From TikTok to RedNote: What Do You Meme – Chinese Style

Escaped TikTok and paying your #CatTax on RedNote? Why stop there? Dive into the wild world of Chinese memes and claim your spot as a RedNote trendsetter! From mismatched work outfits redefining fashion to dramatic retreats that rival kung-fu moves, these memes are the perfect recipe for party chaos. Ready to laugh, sip, and meme your way to internet glory? Let’s explore the most iconic Chinese memes and discover how to play What Do You Meme: Chinese Style!

TikTok Refugees and RedNote Trends 

When TikTok faced the chopping block in the U.S., a quirky tribe of “TikTok refugees” packed their digital bags and landed on RedNote (Xiaohongshu)—a Chinese app that’s part lifestyle guide, part meme playground. Once a hotspot for foodies and fashionistas, RedNote is now buzzing with creativity and a whole lot of cat memes.

Enter the Legendary #CatTax

Want to join the party? Not so fast. RedNote has one rule: pay your dues with cat content. A picture, a meme, or even a video will do—just make sure it’s feline fabulous. Why cats? Because the internet crowned them kings long ago. They’re hilarious, unpredictable, and have that “I’m judging you” energy we all relate to.

But RedNote isn’t just a one-trick pony (or kitten). Sure, you can cat-meme your way into the club, but to truly earn your stripes as a native, you’ll need to brush up on Chinese meme culture. Think viral phrases, iconic gifs, and a humor style that’s equal parts clever and absurd. Feeling out of the loop? No worries! Warm up with a round of the “What Do You Meme Drinking Game” and start your meme-cation strong.

What Are Some Popular Memes in China?

Here’s a curated list of trending Chinese memes, featuring their humor, cultural context, and unique appeal.

1. The Grass Mud Horse (草泥马)

• Description: An alpaca-like creature symbolizing anti-censorship. The name is a pun on an explicit phrase, cleverly bypassing censorship to criticize it.
• Cultural Relevance: Represents defiance against internet restrictions in China.

2. Disgusting Work Outfits (上班恶心穿搭)

• Description: A viral trend where urbanites wear mismatched, ugly outfits—like cartoon socks and pajamas with high heels—to combat “work smell (班味)” and rebel against corporate pressures.
• Cultural Relevance: Highlights overwork, financial stress, and alienation while embracing the carefree spirit of “lying flat (躺平).” Ugly is the new chic.

3. Confronting Destiny (直面天命)

• Description: Inspired by the release of Black Myth: Wukong, the slogan “Confronting Destiny” became a humorous excuse for overworked white-collar workers to take a rare day off. 
• Cultural Relevance: Reflects the dual lives of netizens: heroic Monkey King gamers by night and overworked “company slaves” by day, blending humor with relatable frustrations.

4. Chengdu Disney (成都迪士尼)

• Description: A viral meme born from rapper Nuomi’s diss track on Douyin, where “I want to diss you (我要diss你)” sounded like “I want Disney (我要迪士尼).” A fitness machine in Chengdu became an internet-famous “resort” as crowds flocked to mimic the scene during the Qingming Festival.
• Cultural Relevance: A perfect example of “daka (打卡)” tourism, where absurd internet trends turn ordinary spots into iconic destinations.

5. Barbie Q (芭比Q了)

• Description: A pun on “barbecue,” used to express feelings of total failure or burnout.
• Cultural Relevance: Widely used among young people to laugh off stressful or awkward moments.

6. Pre-Made Social Media Posts (预制朋友圈)

• Description: A trend where people prepare staged photos to post on social media over time, mocking the curated nature of online personas.
• Cultural Relevance: Reflects a growing awareness of authenticity in social media.

7. Retreat! Retreat! Retreat! (退！退！退！)

• Description: A viral clip of a rural auntie shooing away trouble, humorously mimicking exorcism moves.
• Cultural Relevance: Celebrates the sass and wit of rural characters.

8. You Swan, He Frog (天鹅蛙)

• Description: A Chinglish mistranslation poking fun at mismatched couples. “He frog, you swan” refers to unbalanced romantic pairings.
• Cultural Relevance: Humorously critiques social expectations in relationships.

9. Let It Be Destroyed (毁灭吧)

• Description: A dramatic meme expressing a humorous willingness to abandon hope in chaotic situations.
• Cultural Relevance: Popular for exaggerating reactions to modern life’s struggles.

10. True Fragrance (真香)

• Description: From a reality TV show where a reluctant boy ends up enjoying the food he initially refused, uttering, “True fragrance!”
• Cultural Relevance: Used to describe ironic changes of opinion.

