On Friday, several organizations in China unveiled the most popular Chinese characters and phrases of 2024, offering a unique glimpse into the nation’s evolving trends and the global landscape.
The top ten domestic buzzwords include characters representing “integration,” “intelligence,” “new,” “safety,” and “stability.” Additionally, phrases like “new-quality productive force,” “Black Myth: Wukong,” “work fatigue,” “low-altitude economy,” and “digital transformation” made the list.
These words reflect various aspects of China’s society, from integrated and innovative development powered by new productive forces and digital transformation, to cultural phenomena like the hit video game Black Myth: Wukong. The mention of the “low-altitude economy” highlights the rise of drone deliveries and other aerial technologies.
On the global front, the top buzzwords feature characters for “election,” “war,” “change,” “turbulence,” and “nuclear,” along with terms such as “Paris Olympics,” “Global South,” “Artificial Intelligence,” “drones,” and “Large Language Model.”
The lists were compiled using an algorithm that analyzed a vast corpus of Chinese characters, combined with public recommendations. Experts and researchers confirmed the final results.
Publicly recommended buzzwords like “say no to mental exhaustion” and “20-minute park life” indicate a desire for a more relaxed lifestyle amid the fast pace of modern life. Terms such as “Altay,” a prefecture in China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region popularized by a critically acclaimed TV drama, and “ancient architecture tour” reveal trending travel destinations in 2024.
Among the recommendations, the English phrase “China Travel” stands out, reflecting the country’s inbound tourism boom supported by new policies facilitating foreign visitors.
To welcome international visitors in the post-pandemic era, China has streamlined visa applications, enhanced immigration efficiency at border-control points, and made payment services more accessible for international travelers.
Official data shows that between January and November 2024, China recorded nearly 29.22 million inbound foreign visits, up 86.2% from the previous year. Notably, 17.45 million visitors entered visa-free, a significant 123.3% increase. The number of visa-free transit travelers surged by 132.9% year on year.
The “Beijing Central Axis” also made the recommendation list. Earlier this year, UNESCO inscribed it on the World Heritage List. Running north to south through old Beijing, it includes landmarks like the Bell and Drum Towers, Wanning Bridge, Jingshan Hill, and the Forbidden City. Li Qun, China’s deputy minister of culture and tourism, described it as an important symbol highlighting the outstanding features of Chinese civilization.
The annual buzzword selection, held for 19 consecutive years, is jointly organized by the National Language Resources Monitoring and Research Center, the Commercial Press, and other institutions. It provides a panoramic view of the social psyche and evolving trends in China.
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Annual buzzword selection highlights changes in China, world
cgtn.com
