Textbook Chinese won’t prepare you for your first WeChat group. Your friends won’t write 这很有趣 (“this is very interesting”). They’ll write 笑死 and send a sticker. Here’s the slang you’ll meet most often, taken from Mandarin Hero’s “Chatting with a friend” lesson.
Reactions
| Slang | Pinyin | Meaning | Like saying |
|---|---|---|---|
| 笑死 | xiàosǐ | laughing to death | LOL, I’m dying |
| 无语 | wúyǔ | speechless (annoyed) | I can’t even, ugh |
| 离谱 | lípǔ | off the charts, absurd | that’s ridiculous |
| 绝了 | jué le | the ultimate | amazing, the best |
| 好家伙 | hǎo jiāhuo | good fellow | whoa, my goodness |
| 上头 | shàngtóu | goes to your head | addictive |
笑死 is everywhere: on its own, as 哈哈哈，笑死, or as 笑死我了！ (“I’m dying!”).
无语 literally means “without words”, but it’s always exasperated: 我今天又要加班，无语 (“Overtime again today. Ugh.”).
离谱 is for anything absurd: 太离谱了吧！ (“That’s ridiculous!”).
绝了 is the opposite, for something so good there’s nothing above it: 我发现一家火锅，绝了 (“I found a hotpot place. It’s amazing.”).
Work and life
- 摸鱼 mōyú — “touching fish”: slacking off at work. 上班摸鱼中 (“Slacking off at work right now”) is a classic status.
- 加班 jiābān — working overtime. Not slang, but you’ll need it to complain.
- 卷 juǎn — “rolled up”, short for 内卷 nèijuǎn: the rat race, everyone overworking to keep up. 太卷了 means “it’s so competitive”.
- 躺平 tǎngpíng — “lying flat”: opting out of that rat race.
Social life
- 吃瓜 chīguā — “eating melon”: watching drama unfold as a spectator. 你就是来吃瓜的 means “you’re just here for the gossip”.
- 搭子 dāzi — a buddy for one specific activity: a 饭搭子 (meal buddy), 健身搭子 (gym buddy) or 游泳搭子 (swimming buddy).
- 脱单 tuōdān — “escaping single”: getting into a relationship.
- 走起！ zǒuqǐ! — “Let’s go!”, “Let’s do it!”
How it sounds in a real chat
在干嘛？ — What are you up to?
上班摸鱼中，哈哈。你呢？ — Slacking off at work, haha. You?
我今天又要加班，无语。 — Overtime again today. Ugh.
好家伙，这周第三次了吧？ — Whoa, that’s the third time this week, isn’t it?
对啊，太卷了。我想躺平。 — Yep, it’s such a rat race. I want to lie flat.
哈哈，周末出来放松一下？ — Haha, come out and relax this weekend?
好啊！我发现一家火锅，绝了。 — Yes! I’ve found a hotpot place. It’s amazing.
走起！周六晚上？ — Let’s do it! Saturday evening?
Notice the particles in there too, like 对啊 and 这周第三次了吧. If they’re new to you, read our guide to 啊, 呢, 吧 and 嘛.
Use it, but read the room
Slang lands well with friends and in group chats. Natives love it when a learner gets it right. With your boss, your landlord or anyone you’ve just met, stick to plain, polite Chinese.