11. Drink Hot Water (多喝热水)

• Description: A satirical take on the common advice to drink hot water as a cure-all.
• Cultural Relevance: Highlights cultural quirks and health remedies.

12. Tri-Fold Life (三折叠人生)

• Description: A meme inspired by Huawei’s tri-fold phone, humorously applied to life’s complexities.
• Cultural Relevance: Combines tech innovation with social commentary.

13. The Mentally Stable Frog (精神稳定蛙)

• Description: A cartoon frog with a blank, emotionless stare, often holding a cup of tea or coffee. It symbolizes pretending to stay calm in the midst of chaos.
• Cultural Relevance: Represents the universal struggle of maintaining composure while internally panicking, making it highly relatable for modern life stress.

14. The Bubble Tea God (奶茶神)

• Description: A meme that glorifies bubble tea as the ultimate solution to all of life’s problems—feeling down? Grab a bubble tea. Heartbroken? Bubble tea has your back.
• Cultural Relevance: Highlights the strong emotional connection between Chinese netizens and bubble tea culture, blending humor with a love for indulgent treats.

What Do You Meme: Chinese Memes Edition 

Combine the hilarity of Chinese memes with a fun and interactive drinking game. Match captions with meme templates to make your friends laugh, and use drinking penalties to add extra excitement!

Setup

You’ll need 3–8 participants, a set of meme cards, and captions (the more captions you use, the harder the game gets). Distribute the caption cards evenly among players, and place the meme cards in a stack at the center.

Meme Cards

Get ready to laugh out loud with these iconic Chinese meme templates! Download the illustrated images above as meme cards and let the chaos begin!

1. The Grass Mud Horse (草泥马): The rebellious alpaca meme.
2. Disgusting Work Outfits (上班恶心穿搭): Ugly clothes to rebel against work stress.
3. Confronting Destiny (直面天命): Gaming escape from corporate life.
4. Chengdu Disney (成都迪士尼): A fitness machine turned viral “resort.”
5. Barbie Q (芭比Q了): A meme for total failure or burnout.
6. Pre-Made Social Media Posts (预制朋友圈): Staged photos mocking curated personas.
7. Retreat! Retreat! Retreat! (退！退！退！): Rural auntie shooing away trouble.
8. You Swan, He Frog (天鹅蛙): Mismatched couples in Chinglish humor.
9. Let It Be Destroyed (毁灭吧): Embracing chaos with dramatic flair.
10. True Fragrance (真香): Loving what you swore you’d hate.
11. Drink Hot Water (多喝热水): Mom’s cure-all for everything.
12. Tri-Fold Life (三折叠人生): Life’s chaos inspired by folding phones.
13. The Mentally Stable Frog (精神稳定蛙): Pretending to stay calm in chaos.
14. The Bubble Tea God (奶茶神): Bubble tea as the answer to life’s problems.

Caption Cards

Create a set of cards with funny and relatable captions inspired by Chinese culture and slang.

1. Grass Mud Horse (草泥马)

• “A fluffy warrior marching through fields of rebellion.”
• “When your innocence hides a battle cry.”
• “The face you make when someone says, ‘You can’t say that here.’”

2. Disgusting Work Outfits (上班恶心穿搭)

• “Fashion? Overrated. Comfort? Mandatory.”
• “When your socks and shoes have never met, and you like it that way.”
• “Dressing well doesn’t pay bills, but pajamas do.”

3. Confronting Destiny (直面天命)

• “I’m not playing a game; I’m fighting my corporate demons.”
• “Monkey King by night, office drone by day.”
• “Calling in sick to fight destiny—who’s with me?”

4. Chengdu Disney (成都迪士尼)

• “A fitness machine and a dream—what more do you need?”
• “Me at any random gym: ‘Quick, take a selfie, it’s a landmark now.’”
• “I came, I thrust, I conquered.”

5. Barbie Q (芭比Q了)

• “When you were the main character but forgot your lines.”
• “Me: This is fine. Also me: everything is burning.”
• “Life’s BBQ: Overcooked, underseasoned, and totally on fire.”

6. Pre-Made Social Media Posts (预制朋友圈)

• “Me: Posts candid shot. Also me: Took 47 tries and a tripod.”
• “Reality: Sweatpants and crumbs. Instagram: Bali sunsets and zen vibes.”
• “One vacation, ten years of Instagram content.”

7. Retreat! Retreat! Retreat! (退！退！退！)

• “When your aunt becomes a kung fu master during a family argument.”
• “Sometimes, running away is the real victory.”
• “When you’re not winning but refuse to lose stylishly.”

