Influencers Who Shaped China's Online Buzzword Landscape
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- Source：The Silk Road Echo
If you've ever scrolled through Chinese social media and wondered, 'Where did that phrase even come from?' — you're not alone. From neijuan (involution) to foxi (Buddha-like mindset), China's internet slang doesn't just pop out of nowhere. It's shaped, twisted, and amplified by a handful of digital influencers who turn everyday frustration into viral gold.
Take Li Jiaqi, the 'Lipstick King.' Sure, he sells makeup, but his real power? Language. When he shouted 'Oh my god, buy it!' (tian!) during live streams, it became a meme, then a cultural reflex. His catchphrase didn’t just sell lipsticks — it sold urgency, FOMO, and a whole new rhythm to online shopping.
Then there’s Papi Jiang, the queen of satirical rants. With rapid-fire delivery and a camera, she turned urban anxiety into comedy sketches that coined terms like leng xiaohua (cringe humor) and zhuangbi (showing off). Her influence? Massive. A 2023 Douyin report showed her videos sparked over 12 million user-generated parodies, many repurposing her phrases in daily吐槽 (tǔcáo — complaining).
But it’s not all entertainment. Influencers like human rights lawyer-turned-blogger Zhang Zhan used coded language like kan chuan (watch the boat) to evade censorship while discussing sensitive events. Though later silenced, her linguistic creativity inspired a wave of metaphor-heavy posts, proving buzzwords can be both playful and political.
Even fictional characters get in on it. The animated duo Ling Xiaohe and Wang Xiaomei from the web series I'm Not Afraid of School, I'm Afraid of You popularized baiciming (white-rose girl — someone who plays innocent but manipulates), a term now widely used in relationship debates across Weibo and Xiaohongshu.
The Data Behind the Drama
So how much impact do these influencers really have? Let’s break it down:
| Influencer | Buzzword Coined/Popularized | Estimated Reach (2023) | Platform Dominance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Li Jiaqi | 'Buy it!', 'Tian!' | 680M views/month | Taobao Live, Douyin |
| Papi Jiang | 'Leng xiaohua', 'Zhuangbi' | 420M views/month | Douyin, Bilibili |
| Zhang Zhan (former) | 'Kan chuan', 'White paper' | Est. 50M+ (censored) | Twitter, deleted WeChat |
| Ling Xiaohe (fictional) | 'Baiciming' | 89M mentions | Weibo, Xiaohongshu |
As the table shows, reach varies — but cultural penetration doesn’t always depend on numbers. Some terms survive precisely because they’re subtle, sharable, and emotionally resonant.
What’s next? Watch for micro-influencers on Bilibili pushing terms like jieluo (anxious burnout) or yingye (performative effort). These niche creators are the early adopters, testing phrases in comment sections before they explode.
In short, China’s online lexicon isn’t just evolving — it’s being engineered by influencers who know exactly how to make words stick. And if you're not paying attention, you might miss the next big thing before it even gets a hashtag.