Slang dictionary · Pinyin abbreviations · Chinese internet slang
What does YYDS mean?
Also written: YYDS, 永远的神, yong yuan de shen
In short
YYDS is the pinyin initialism of 永远的神 (yǒng yuǎn de shén), literally "eternal god". It means someone or something is the best, unbeatable, the GOAT. It is often traced to esports streams, where fans praised League of Legends player Uzi as "Uzi, eternal god". China's National Language Resources Monitoring and Research Center ranked YYDS second among its top 10 internet terms of 2021.
Where YYDS comes from
The usual story: esports streamers and their viewers kept calling pro League of Legends player Uzi 永远的神, "eternal god", and the bullet comments got shortened to YYDS. Accounts differ on who said it first.
From gaming it spread to fan culture and then to everyday chat, where it praises idols, songs, food or a handy gadget. In 2021 the National Language Resources Monitoring and Research Center placed YYDS second on its list of the year's top 10 internet terms. The same year, the editors of the language magazine 咬文嚼字 (Yaowen Jiaozi) said they would not put letter strings like YYDS on their own buzzword list.
How to use YYDS
- 这家螺蛳粉 yyds (this river-snail noodle place is the GOAT)
- 周杰伦的老歌永远 yyds (Jay Chou's old songs are forever the best)
- 这个扑救，门将 yyds！ (that save, the keeper is a legend!)
- 空调 + 西瓜，夏天 yyds (air con plus watermelon, summer GOAT)
- 我妈做的红烧肉才是 yyds (my mom's braised pork is the real GOAT)
Upper or lower case makes no difference. It works as a predicate ("this song yyds") or as a one-word cheer.
Similar words
| Term | Meaning | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| yyds | eternal god, GOAT | top-tier, lasting praise |
| 666 | awesome, nice play | lighter, usually about one moment |
| 绝绝子 | absolutely amazing | exaggerated, often ironic |
| 天花板 | the ceiling, the very top | more formal, used to compare |
Tone and usage
YYDS is chatty and young-sounding. It fits comments, chats and product reviews, not formal writing or a report to your boss. Older or less online people may not know it.
It has been used so often that it now often just means "really good". If you want a compliment to land, say what exactly is great.
FAQ
Is YYDS an insult?
No, it is praise. A rare joke reading is 永远单身, "forever single", but the standard meaning is "eternal god".
What is YYDS in English?
The closest equivalent is GOAT, Greatest Of All Time.
How do you pronounce YYDS?
People usually say the letters, or the full phrase 永远的神, yǒng yuǎn de shén.