoided.
FAQ
Where does 普信男 come from?
From comedian Yang Li's line "he is so ordinary, yet so confident" on season 3 of the Chinese stand-up show Rock & Roast (《脱口秀大会》) in August 2020.
Is there a female version?
Yes, 普信女 (pǔxìnnǚ), coined later on the same pattern. 普信 by itself can describe anyone.
Is 普信男 an insult?
It is mocking and can be offensive, especially aimed at a real person. Because it is tied to gender debates, avoid it in formal or unfamiliar company.