7 Chinese Slang Terms That Are Super Common Among Chinese Youth 👀

If you often watch Chinese dramas, scroll through Douyin, or read comments from Chinese netizens… you’ve probably come across words that leave you confused 😭

Such as:

• “内卷”

• “emo了”

• “YYDS”

But these aren’t actually Mandarin vocabulary words typically taught in HSK textbooks.

So, this time, MinGrow wants to discuss some Chinese slang that’s currently popular among Chinese youth so you won’t be confused anymore when you see it in dramas or on social media ✨

1. YYDS (永远的神)

Pinyin:yǒng yuǎn de shén

The literal meaning is: “eternal god” 😭

But what it really means is something like:

• GOAT

• legend

• the coolest

Example:

• “Messi 是YYDS！”

Meaning: “Messi is such a legend!”

It’s usually used to praise:

• idols

• soccer players

• food

• dramas

• and even lecturers 😂

2. emo了

You’ve definitely seen this a lot on the Chinese internet.

“emo了” is used when someone is:

• feeling down

• sad

• overthinking

• mellow

Example:

• “I heard this song and immediately got emo了…”

Honestly, this is so relatable 😭

3. 吃瓜 (chīguā)

Literal: “eating watermelon”

But it doesn’t actually mean eating watermelon, you know 😭

This slang is used to describe someone who’s watching a drama or gossip from the sidelines.

For example, if there’s a celebrity scandal, netizens might say:

• “我只是吃瓜而已。”

Meaning: “I’m just a bystander watching the drama.”

4. 社死 (shèsǐ)

This is one of MinGrow’s favorite slang terms 😂

社死 is an shortened form of:社会性死亡(shèhuì xìng sǐwáng)

It means: “social death”

It’s used when you’re so embarrassed you’d rather move to another planet.

Examples:

• sending a message to the wrong person

• falling in public

• calling your teacher “mom”

That's an instant 社死 😭

5. 摆烂 (bǎilàn)

It means: “Whatever, whatever” or “Just give up”

Usually used when you’re tired of life 😂

Examples:

• Piles of homework

• Lots of deadlines

• Bad grades

And finally: “摆烂 …” or “I’m just going to give up…”

6. 牛啊 (niú a)

If a Chinese person says, “牛啊!”

It doesn’t mean you’re a cow, okay? 😭

In Mandarin slang, 牛 is used to mean:

• super cool

• awesome

• crazy

Similar to:

• “insanely cool”

• “holy crap, you’re so good”

7. 栓Q (shuān Q)

This is super viral in China.

It originated from someone saying “thank you” with a funny accent 😂

Eventually, Chinese netizens turned it into a meme and internet slang.

It’s usually used to:

• joke around

• be sarcastic

• express a funny sense of resignation

Why Is Learning Chinese Slang So Fun?

Because it makes your Mandarin sound more natural 👀

Plus, you’ll also:

• understand Chinese dramas better

• get Chinese memes

• not be confused by netizens’ comments

• connect better with native speakers

But remember~ don’t use slang like this on the HSK exam 😭

Conclusion

Modern Mandarin is evolving really fast, especially online. That’s why, in addition to learning formal grammar and vocabulary, understanding Chinese slang is also important so you can get more familiar with how young Chinese people speak today ✨

If you’re interested, MinGrow can also teach you more