====== chū kēng: 出坑 - To Quit a Hobby, To Leave a Fandom ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** chukeng, chu keng, 出坑, what does chukeng mean, Chinese slang, leave a fandom, quit a hobby, get out of the pit, Chinese internet culture, 入坑, rù kēng, 退坑, tuì kēng
  * **Summary:** **出坑 (chū kēng)** is a popular Chinese internet slang term that literally means "to get out of the pit." It vividly describes the act of quitting a time-consuming and often expensive hobby, leaving a fandom, or stopping the collection of certain items. If you've ever fallen down the "rabbit hole" of a new TV show, video game, or collection, then deciding to stop is exactly what **出坑** means. It's the opposite of **入坑 (rù kēng)**, which means getting into a hobby.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** chū kēng
  * **Part of Speech:** Verb Phrase
  * **HSK Level:** N/A
  * **Concise Definition:** To quit a deeply engaging hobby or leave a fandom.
  * **In a Nutshell:** Imagine your favorite hobby—be it gaming, collecting Funko Pops, or following a particular celebrity—is a giant, alluring pit (坑). When you first get into it, you "enter the pit" (入坑). This pit consumes your time, energy, and money. **出坑 (chū kēng)** is the moment you decide to climb out, either because you've lost interest, it's become too costly, or the story (like a TV series) has ended. It's a declaration of freedom from a beloved obsession.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **出 (chū):** This character's basic meaning is "to go out" or "to exit." It's a fundamental character seen in words like 出口 (chūkǒu - exit).
  * **坑 (kēng):** This character means "a pit," "a hole," or "a trap." In internet slang, it represents a hobby or interest that "sucks you in" with its appeal, demanding your resources.
  * **Combined Meaning:** The characters literally combine to mean "to exit the pit." This metaphor perfectly captures the feeling of leaving a hobby that one was once "stuck" in, whether happily or not.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
  * **出坑 (chū kēng)** is a cornerstone of modern Chinese internet and fandom culture. It reflects a world of intense, niche hobbies and the consumerism that often accompanies them. The "pit" (坑) is a self-aware acknowledgment that these hobbies can be all-consuming.
  * In Western culture, the closest equivalent to getting *into* a hobby is "going down the rabbit hole." **出坑** is the act of climbing back out. While one might say "I'm quitting the show" or "I'm done with that game," the metaphor of **出坑** adds a layer of shared cultural experience. It's not just quitting; it's graduating or being liberated from a specific, intense phase. It’s a more dramatic and communal way to express this change in interest compared to simply saying "I'm not into that anymore." It acknowledges the "depth" of the prior commitment.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
  * This term is highly informal and is used constantly on social media platforms like Weibo (微博), Douban (豆瓣), and Bilibili (B站), as well as in daily conversation among younger people.
  * **Fandoms (饭圈 - fànquān):** Fans use it when they stop following an idol, a band, or a TV show. This can happen when a show ends or if they become disenchanted with the celebrity.
  * **Gaming:** A gamer might declare they are **出坑** from a particular mobile or online game that they have spent hundreds of hours on.
  * **Collecting:** People who collect anything from mechanical keyboards and fountain pens to makeup and action figures will use **出坑** when they decide to stop buying new items and perhaps even sell their collection.
  * The connotation is usually neutral or positive, implying a sense of relief or moving on to something new. It's rarely seen as a negative failure, but rather as a natural part of a hobby's lifecycle.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:** 
    * 我最近太忙了，决定从这个游戏**出坑**了。
    * Pinyin: Wǒ zuìjìn tài máng le, juédìng cóng zhège yóuxì **chū kēng** le.
    * English: I've been too busy lately, so I've decided to quit this game.
    * Analysis: A classic and common use. The speaker is announcing their decision to stop playing a game due to external reasons (being busy).
  * **Example 2:** 
    * 那个电视剧完结了，我终于可以**出坑**了！
    * Pinyin: Nàge diànshìjù wánjié le, wǒ zhōngyú kěyǐ **chū kēng** le!
    * English: That TV series is over, I can finally leave the fandom!
    * Analysis: The use of 终于 (zhōngyú - finally) shows a sense of relief. The end of the content provides a natural point to **出坑**.
  * **Example 3:** 
    * 她把所有的手办都卖了，看来是彻底**出坑**了。
    * Pinyin: Tā bǎ suǒyǒu de shǒubàn dōu mài le, kànlái shì chèdǐ **chū kēng** le.
    * English: She sold all of her action figures. It seems she has completely quit the hobby.
    * Analysis: This example shows **出坑** as an observable action. Selling one's collection is a strong signal of being "completely/thoroughly" (彻底 chèdǐ) out of the pit.
  * **Example 4:** 
    * 这个爱好太花钱了，我不得不**出坑**。
    * Pinyin: Zhège àihào tài huāqián le, wǒ bùdébù **chū kēng**.