8. You Swan, He Frog (天鹅蛙)

• “When your bestie dates a toad, and you just sip tea.”
• “Me at every wedding: ‘She’s the swan. He’s… amphibious.’”
• “Love isn’t blind, it’s just too polite to mention frogs.”

9. Let It Be Destroyed (毁灭吧)

• “When your plans backfire so hard, you start rooting for the chaos.”
• “The group project isn’t working? Fine. Let the whole semester burn.”
• “When you’ve hit rock bottom but decide to dig deeper for the drama.”

10. True Fragrance (真香)

• “Me: I’m on a diet. Also me: inhales pizza.”
• “When your ego says no, but your taste buds scream yes.”
• “A plot twist in every bite: ‘Turns out, I like it.’”

11. Drink Hot Water (多喝热水)

• “When life gives you lemons, your mom boils them.”
• “Me: ‘I’m dying.’ Mom: ‘Boil the kettle.’”
• “Hot water cures all, except the trauma of hearing it 10 times a day.”

12. Tri-Fold Life (三折叠人生)

• “Work, sleep, repeat—life folded into chaos.”
• “Balancing work, life, and sanity is origami-level skill.”
• “When your day folds faster than your boss’s promises.”

13. The Mentally Stable Frog (精神稳定蛙)

• “Me: Inner peace. Also me: screams internally.”
• “Calm face, chaotic heart, and a cup of tea.”
• “When you’re one email away from hopping off the grid.”

14. The Bubble Tea God (奶茶神)

• “The holy nectar of indecisive millennials.”
• “When boba becomes your personality trait.”
• “When the gods themselves need a moment to ponder existence.”

How to Play What Do You Meme?

Meme Master

The player who last watched a Chinese drama or used a meme online becomes the “Meme Master” and flips the first meme card from the stack.

Captioning the Meme

• Players choose one of their caption cards to pair with the meme.
• Captions are handed face-down to the Meme Master.

Judgment

• The Meme Master reads the captions aloud anonymously and picks the funniest one.
• The player whose caption is chosen wins the round and becomes the new Meme Master.

What Do You Meme? Drinking Rules

1. The Meme Master’s Pick: Everyone except the winner drinks.
2. If the Meme Master Can’t Stop Laughing: They drink twice.
3. “Too Perfect” Penalty: If the caption is hilariously perfect for the meme, the winner picks someone to drink.
4. Matchy-Matchy Fail: If two captions are similar, both players drink.
5. Spit-Take Madness: If someone laughs so hard they spit out their drink, they owe everyone else a refill and must drink twice.

Wild Variants for Bold Challengers

1. Rednote Duel

Players act out the meme in a short video and post to Rednote. The cringiest performance earns a drinking penalty.

2. Grass Mud Horse Chant

When the Grass Mud Horse meme appears, all players must say the meme’s backstory without laughing. The first to crack drinks twice.

3. True Fragrance Flip

When the True Fragrance meme card appears, all players must confess a Chinese food they once hated but now secretly enjoy (e.g., preserved egg, cilantro instant noodles, turtle paste, fermented tofu, duck blood, or stinky tofu). The player with the most shocking confession gets to assign two drinks.

4. Barbie Q Despair Pose

Recreate the Barbie Q meme’s exaggerated expression of utter despair. The worst recreation, as judged by the group, drinks. Extra penalties for anyone who breaks character by laughing.

5. Bubble Tea Worship

When The Bubble Tea God meme is revealed, everyone must share their bubble tea order. The most basic order earns a drinking penalty.

6. Mentally Stable Challenge

When The Mentally Stable Frog appears, players must hold a neutral expression while pretending to sip tea. The first to laugh drinks.

7. Disgusting Work Outfit Showdown

When the Disgusting Work Outfits meme card appears, all players must describe the ugliest outfit they’ve ever worn to work (or invent one). Bonus points for including mismatched socks, cartoon prints, or pajamas with heels. The most ridiculous or cringe-worthy description gets to assign two drinks.

8. Destiny Duel

When the Confronting Destiny meme card appears, players must act out their best “chosen one” moment, channeling their inner Monkey King. The most dramatic or hilarious performance, as judged by the group, assigns two drinks. The player who breaks character by laughing drinks twice.

9. Chengdu Disney Pitch

When the Chengdu Disney meme card is drawn, each player must pitch a ridiculous “attraction” for the imaginary theme park. The least creative or most boring idea, as judged by the group, drinks. Bonus: Everyone must reenact the iconic thrusting scene at least once!

