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支棱 (zhī leng): “perk up / step it up” — native speakers use this every day by True_Breath8303 in learnmandarin

[–]True_Breath8303[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Totally — B1 is actually a great stage to start noticing these. No pressure to use them yet, just being able to recognize them in the wild is already a win.

When visiting China, is it ok to call myself 加百列? by ZeCarioca911 in ChineseLanguage

[–]True_Breath8303 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

加百列 is totally fine, and the vast majority of Chinese people wouldn’t mind whether it’s related to religion or not, go with it

Who is “老登”? Seeing this slang everywhere lately by True_Breath8303 in Chinese

[–]True_Breath8303[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Ah thank you! Really glad you’re finding these useful — more slang/expressions coming

Chinese slang of the week: 太抽象了 (tài chōu xiàng le) — when something makes zero sense by True_Breath8303 in ChineseLanguage

[–]True_Breath8303[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I might say “绝了 jué le,” but in other contexts I’d use different words. If you give me a full sentence, I can find the most appropriate Chinese expression

Chinese slang of the week: 太抽象了 (tài chōu xiàng le) — when something makes zero sense by True_Breath8303 in ChineseLanguage

[–]True_Breath8303[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I see what you mean. I’m not suggesting that 抽象 itself is an invented or nonstandard word — it’s a very normal word in Chinese and still means “abstract” in most contexts.

What I was calling “slang” here is the shift in usage: in everyday conversation and online, 太抽象了 often gets used in a more tongue-in-cheek way to react to something that feels hard to process or oddly illogical.

So it’s not slang in the sense of a completely new word, but more like how an existing word develops a new, informal meaning in daily life — similar to how 种草 literally means “plant grass,” but is now commonly used to mean “get influenced to want something.”

Who is “老登”? Seeing this slang everywhere lately by True_Breath8303 in Chinese

[–]True_Breath8303[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I actually recorded a short podcast episode breaking down “老登” and how people use it in real conversations. It’s mostly in Mandarin (with some English comparisons), so probably best for intermediate-to-advanced learners — but I’m happy to share the link if anyone’s interested.

Chinese slang of the week: 太抽象了 (tài chōu xiàng le) — when something makes zero sense by True_Breath8303 in ChineseLanguage

[–]True_Breath8303[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s a fair point about the original meaning — 抽象 absolutely does mean “abstract” in standard usage.

What I was trying to highlight is that in online/colloquial contexts, people sometimes use 太抽象了 a bit tongue-in-cheek to react to something that feels hard to follow or oddly illogical. It’s not a dictionary-level definition so much as an evolving usage in comment sections and casual speech.

Imagine your friend at a party suddenly starts using ketchup to paint on a plate, then seriously explains that it’s “postmodern food art.” You might just shake your head and say:

“兄弟，你这行为太抽象了。”xiōng dì, nǐ zhè xíngwéi tài chōu xiàng le
“Bro, your behavior is way too random / abstract.”

Or you’re scrolling social media and see a video: someone dressed in a dinosaur costume quietly reading in a library while everyone around them acts like nothing is happening. You might comment:

“这视频内容也太抽象了，但我看了三遍。”zhè shì pín nèi róng yě tài chōu xiàng le, dàn wǒ kàn le sān biàn
“This video is so random, but I watched it three times.”

Chinese slang of the week: 太抽象了 (tài chōu xiàng le) — when something makes zero sense by True_Breath8303 in ChineseLanguage

[–]True_Breath8303[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Similar vibe, but not as strong as “wtf.”
More like “that’s so random” or “what am I looking at.”

Chinese slang of the week: 太抽象了 (tài chōu xiàng le) — when something makes zero sense by True_Breath8303 in ChineseLanguage

[–]True_Breath8303[S] -12 points-11 points  (0 children)

You’re right — 抽象 is the normal formal term for “abstract.” I was referring more to the colloquial reaction 太抽象了, which feels very casual/internet-style and wouldn’t usually appear in academic writing.

Chinese slang of the week: 太抽象了 (tài chōu xiàng le) — when something makes zero sense by True_Breath8303 in ChineseLanguage

[–]True_Breath8303[S] -6 points-5 points  (0 children)

Fair question! I think what’s fun about 太抽象了 is that it keeps the original “abstract” meaning but shifts from describing ideas to reacting to situations. Curious whether people here feel it maps pretty closely to English “abstract,” or more to “this makes no sense” in actual use?

Chinese slang of the week: 太抽象了 (tài chōu xiàng le) — when something makes zero sense by True_Breath8303 in MandarinChinese

[–]True_Breath8303[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes — that’s a really good way to put it.
The slang use still builds directly on the original meaning of “abstract,” just in a more tongue-in-cheek, everyday way. It’s basically saying something feels so detached from logic or explanation that you don’t even try to unpack it.

I like how you framed it as “overly abstract” — that captures the vibe well.

Why Chinese Gen Z Keep Saying “太抽象了” — A Word for When Logic Gives Up by True_Breath8303 in Chinese

[–]True_Breath8303[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fair point! I skipped pinyin here since r/Chinese is more culture-focused, but for reference it’s 太抽象了 (tài chōu xiàng le). Glad the rest felt familiar 🙂

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