Buzzword: 破防 pò fáng, be emotionally overwhelmed
China's Chen Yufei celebrates after winning the women's singles badminton final match during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
破防
pò fáng
move sb. to tears; be emotionally overwhelmed
This term, short for "破除防御," is derived from eSports, meaning "break through the defense" in a game. It has gradually become a metaphor to express people's emotions when they are moved to tears or overwhelmed. During the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the term "破防" has trended on Weibo, one of the biggest social media platforms in China, as many Chinese get emotional every time the Chinese delegation wins a gold medal or when they witness a moving moment.
在东京奥运会上,很多中国的奥运健儿们获得金牌时都会骄傲地指向衣服上的中国国旗.这个动作让很多观众破防了.
Zài dōngjīng àoyùnhuì shàng, hěnduō zhōngguó de àoyùn jiàn'ér men huòdé jīnpái shí dōuhuì jiāoào de zhǐxiàng yīfu shàng de zhōngguó guóqí. Zhège dòngzuò ràng hěnduō guānzhòng pòfáng le.
During the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, many Chinese athletes have pointed with pride to the patch of the Chinese flag they're wearing when they win a gold medal, which many viewers find emotionally overwhelmed.
我emo了
wǒ emo le
I become emotional; I am depressed; I have mixed feelings.
This phrase went viral on Douyin, one of the popular Chinese video-sharing platforms. The "emo" in the term stands for "emotional," and many netizens use the phrase to express their depression or mixed feelings. But just like "网抑云" – dubbed the synonym of fake depression, attention-seeking or being phony – some people accuse those who overuse the term "我emo了" of seeking attention.
他白天还开开心心的,一到深夜就"我emo了."
Tā báitiān hái kāikāixīnxīn de, yīdào shēnyè jiù "wǒ emo le."
He was pretty bubbly during the day, but at midnight he just went like "I am emotional and depressed."
