Contemporary Life: every key term you need (+ practice quiz)

More AP Chinese Language guides

• Personal and Public Identities
• Beauty and Aesthetics
• Science and Technology
• Global Challenges

高考 (gāokǎo)

The national college entrance exam held every June; scores largely determine university admission and life paths.

中考 (zhōngkǎo)

The high-school entrance exam that sorts students into academic or vocational tracks.

补习班 (bǔxíbān)

After-school tutoring classes; the 2021 双减 policy restricted for-profit tutoring to reduce student burden.

双减 (shuāngjiǎn)

'Double reduction' policy cutting homework and off-campus tutoring for compulsory-education students.

内卷 (nèijuǎn)

'Involution': intense, zero-sum competition in school and work with diminishing returns.

躺平 (tǎngpíng)

'Lying flat': youth slang for opting out of the rat race in response to 内卷.

996 工作制

Working 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week, common in tech firms and criticized as illegal overwork.

打工人 (dǎgōngrén)

Self-deprecating term for ordinary workers/office employees.

外卖小哥 (wàimài xiǎogē)

Delivery riders, emblematic of the gig economy in Chinese cities.

外卖 / 快递

Food delivery and package delivery services that define urban convenience.

网红 (wǎnghóng)

Internet celebrity or influencer; live-stream selling (直播带货) is a major industry.

直播带货 (zhíbò dàihuò)

Live-stream e-commerce where hosts sell products in real time on 抖音 or 淘宝.

抖音 (Dǒuyīn)

Chinese TikTok, the dominant short-video app shaping trends and slang.

微博 (Wēibó)

Microblogging platform for news, celebrities, and trending topics (热搜).

小红书 (Xiǎohóngshū)

Lifestyle-sharing app for reviews, travel, and fashion tips.

广场舞 / 跳舞

Square dancing and evening exercise groups; a fixture of daily life in parks.

早餐文化 (zǎocān wénhuà)

Breakfast culture: 豆浆油条, 包子, 煎饼果子 bought from street stalls.

火锅 (huǒguō)

Hot pot, a communal meal central to social dining, especially in 四川 and 重庆.

奶茶 (nǎichá)

Bubble/milk tea; brands like 喜茶 and 蜜雪冰城 dominate youth consumption.

外卖平台 vs. 堂食

Ordering in vs. dining in—a lifestyle choice reshaped by apps.

健康码 (jiànkāngmǎ)

Health QR codes used during COVID-19 to enter public places.

网购 / 淘宝

Online shopping habits; Taobao and 拼多多 make bargain hunting a pastime.

扫码点餐 (sǎomǎ diǎncān)

Ordering by scanning a QR code at the table instead of using a menu.

打车软件 (dǎchē ruǎnjiàn)

Ride-hailing apps like 滴滴出行.

地铁 (dìtiě)

Subway systems in over 40 Chinese cities; Shanghai's is the world's longest.

房价 (fángjià)

Housing prices; the burden of buying an apartment before marriage in big cities.

北漂 (běipiāo)

'Beijing drifters': young people from elsewhere striving in the capital without local 户口.

一线城市 (yīxiàn chéngshì)

First-tier cities: 北京, 上海, 广州, 深圳 (北上广深).

退休 (tuìxiū)

Retirement; statutory ages (60 men, 50/55 women) are being gradually raised.

养老 (yǎnglǎo)

Elder care and pensions, a growing concern as one-child families age.

业余爱好 (yèyú àihào)

Hobbies: 打篮球, 唱卡拉OK, 打麻将, 打游戏, 看剧.

电竞 (diànjìng)

E-sports, an official sport in China with professional leagues and university majors.

黄金周 (huángjīnzhōu)

Golden Week holidays (Spring Festival, National Day) with mass domestic travel.

旅游 (lǚyóu)

Travel; 网红打卡地 are trendy photo spots popularized on social media.

生活方式 (shēnghuó fāngshì)

Lifestyle; contrasts between fast-paced 一线城市 and slower small-town living.