25+ Essential Chinese Internet Slang Terms on Xiaohongshu
Hey there, Chinese language enthusiasts! 👋 Have you heard about the latest social media drama? American TikTokers are flocking to a Chinese app called Xiaohongshu (小红书 | xiǎo hóng shū | literally “Little Red Book”), and it’s creating quite the buzz in both countries! Let’s dive into this fascinating cultural phenomenon that’s bringing Chinese and American internet users together in unexpected ways.
What’s the Tea? ☕
Picture this: The U.S. government says TikTok needs to break up with its Chinese parent company ByteDance by January 19, 2025, or face a ban. Instead of panicking, many American TikTokers decided to do something unexpected – they downloaded Xiaohongshu en masse as a form of protest! Talk about a plot twist, right?
These self-proclaimed “TikTok refugees” (抖音难民 | dǒu yīn nán mín) have made Xiaohongshu the #1 most downloaded app in the U.S. App Store. Now that’s what Chinese netizens would call 牛 (niú | awesome/incredible)! The movement has gained so much traction that there are now over 160,000 posts under the hashtag #tiktokrefugee on Xiaohongshu, with Americans introducing themselves, sharing their stories, and trying to navigate this new digital landscape.
One American high school student, Venus Rios, even went viral by posting in Chinese: “Hi Chinese netizens! I am American, if you need help with your English homework, please tell me!” Her post received nearly 2,000 comments in just one day – that’s what we call 爆火 (bào huǒ | going viral)!
What is Xiaohongshu (RedNote)?
Think Instagram meets Pinterest, with a dash of TikTok vibes. Xiaohongshu, nicknamed “RED” or “RedNote” by American users, is a lifestyle-focused social media platform that’s been around since 2013. Here’s what makes it special:
Content Types:
- Detailed product reviews and recommendations
- Travel guides and tips (攻略 | gōng lüè)
- Beauty and fashion tutorials
- Lifestyle and wellness content
- Food recommendations and restaurant reviews
- DIY and craft tutorials
Key Features:
- Instagram-style photo feeds
- Short-form videos similar to TikTok
- In-app shopping capabilities
- Location-based recommendations
- Powerful search function for finding specific content
- Community-driven recommendations system
With over 300 million monthly active users (mostly young Chinese women), it’s basically the go-to app for getting 种草 (zhǒng cǎo | literally “planting grass”, meaning “convinced to buy something”). The platform is particularly famous for its authentic user reviews and detailed sharing culture – no wonder it’s called the “Chinese lifestyle bible”!
Quick Start Guide for New Users
Setting Up Your Account
- Download “小红书” (Xiaohongshu/RED) from your app store
- Sign up using your email or phone number (international numbers work!)
- Complete the verification process (might take up to 30 minutes to receive the code)
- Choose your interests from categories like:
- 美妆 (měi zhuāng | beauty)
- 穿搭 (chuān dā | fashion)
- 美食 (měi shí | food)
- 旅行 (lǚ xíng | travel)
- Start following accounts and exploring content
Navigating the App
- The home feed (首页 | shǒu yè) shows recommended content
- The “Nearby” tab (附近 | fù jìn) shows local content
- The “+” button lets you create posts
- The message icon (消息 | xiāo xi) shows your notifications
- Your profile (我 | wǒ) contains your personal information and posts
Creating Your First Post
- Click the “+” button
- Choose between photo (图文 | tú wén) or video (视频 | shì pín)
- Add your content
- Write a description (建议 | jiàn yì | tip: use both English and Chinese!)
- Add relevant hashtags using #
- Post and engage with comments
for a detailed Xiaohongshu user guide, you can visit “REDnote: The Ultimate TikTok Alternative – Everything You Need to Know”
Must-Know Chinese Internet Slang for Xiaohongshu
Essential Expressions
- 真香 (zhēn xiāng | “truly fragrant”)
- Used when you initially resist something but end up loving it
- Example: “I said I wouldn’t download another social media app, but Xiaohongshu 真香!”
- Usage: Perfect for those “I take back what I said” moments
- yyds (永远的神 | yǒng yuǎn de shén)
- Means “eternal god” or “the GOAT” (Greatest Of All Time)
- Example: “This makeup tutorial is yyds!”
- Usage: When you want to show ultimate approval
- 安利 (ān lì)
- Originally the Chinese name for Amway, now means “to strongly recommend”
- Example: “Let me 安利 this amazing coffee shop I found!”
