Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 梗 | gěng |
| 模因 | móyīn |
| 迷迷 | mímí |
| 米姆 | mǐmǔ |
| 迷因 | míyīn |
| 彌 / 弥 | mí |
| 哏 | gén |
A meme refers to media that is copied and circulated online. You can use the verb phrase 玩梗 to describe the act of referencing or playing with a specific meme or inside joke. If a meme has become stale, overused or cliché, it is referred to as an 老梗.
Which one should you use?
The form 梗 is the most common way to refer to an internet meme or a joke in casual conversation. In contrast, the form 模因 is a technical transliteration used in academic or scientific contexts, such as evolutionary biology. The form 哏 is a variant of 梗 often used in the context of comedy or crosstalk to refer to a punchline or a joke point. Additionally, if the meme is primarily a visual and funny picture, the informal term 搞笑图 can be used.
How do you pronounce it?
gěng
Did you know?
- The academic term 模因 was intentionally coined to mirror the structure of the word for gene, 基因. Both terms end with the character 因, meaning 'cause' or 'factor'.
- The term 哏 is deeply tied to the traditional art of 'Crosstalk' (Xiangsheng), where a comedian's ability to deliver a good joke is measured by how well they can 'throw a 哏'.
- Unlike the English word 'meme', which is almost always used for digital content, 梗 is frequently used to describe a recurring inside joke in a physical conversation that has never been posted online.
Examples in context
- 他成了一个哏。He became a meme.This sentence is useful for seeing how 哏 is used to describe a person becoming a meme.Tatoeba #7755645 by la_kanro, translation #5266547 by Theocracy
- 如果再让我听到一次“67”这个梗，我就把我自己从窗户扔下去。I'm going to defenestrate myself if I hear the "SIX-SEVEN" meme one more time.This sentence shows how to use 梗 when referring to a specific internet meme.Tatoeba #13999392 by jan_OkulaJu, translation #13908291 by mexicanhere
- 这个梗现在很火。Zhège gěng xiànzài hěn huǒ.This meme is very popular right now.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about internet culture while sitting in a cafe.
- 志强 Zhiqiang你看到那个新的梗了吗？Nǐ kàndào nàge xīn de gěng le ma?Did you see that new meme?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen还没，是什么梗？Hái méi, shì shénme gěng?Not yet, what meme is it?
- 志强 Zhiqiang就是一个很搞笑的小视频。Jiùshì yīgè hěn gǎoxiào de xiǎo shìpín.It's just a very funny short video.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我也去搜搜看。Wǒ yě qù sōu sōu kàn.I'll go search for it too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “meme” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 模因, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
