班味、硬控、松弛感……2024年“十大流行语”出炉 | 南华早报

Language serves as a mirror of society. This year’s buzzwords in China undeniably reflect the essence of our times.

They primarily signify the advent of the intelligent era, where the younger generation – especially those born after 2000 – has become the focal point of social attention, while the elderly have emerged as a vital force in driving social development, Huang Anjing, editor of the Yao Wen Jiao Zi linguistics journal, told Xinhua News Agency.

In this annual exercise, the Post explores the top 10 buzzwords and the meanings behind them.

This term describes an industrial trend that integrates digital and intelligent technologies to enhance production efficiency and creativity. The fusion of digitalisation with intelligence involves the implementation of advanced technologies, such as autonomous learning, decision optimisation, and predictive analysis, aimed at boosting both production capabilities and innovation.

The phrase highlights using intelligence to foster positive outcomes, like developing AI to improve human well-being.

The phrase encapsulates the idea of leveraging intelligence to promote positive outcomes. It emphasises that the development of artificial intelligence should enhance human well-being, facilitating not only industrial transformation and economic growth but also contributing to societal improvement and sustainable development.

Future industries, as defined by Chinese authorities, refer to sectors propelled by cutting-edge technologies that play strategic, leading, and revolutionary roles within the economy.

Shanghai resident Paul Mike Ashton, above, known as “Hug Hug Bear”, has captured the attention of social media for coining the phrase.

This meme originated from an American blogger who travelled across China, questioning whether a place or activity could be considered modern or cosmopolitan. The slang quickly gained popularity on social media, often imitated by online celebrities, and can also convey feelings of excitement and joy.

Originally derived from online gaming, this term has broadened in scope on social media. It now describes phenomena or entities that exert a strong allure, making it difficult for individuals to shift their focus or attention elsewhere.

Initially used to describe someone as beautiful and vibrant, this phrase has evolved to characterise eye-catching behaviour. Social media users frequently employ it humorously to poke fun at themselves or others.

Individuals described as having ban wei exhibit tired eyes and haggard faces due to work-related stress and exploitation. This phrase has gained traction on social media, where users share their strategies for “washing off ban wei” to achieve a better work-life balance, such as through travel and social activities.

Individuals with ban wei show tired eyes and haggard faces due to work-related stress.

This term refers to a state of being untroubled and flexible. Many netizens express a desire to attain this state in their lives, aspiring to handle pressures calmly while being kind to themselves, rather than succumbing to anxiety.

This term highlights the increasingly significant contributions of senior citizens across various sectors of society. Derivative phrases like “silver hair tide”, “silver hair market”, and “silver hair economy” have captured the attention of social media users in China.

This term underscores the vital contributions of senior citizens across society. Photo: Shutterstock

Internet users coined this phrase to honour exceptionally talented youth. For instance, an 11-year-old boy from eastern China’s Zhejiang province, who self-taught physics and chemistry and wrote hundreds of lines of code to build a rocket, has garnered widespread admiration on  social media. ■