Illustration: Liu Xiangya/GT

The Shanghai-based linguistic journal Yaowen Jiaozi, which pioneered the tradition of selecting annual buzzwords in China since 2008, has recently announced the Top Ten buzzwords of 2024.

The list includes "songchigan," or "a sense of relaxation," and "xiaohai ge" and "xiaohai jie," meaning "kid bro" and "kid sis," referring to children who show talent beyond their age.

When putting together and looking into their related cultural phenomena, one can see that these buzzwords were highlighted because they epitomize  current social changes and cultural trends. 

The entries of xiaohai ge, xiaohai jie and "yinfa liliang," or "elderly power," refer to two social groups that have a distant age gap. During the Paris Olympics, 11-year-old Chinese athlete Zheng Haohao was often called xiaohai jie due to her sport talent and also her sassy act of competing confidently against adults in skateboarding events. 

Zheng's "kid sis" moniker reflects the increasing attention Chinese society is paying to children's individual talent and self-expression. 

Similarly, the term "elderly power" reveals how Chinese society values their senior citizens, especially their contributions through programs such as the Silver Age Action program, which has engaged more than 7 million elderly volunteers into serving differing social roles nationwide. 

Traditionally, buzzwords are byproducts of entertainment and internet culture. The popularity of these buzzwords also reflects the public's deepening awareness and thinking of social structural issues.

Huang Anjing, editor-in-chief of the journal has also told media that language is "a mirror of society," and this year's selections reflect very clearly the "characteristics of the times."

Besides focusing on social groups, this years' buzzwords also reflect the public's lifestyle choices and changwing mindsets. The pair "ban wei" and "songchigan" are both hot terms describing workplace life in China. 

The former depicts being exhausted and weary from heavy work pressure. In the past few years, similar terms such as "996," referring to working from 9 am to 9 pm, six days a week, have also emerged. 

These terms describe the working stress prevailing among people, but at the same time, they have prompted people to look for a "sense of relaxation" to cope with the pressure of social life. Therefore, these buzzwords reflecting the public's collective feelings. 

In 2024, US vlogger Bao Bao Xiong's travel meme "city bu city," meaning "city or not city," went viral on platforms such as Bilibili and Sina Weibo. 

The term is a Chinese-English expression that has been selected as a 2024 buzzword. It asks whether a place is fashionable and has the atmosphere of a big city. 

When he learned that the expression he created had become a buzzword, Bao Bao Xiong told the Global Times that with this phrase, he was able to connect with more Chinese friends and he could not believe it had "become a cultural trend."  

Why "city bu city" started trending not only because it blends foreign and Chinese languages, but also more profoundly highlights the embrace of modern and international Chinese culture since the term was coined after the vlogger toured around many modern Chinese metropolises.  

Behind the buzzword "city bu city" are China's efforts such as its visa-free policy that brings in more foreigners to experience Chinese culture. 

Therefore, the buzzword describes not just one thing, but the real-life phenomenon of 2024, during which more and more overseas visitors have toured the country to enjoy great experiences. 

Through annual buzzwords, people can feel how a social-cultural concept reflects the values of the current times. 

For instance, several years ago, "AI" was a catchphrase as the concept started to emerge. In 2024, "zhineng xiangshan," meaning intelligence with goodwill or being smart and doing good, has been selected as one buzzword.

This 2024 buzzword reflects how the AI industry in China has taken a step toward taking moral and ethical responsibility in technology development.

The full list of the top 10 buzzwords for 2024 are shuzhihua, meaning "digital intelligence;" zhineng xiangshan, weilai chanye, or "future industry;" "city bu city," ying kong, meaning hard control; shuilingling de, used to describe someone energetic or something shiny; ban wei, songchigan, yinfa liliang and the combined xiaohai ge/xiaohai jie. 

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. life@globaltimes.com.cn