biǎoqíngbāo: 表情包 - Meme, Sticker Pack, Emoticon Pack

• Keywords: biaoqingbao, 表情包, Chinese memes, Chinese stickers, WeChat stickers, emoticon pack, Chinese internet slang, what is biaoqingbao, dou tu, 斗图, Chinese reaction images.
• Summary: Discover the world of 表情包 (biǎoqíngbāo), the essential element of modern Chinese digital communication. More than just emojis or stickers, these user-generated images and GIFs are a vibrant form of cultural expression, humor, and social currency on platforms like WeChat. This guide explores the meaning of `biǎoqíngbāo`, their cultural significance, and how you can use them to make your Chinese conversations more authentic and fun.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): biǎoqíngbāo
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: N/A
• Concise Definition: A collection of images, GIFs, or stickers used in online chat to express emotions or reactions, often humorous and culturally specific.
• In a Nutshell: Literally “expression pack,” a `表情包` is the Chinese equivalent of a personal library of reaction GIFs and memes. In China, online conversations are often peppered with these images, which can range from cute cartoons to pixelated screenshots of movie characters with funny text. They add a layer of personality, humor, and nuance that plain text or standard emojis can't capture.

• 表 (biǎo): To show, express, or represent the “surface” of something.
• 情 (qíng): Feeling, emotion, sentiment.
• 包 (bāo): A pack, package, or bag.

Together, 表情 (biǎoqíng) means “(facial) expression.” Adding 包 (bāo) turns it into an “expression pack”—a collection of visual emotions you can use in your digital conversations.

`表情包` are a cornerstone of modern Chinese internet culture and a crucial tool for navigating digital social interactions. They are far more integrated into daily messaging than memes or GIFs are in the West.

• Comparison to Western Memes/GIFs: While a Westerner might share a meme on their social media feed, a Chinese user will deploy a `表情包` directly in a chat conversation as a response. Think of it less like a standalone piece of content and more like a dynamic, visual form of punctuation or reaction. The creation and circulation of `表情包` is also more grassroots; anyone can screenshot a funny face, add text, and have it become part of their personal collection.
• Social Currency: Having a large, updated, and witty collection of `表情包` is a sign of being socially savvy and in tune with the latest internet trends (`梗 - gěng`). Engaging in a “meme battle” (`斗图 - dòutú`), where users rapidly exchange `表情包` to one-up each other, is a common and playful social activity among friends.
• Softening Communication: In a culture that can value indirectness, `表情包` offer a way to express emotions or make requests without being too direct. A cute, pleading sticker can soften a request, while a sarcastic meme can convey disagreement more playfully than blunt words. This helps in maintaining harmony and “saving face” (`面子 - miànzi`) in online interactions.

`表情包` are used in almost all informal digital communication.

• WeChat and QQ: This is the primary home of the `表情包`. Users can save any sticker they see in a chat to their personal collection with a long press, allowing for the viral spread of popular images. WeChat has a limit on the number of custom stickers you can save, leading users to carefully curate their collections.
• Social Media: On platforms like Weibo, `表情包` are heavily used in the comments section to react to posts, creating a visually rich and often hilarious interactive space.
• Generational Differences:
  • Young People: Use a vast array of `表情包`, often featuring pop culture icons, ironic humor, animals, and custom-made images of their friends. The style is fast-changing and trend-driven.
  • “Middle-Aged and Elderly” Style (`中老年表情包`): This is a well-known sub-genre. These `表情包` are characterized by bright, often gaudy, backgrounds (like lotuses or mountains), large, glittery text, and overwhelmingly positive messages like “Good Morning!”, “Wishing You Happiness!”, or “Stay Healthy!”. They are sincere but often seen as cheesy by younger generations.

