Earticle

초록

영어

This study examines Zhinan (straight man) and Xiaoxiannv (little fairy), along with related neologisms, as linguistic reflections of escalating gender conflict in Chinese society. By investigating the linguistic characteristics and semantic evolution of these gender-specific designators, this research aims to elucidate the current state of sexist language in contemporary China. Drawing upon the Baidu Index, news articles, and corpus-based data, this study traces the semantic trajectories of these terms. The findings are as follows: First, Zhinan, which emerged around 2014 as a neutral descriptor for heterosexual males, initially underwent semantic expansion to encompass "average" or "masculine" archetypes. However, it has since shifted toward semantic pejoration, currently serving as a satirical label for patriarchal or authoritarian men. Furthermore, its derivative, Zhinan’ai (literally “straight man cancer,” a derogatory term for patriarchal men), employs a pathological metaphor to describe incurable dogmatic male attitudes, establishing itself as an offensive epithet. Second, Xiaoxiannv, appearing around 2016, is a compound of the mythological term Xiannv?referring to beings of exceptional beauty and power?and the prefix Xiao, which denotes familiarity. While initially used to refer to charming young women and later expanded to symbolize purity or to respectfully address female customers, it has undergone a degeneration of meaning since 2019. It is now increasingly utilized as a derogatory epithet to disparage women perceived as having a “princess complex” or an undue sense of entitlement. Third, the usage patterns of Xiaoxiannv, Zhinan, Zhinan’ai, and Puxinnan demonstrate that gender-specific designators are being weaponized as instruments of linguistic stigma. This form of linguistic violence facilitates a self-perpetuating cycle of mockery and hostility, institutionalizing gender-based hatred within Chinese digital discourse.

저자

• 이명아

참고문헌

발행기관

간행물

표지보기 관심저널 등록

• 간행물명

  동북아 문화연구 [Journal of North-east Asian Cultures]

• 간기

  계간

• pISSN

  1598-3692

• 수록기간

  2001~2026

• 등재여부

  KCI 등재

• 십진분류

  KDC 910 DDC 950