马甲 — Sock Puppet / Alt Account
What Does 马甲 Mean?
An alternate account used alongside your main account — a sock puppet. The vest metaphor is vivid: a 马甲 is worn over your main identity, covering it when needed. People use 马甲 to post controversial opinions without consequences, participate in multiple communities, or escape bans. The practice is universal but Chinese internet culture named it with particular elegance.
Cultural Context
马甲 culture is deeply embedded in Chinese internet life partly because censorship and social pressure incentivize maintaining separate identities. Your 实名 (real-name) account follows official guidelines; your 马甲 says what you actually think. This dual-account psychology shaped how Chinese internet users think about identity and authenticity online.
How Is It Used?
Chinese Explanation (中文解释)
网络小号或替身账号，用来在主号之外进行活动，字面意思是马夹（背心）。