Watch: The Chinese Slang Term “Straight Male” Doesn’t Mean What You Think It Does

Slang Dynasty is a series that unpacks the wide world of Chinese regional slang, internet colloquialisms, and assorted street-level jargon.

On this week’s Slang Dynasty, our friends Una and Yanran shares with you the popular internet phrase “zhi nan 直男.”

“Zhi nan” first went viral in 2014 and directly translates as “straight male”, but it’s not about their sexuality. A stereotypical zhi nan values video games and sports over his girlfriend (if he could even get one), is nonchalant towards women’s psychological needs, and is often self-conceited.

To find out more about this term, check out the video below: