<p>Using a stand-in word is not new.</p>
<p>For example:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>&quot;gay&quot; in &quot;It is so gay&quot; implies &quot;ridiculous&quot; when the speaker and his audience consider gayness to be something to poke fun of</p>
</li>
<li><p>&quot;cool&quot; in &quot;He is so cool&quot; takes the meaning of &quot;cool&quot; as &quot;calm&quot; and extends it to mean &quot;stylish&quot;</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Using 抽象 (abstract) as a stand-in word for &quot;funny&quot; sounds logical to people who associate &quot;abstract drawing&quot; with &quot;childish doodle&quot; (小孩塗鴉).</p>
<p>Many people consider childish things are funny, or things to be poked fun of</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-21T00:20:35.657Z
2023-02-21T02:04:12.210Z
2023-02-21T02:04:12.210Z
Tang Ho
<p>抽象 (<em>literally</em> abstract) here is actually a meme from the Chinese gamer Xiaochuan Sun (孙笑川), usually meaning somebody/something is odd, freaky, complicated, and hard to understand. A 抽象 person/thing is frequently funny but not always funny.</p>
<p>Examples:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1LEUkYrEUs" rel="nofollow noreferrer">国际学校有多抽象？</a> How weird can an international school be? <em>It is not funny.</em></li>
<li><a href="https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1Y9SkY6Exs" rel="nofollow noreferrer">抽象人的周末在干嘛？</a> What do freaky people do on weekends? <em>It is funny.</em></li>
<li><a href="https://www.zhihu.com/question/624437208" rel="nofollow noreferrer">怎么评价现在网络上那些“抽象”的人?</a> How do you think of those &quot;abstract&quot; (annoying) people on the internet? <em>It is not funny.</em></li>
<li><a href="https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1yiUBYkETT/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">最抽象的一届校运会</a> The weirdest sports meet. <em>It is funny.</em></li>
</ul>
<p>When I came out to my roommate as transgender, he first described me as 抽象 in astonishment, too, because he couldn't imagine it.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-28T13:50:02.427Z
2024-11-28T13:50:02.427Z
ayumuate
<p>More likely, here &quot;抽象&quot; is a caustic remark on the show for its lack of logic behind the story/performance. The real comment could be &quot;不知所云&quot; :)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-21T00:25:53.233Z
it sounds logical to people who consider abstract = chaotic
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-21T01:17:10.093Z
@TangHo 他畫的佷抽像 = 我看不懂 :)
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-21T01:45:41.017Z
the remark can also be 莫名其妙
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-21T02:04:41.197Z
@TangHo "莫名其妙,不知所云" 經常是連用以表示對事物的輕篾及嘲諷 :) 用"抽象"一詞嘲弄人比較婉轉, 另人哭笑不得 :)
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-21T00:24:32.413Z
2023-02-21T00:24:32.413Z
r13
<p>On Chinese social networks, &quot;抽象&quot; does not always mean &quot;abstract&quot;</p>
<p>For example, &quot;这个视频太<strong>抽象</strong>了&quot; actually means this video is kinda <strong>funny</strong> instead of &quot;This video is so abstract&quot;</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-20T23:59:24.213Z
I think it is asking how 抽象 means funny in certain social networks
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-21T04:05:29.380Z
There's much more to the word 抽象 than just "funny". 抽象文化 is quite difficult to pin down, but it relates to online trash talk, a style of writing where individual Chinese characters are replaced with emojis, some very widespread memes and the online personalities behind them, etc.
twisteroid ambassador
<translation><simplified-characters>
What does "抽象" in this sentence mean in English?
# What does "抽象" in this sentence mean in English?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-02-20)

On Chinese social networks, "抽象" does not always mean "abstract"

For example, "这个视频太**抽象**了" actually means this video is kinda **funny** instead of "This video is so abstract"

**Tags:** translation, simplified-characters
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I think it is asking how 抽象 means funny in certain social networks  
> **username_2**: There's much more to the word 抽象 than just "funny". 抽象文化 is quite difficult to pin down, but it relates to online trash talk, a style of writing where individual Chinese characters are replaced with emojis, some very widespread memes and the online personalities behind them, etc.  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2023-02-21. Score: 2

Using a stand-in word is not new.

For example:

* "gay" in "It is so gay" implies "ridiculous" when the speaker and his audience consider gayness to be something to poke fun of
* "cool" in "He is so cool" takes the meaning of "cool" as "calm" and extends it to mean "stylish"

Using 抽象 (abstract) as a stand-in word for "funny" sounds logical to people who associate "abstract drawing" with "childish doodle" (小孩塗鴉).

Many people consider childish things are funny, or things to be poked fun of


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2024-11-28. Score: 0

抽象 (*literally* abstract) here is actually a meme from the Chinese gamer Xiaochuan Sun (孙笑川), usually meaning somebody/something is odd, freaky, complicated, and hard to understand. A 抽象 person/thing is frequently funny but not always funny.

Examples:

* [国际学校有多抽象？](https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1LEUkYrEUs) How weird can an international school be? *It is not funny.*
* [抽象人的周末在干嘛？](https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1Y9SkY6Exs) What do freaky people do on weekends? *It is funny.*
* [怎么评价现在网络上那些“抽象”的人?](https://www.zhihu.com/question/624437208) How do you think of those "abstract" (annoying) people on the internet? *It is not funny.*
* [最抽象的一届校运会](https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1yiUBYkETT/) The weirdest sports meet. *It is funny.*

When I came out to my roommate as transgender, he first described me as 抽象 in astonishment, too, because he couldn't imagine it.


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2023-02-21. Score: 0

More likely, here "抽象" is a caustic remark on the show for its lack of logic behind the story/performance. The real comment could be "不知所云" :)

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: it sounds logical to people who consider abstract = chaotic  
> **username_4**: @TangHo 他畫的佷抽像 = 我看不懂 :)  
> **username_1**: the remark can also be 莫名其妙  
> **username_4**: @TangHo "莫名其妙,不知所云" 經常是連用以表示對事物的輕篾及嘲諷 :) 用"抽象"一詞嘲弄人比較婉轉, 另人哭笑不得 :)  

---