10. Great Retreat Challenge

When the Retreat! Retreat! Retreat! meme card appears, players must act out the funniest or most over-the-top escape plan for dodging a real-life problem (e.g., avoiding overtime, a blind date, or family drama). The least convincing retreat drinks three times. Bonus: Anyone who laughs during another player’s act drinks once.

Winning the Game

The game ends when:

• A player collects 5 meme cards (winning 5 rounds).
• Or when everyone agrees they’ve had enough drinks and laughs.

Titles:

• Meme Master of the Night: Awarded to the overall winner.
• Grass Mud Legend: Given to the player who drank the most.

Creative Drinking Games Inspired by Chinese Meme Culture

Looking to crank up the fun for your Chinese meme-themed party night? Dive into the ultimate collection of creative and wild drinking games that take inspiration from Chinese culture, memes, and internet trends. Get ready to laugh, challenge your friends, and create unforgettable chaos as you try these innovative twists beyond the ordinary!

1. Baijiu Bravery

Baijiu (China’s infamous high-proof liquor) is a cultural icon often joked about in memes for its intense flavor and effect.

• How to Play: Prepare small shots of baijiu for this game. Each round, the Meme Master asks a challenging or embarrassing question related to Chinese internet culture (e.g., “What’s the cringiest video you’ve seen in TikTok or Rednote?”).
• Rules:
  • Answer the question honestly or take a sip of baijiu.
  • If the Meme Master thinks the answer is fake, the player drinks anyway.

2. Hotpot Harmony

Hotpot is beloved across China, and meme culture often references its chaotic, communal energy.

• How to Play: Set up a small hotpot (or pretend with a bowl of water and props).
• Rules:
  • Players take turns adding “ingredients” (real or imaginary) to the pot while describing their worst dining experience.
  • The player with the funniest or most ridiculous story gets to assign drinks.

3. Red Envelope Roulette

Inspired by the Chinese New Year tradition of giving hongbao (red envelopes), this game combines luck and drinking.

• How to Play: Prepare red envelopes filled with instructions (e.g., “Assign 2 drinks,” “Take a shot,” “Everyone drinks,” or “Sing a meme-inspired song”).
• Rules:
  • Each player draws an envelope when a meme card with the color red (e.g., Chengdu Disney, Grass Mud Horse) is flipped.

4. Mahjong Mystery

Mahjong tiles are an iconic part of Chinese culture and often referenced in memes for their strategic complexity.

• How to Play: Use a set of mahjong tiles or draw symbols on cards.
• Rules:
  • Players draw a tile (or card) when a “strategic” meme card is flipped.
  • Tiles have random instructions:
    • Bamboo (Drink once).
    • Characters (Assign a drink).
    • Flowers (Everyone drinks).

5. Karaoke Chaos

KTV (karaoke) is a quintessential part of Chinese nightlife, and memes frequently joke about bad singers.

• How to Play: Players must sing a popular Chinese drama song (e.g., something from a viral video or Douyin trend).
• Rules:
  • The group votes on the best and worst performances.
  • The worst singer takes a big gulp, while the best assigns two drinks.

6. Weird Snack Dare

2025 is the Year of the Snake, so embrace its adventurous and daring spirit with bold Chinese snacks like stinky tofu, duck necks, or preserved eggs.

• How to Play: Prepare a variety of snacks, from delicious to downright daring.
• Rules:
  • When a dare card is drawn, the player must eat a mystery snack.
  • Refusing to eat means invoking the Snake’s wrath—take a double drink penalty!

7. Lantern Light Lie Detector

Inspired by the Lantern Festival and Chinese bluff games, this game turns secrets into fun challenges.

• How to Play: Each player writes a statement about themselves, true or false, on a paper “lantern.”
• Rules:
  • The group guesses if the statement is true or false.
  • Wrong guesses drink, and the player with the statement drinks if caught lying.

8. Zodiac Face-Off

Zodiac animals and their personality traits are a staple of Chinese culture and humor.

• How to Play: Players must match another player’s zodiac animal to a ridiculous or exaggerated meme caption.
• Rules:
  • If the assigned caption fits too well, the matched player drinks.
  • If the group disagrees, the assigner drinks.

Congratulations—you’ve just survived the wildest, most chaotic meme party of your life! From daring snake-year snacks to the absolute absurdity of Barbie Q Pose, these games prove that Chinese meme culture isn’t just funny—it’s a full-blown adventure. 

So, whether you earned the title of “Grass Mud Legend” or ended up drowning in your bubble tea, one thing’s for sure: you’re now a certified meme master. Until next time, keep the cat memes coming, and remember—if it all goes south, just “Let It Be Destroyed!” Cheers!