    * English: This hobby is too expensive, I have to quit.
    * Analysis: Highlights a very common reason for **出坑**—the financial burden of the "pit."
  * **Example 5:** 
    * 你不是去年就**出坑**了吗？怎么又买新的了？
    * Pinyin: Nǐ búshì qùnián jiù **chū kēng** le ma? Zěnme yòu mǎi xīn de le?
    * English: Didn't you quit last year? How come you're buying new ones again?
    * Analysis: This shows how **出坑** can sometimes be temporary. People might quit a hobby only to be drawn back in later.
  * **Example 6:** 
    * 祝我**出坑**快乐！再也不用为他花钱了。
    * Pinyin: Zhù wǒ **chū kēng** kuàilè! Zài yě búyòng wèi tā huāqián le.
    * English: Wish me a happy "pit-quitting"! I never have to spend money on him again.
    * Analysis: A celebratory and humorous use, often seen on social media when someone stops being a fan of an idol.
  * **Example 7:** 
    * 我对偶像圈没兴趣了，准备**出坑**，过自己的生活。
    * Pinyin: Wǒ duì ǒuxiàngquān méi xìngqù le, zhǔnbèi **chū kēng**, guò zìjǐ de shēnghuó.
    * English: I'm not interested in the idol scene anymore. I'm planning to get out and live my own life.
    * Analysis: This implies a conscious choice to disengage from a consuming culture to focus on oneself.
  * **Example 8:** 
    * 他**出坑**之后，感觉整个人都轻松多了。
    * Pinyin: Tā **chū kēng** zhīhòu, gǎnjué zhěng ge rén dōu qīngsōng duō le.
    * English: After he quit the hobby, he seemed so much more relaxed.
    * Analysis: This describes the feeling of relief one might experience after leaving a demanding hobby.
  * **Example 9:** 
    * 我只是暂时**出坑**，等我有钱有闲了还会回来的。
    * Pinyin: Wǒ zhǐshì zànshí **chū kēng**, děng wǒ yǒu qián yǒu xián le hái huì huílái de.
    * English: I'm only quitting temporarily. I'll be back when I have the money and free time.
    * Analysis: This explicitly states the temporary nature of the act, distinguishing it from a permanent decision. The term is flexible enough to accommodate this.
  * **Example 10:** 
    * 别再给我安利了，我好不容易才**出坑**的！
    * Pinyin: Bié zài gěi wǒ ānlì le, wǒ hǎobùróngyì cái **chū kēng** de!
    * English: Stop trying to recommend stuff to me! It was hard enough for me to quit!
    * Analysis: This shows the interaction between related slang terms. 安利 (ānlì) means to passionately recommend something (trying to pull someone *in* the pit), and the speaker is resisting being pulled back in after having escaped.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **For Hobbies, Not Vices:** A common mistake is to use **出坑** for serious addictions like smoking, drinking, or gambling. **出坑** is reserved for hobbies, fandoms, and consumer habits. For a serious addiction, you would use a more formal word like 戒掉 (jièdiào - to quit an addiction).
    * **Incorrect:** 他终于**出坑**了，不抽烟了。(Tā zhōngyú chū kēng le, bù chōuyān le.)
    * **Correct:** 他终于把烟**戒掉**了。(Tā zhōngyú bǎ yān jièdiào le.)
  * **Informal Slang:** Never use **出坑** in a formal essay, business meeting, or any professional context. It is strictly informal slang for casual conversation and social media.
  * **vs. 放弃 (fàngqì):** **放弃** means "to give up" in a general sense. You can 放弃 a dream, a plan, or a competition. **出坑** is specifically about leaving a "pit"—a hobby or fandom you were once deeply invested in. You wouldn't use **出坑** to say "I give up on this math problem."
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * **[[入坑]] (rù kēng):** The direct antonym of **出坑**. It means "to enter the pit"—to get into a new hobby or fandom.
  * **[[退坑]] (tuì kēng):** A very close synonym. It means "to retreat from the pit" and is used interchangeably with **出坑**.
  * **[[坑]] (kēng):** The noun for the "pit" itself—the hobby, game, or fandom that consumes your time and money.
  * **[[安利]] (ānlì):** (From the brand "Amway") A verb meaning to enthusiastically recommend something to someone, essentially trying to persuade them to [[入坑]] (get into the pit).
  * **[[剁手]] (duò shǒu):** Literally "to chop one's hands off." A humorous and dramatic expression of wanting to stop spending money, often because of the expensive demands of a **坑**.
  * **[[爬墙]] (pá qiáng):** Literally "to climb the wall." A fandom term for when a fan switches their primary interest from one idol/character to another. They are not leaving the general fandom (not **出坑**), just changing their favorite within it.