夸夸

Imagine posting 'I burned my instant noodles' and receiving 50 replies telling you that your pioneering spirit and creative approach to cooking will one day change the culinary world. That's 夸夸 — a internet trend where people shower each other with over-the-top, often hilariously absurd praise no matter what they say. Born in university WeChat group chats, it's part wholesome, part ironic, and entirely addictive.

In early 2019, Chinese university students created dedicated WeChat groups called 夸夸群 (praise groups) as a lighthearted antidote to academic pressure and competitive campus culture. As anxiety around gaokao, job hunting, and social comparison intensified among young Chinese, the absurd positivity of 夸夸 offered comic relief and a sense of belonging — even briefly commodified, with people paying strangers online to receive customized praise.

一种互相吹捧、无论说什么都被夸赞鼓励的网络互动文化，兴起于各大高校夸夸群。