- Usage: When you’re excited to share something you love
Popular Xiaohongshu-Specific Terms
- 笔芯 (bǐ xīn | literally “pen heart”)
- A cute way of saying “love you” (sounds like “bless you”)
- Used frequently in comments to show appreciation
- Example: “Your tutorial helped me so much! 笔芯!”
- 太可了 (tài kě le | super cute)
- “太” means “very,” “可” is short for “可以,” which means “OK,” and “了” is an auxiliary word with no actual meaning. Roughly translated as “this is very OK with me,”
- Example: “This piece of clothing 太可了!”
- 绝绝子 (jué jué zi | absolutely amazing)
- A trendy way to express that something is incredibly good
- Example: “This restaurant recommendation is 绝绝子!”
- 无语子 (wú yǔ zi | speechless)
- A playful way to express being speechless
- Example: “The price of this bag… 无语子”
- Usage: When something leaves you speechless (often in a humorous way)
- 好评加鸡腿 (hǎo píng jiā jī tuǐ | adding a chicken leg to good review)
- Expression used to show extra appreciation
- Example: “This tutorial was so helpful, 好评加鸡腿!”
- Usage: When you want to give extra praise
Trendy Expressions
- awsl (啊我死了 | ā wǒ sǐ le | oh I’m dead)
- Used when something is so cute/amazing it “kills” you
- Example: “This puppy video awsl!”
- Usage: Reacting to extremely cute or amazing things
- plmm (漂亮妹妹 | piào liang mèi mei | pretty girl)
- A friendly way to address or refer to pretty girls
- Example: “All the plmm in this comment section are so kind!”
- Usage: When complimenting or addressing female users
- 上头 (shàng tóu | addictive)
- Describing something that’s addictively good
- Example: “This lip color is too 上头, I can’t stop buying more!”
- Usage: When something is irresistibly attractive
- 营业时间 (| yíng yè shí jiān | business hours)
- Used when someone is being extra active on social media
- Example: “Finally finding time to yyxx on Xiaohongshu!”
- Usage: When posting after being inactive
Shopping-Related Terms
- 种草 (zhòng cǎo | plant grass)
- To become interested in buying something
- Example: “This review totally 种草’d me!”
- Usage: When convinced to buy something
- 拔草 (bá cǎo | pull grass)
- Actually buying something you were interested in
- Example: “Finally 拔草’d those shoes I’ve been eyeing!”
- Usage: When making a purchase decision
- 剁手 (duò shǒu | chop hands)
- Spending too much money shopping
- Example: “Double 11 sales made me 剁手 again…”
- Usage: When discussing impulse purchases
Reaction Expressions
- 磕到了 (kē dào le | hit the spot)
- When something satisfies your aesthetic or emotional needs
- Example: “This couple’s interaction, 磕到了!”
- Usage: When something perfectly matches your taste
- 爆款 (bào kuǎn | explosive product)
- A viral or extremely popular product
- Example: “This sunscreen is the summer 爆款!”
- Usage: Describing trending products
- 冲鸭 (chōng yā | charge duck)
- “Let’s go!” or “Going for it!”
- Example: “Sale starts in 5 minutes, 冲鸭!”
- Usage: Expressing enthusiasm or determination
- 真的会谢 (zhēn de huì xiè | will really thank)Expression of extreme gratitude, often used sarcastically,
”omg, that’s toxic” or ”I don’t want to say anything.’ - 带货 (dài huò | bring goods)
- To promote products
- Example: “This influencer’s 带货 ability is amazing!”
- Usage: Discussing product promotion or influence
- 血亏 (xuè kuī | blood loss)
- Getting a really bad deal
- Example: “Bought it full price and now it’s 50% off… 血亏!”
- Usage: When regretting a purchase timing or price
- 买它! (mǎi tā | buy it!)
- Enthusiastic encouragement to make a purchase
- Example: “Don’t hesitate, 买它!”
- Usage: Encouraging others to make a purchase
- 宝藏 (bǎo zàng | treasure)
- Hidden gem (place, product, or person)
- Example: “This small cafe is such a 宝藏!”
- Usage: Describing amazing discoveries
📱 Love learning Chinese? Follow us @GoEast Mandarin School on Xiaohongshu for daily language tips, trending slang, and cultural insights! 一起加油 (Let’s work hard together)! ✨
Hungry for more Chinese internet slang? Read our post about “60 Hottest Chinese Internet Slang” to level up your Chinese social media game! 🔥