创业狗

A self-mocking label worn proudly (and painfully) by Chinese startup founders and early employees. Like calling yourself a 'hustler' but with far more sleep deprivation and instant noodles. The '狗' (dog) suffix signals cheerful self-deprecation — you're loyal, overworked, and possibly sleeping under your desk. It captured the bittersweet grind of China's startup boom: chasing dreams on a shoestring while rivals raised millions.

China's 'mass entrepreneurship and innovation' (大众创业、万众创新) policy wave under Premier Li Keqiang around 2015 triggered an explosion of startups. Incubators and co-working spaces multiplied overnight, yet failure rates were brutal. 创业狗 emerged as the ironic badge of those living this roller coaster — part hustle culture pride, part gallows humor about the human cost of building a company.

指那些拼命创业、生活艰辛、随时准备失败却仍坚持的创业者，带有自嘲意味。