• Example 1:
  • 他给我发了一个很好笑的表情包。
  • Pinyin: Tā gěi wǒ fāle yí ge hěn hǎoxiào de biǎoqíngbāo.
  • English: He sent me a very funny meme/sticker.
  • Analysis: This is the most basic and common usage, treating `表情包` as a direct object.
• Example 2:
  • 你的表情包该更新了，太老了！
  • Pinyin: Nǐ de biǎoqíngbāo gāi gēngxīn le, tài lǎo le!
  • English: Your meme collection needs to be updated, it's too old!
  • Analysis: This highlights the social currency of `表情包`. Having “old” ones implies you're out of touch with current internet trends.
• Example 3:
  • 我把我们老师的照片做成了一个表情包。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bǎ wǒmen lǎoshī de zhàopiàn zuò chéngle yí ge biǎoqíngbāo.
  • English: I turned our teacher's photo into a meme.
  • Analysis: This shows the user-generated nature of `表情包`. The structure `把…做成…` (bǎ…zuò chéng…) means “to make…into…”.
• Example 4:
  • 别光发表情包，打字说清楚！
  • Pinyin: Bié guāng fā biǎoqíngbāo, dǎzì shuō qīngchǔ!
  • English: Don't just send memes, type and make it clear!
  • Analysis: A common, slightly exasperated phrase used when someone is overusing `表情包` instead of communicating directly.
• Example 5:
  • 我最喜欢用熊猫头的表情包，因为很沙雕。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zuì xǐhuān yòng xióngmāotóu de biǎoqíngbāo, yīnwèi hěn shādiāo.
  • English: I most like to use the panda head memes because they are hilariously stupid.
  • Analysis: This refers to a specific, popular template for `表情包` (the “panda head”). It also uses the internet slang `沙雕 (shādiāo)`, which means “idiotic in a funny way.”
• Example 6:
  • 我妈妈每天早上都在家人群里发中老年表情包。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ māma měitiān zǎoshang dōu zài jiārén qún lǐ fā zhōnglǎonián biǎoqíngbāo.
  • English: My mom sends “middle-aged/elderly” memes in the family group chat every morning.
  • Analysis: This sentence describes the specific cultural phenomenon of the `中老年表情包` genre.
• Example 7:
  • 看到这个新闻，我一时间竟找不到合适的表情包来表达我的心情。
  • Pinyin: Kàndào zhège xīnwén, wǒ yì shíjiān jìng zhǎo bú dào héshì de biǎoqíngbāo lái biǎodá wǒ de xīnqíng.
  • English: Seeing this news, for a moment I actually couldn't find a suitable meme to express my feelings.
  • Analysis: This illustrates how integral `表情包` are to emotional expression. The inability to find the “right” one signifies a complex or overwhelming emotion.
• Example 8:
  • 我们可以聊正事吗？你的表情包有点不合时宜。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen kěyǐ liáo zhèngshì ma? Nǐ de biǎoqíngbāo yǒudiǎn bù hé shíyí.
  • English: Can we talk about serious business? Your meme is a bit inappropriate right now.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the importance of context. While common in informal chats, `表情包` can be inappropriate in formal or serious discussions.
• Example 9:
  • 这个表情包太好玩了，快长按收藏！
  • Pinyin: Zhège biǎoqíngbāo tài hǎowán le, kuài cháng àn shōucáng!
  • English: This meme is so fun, quick, long-press it to save it!
  • Analysis: This provides a practical instruction for how `表情包` are collected on WeChat. `长按 (cháng àn)` is “to long-press” and `收藏 (shōucáng)` is “to collect/save.”
• Example 10:
  • 我们昨天晚上斗图斗到了半夜，我的表情包都用完了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen zuótiān wǎnshàng dòutú dòu dàole bànyè, wǒ de biǎoqíngbāo dōu yòng wán le.
  • English: We had a meme battle until midnight last night, I've used up my entire meme collection.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses the related term `斗图 (dòutú)`, or “meme battle,” showing how `表情包` can be the basis for a social activity.

• Mistake: Confusing `表情包 (biǎoqíngbāo)` with Emoji.
  • Incorrect: “I sent him a `biǎoqíngbāo` of a smiling face.” (If you mean the standard 🙂 emoji).
  • Explanation: Emoji are called `表情符号 (biǎoqíng fúhào)`. They are standardized Unicode characters. `表情包` are user-generated or artist-created images and GIFs. While both express emotion, they are different categories.
• Mistake: Using them in Formal Contexts.
  • Incorrect: Sending a funny dog `表情包` in a formal business email to a new client.
  • Explanation: `表情包` are strictly for informal communication. Using them in a formal context can make you seem unprofessional or disrespectful. Stick to formal language unless you have an established, casual relationship.
• “False Friend”: Not just a “Sticker Pack”.
  • While `表情包` can be translated as “sticker pack,” this English term often implies a set of polished, officially designed stickers (like on Facebook or iMessage). `表情包` has a much broader, more chaotic meaning. It includes low-resolution, deep-fried screenshots, crudely edited images, and reaction GIFs—the “meme” aspect is crucial. The charm often lies in their amateurish, user-generated quality.

• 斗图 (dòutú) - A “meme battle” or “picture fight,” the social activity of rapidly exchanging `表情包` in a competitive and playful way.
• 梗 (gěng) - The cultural reference, inside joke, or punchline that a `表情包` is often based on. Understanding the `梗` is key to understanding the meme.
• 沙雕 (shādiāo) - A popular internet slang term, literally “sand sculpture,” that is a euphemism for a cruder term. It means “hilariously idiotic” and is often used to describe a certain style of funny, nonsensical `表情包`.
• 微信 (Wēixìn) - WeChat, the super-app that is the primary ecosystem for the use and exchange of `表情包` in China.
• 表情符号 (biǎoqíng fúhào) - The correct term for “emoji,” the standardized set of pictograms like 🙂 or 👍.
• 贴图 (tiētú) - A more direct translation for “sticker” or “pasted picture.” It often refers to more polished, official sticker sets rather than the user-generated `表情包`.
• 中老年表情包 (zhōnglǎonián biǎoqíngbāo) - The specific genre of “middle-aged and elderly people's memes,” known for their bright colors and wholesome messages.
• P图 (P tú) - To Photoshop a picture (the “P” comes from Photoshop). This is the verb for the act of creating or editing an image to make a `表情包`.
• 网红 (wǎnghóng) - An “internet celebrity,” whose funny faces or viral quotes are a massive source of material for new `表情包`.