Troll
Meaning: A person who deliberately provokes others online for amusement, or the act of doing so.
A troll posts inflammatory, off-topic, or provocative comments to upset people and derail conversations. Trolling ranges from harmless pranking to genuinely toxic behavior. The phrase 'don't feed the trolls' means ignoring them so they lose interest. It's also used as a verb — 'trolling' someone means messing with them.
Examples
- Don't respond to that comment — he's just a troll trying to get a reaction. 别理那条评论——他只是个想激怒你的喷子。No respondas a ese comentario — es solo un trol que busca provocarte.あのコメントには返信しないで——反応を引き出そうとしてるだけの荒らしだから。그 댓글에 답하지 마——반응을 끌어내려는 트롤일 뿐이야.
- She's been trolling her followers all day with fake announcements. 她一整天都在用假消息逗她的粉丝玩。Lleva todo el día troleando a sus seguidores con anuncios falsos.彼女、一日中フォロワーを嘘の発表で釣ってたよ。그녀가 하루 종일 거짓 발표로 팔로워들을 낚았어.
- The comment section is full of trolls — don't even bother reading it. 评论区全是喷子——看都不用看。La sección de comentarios está llena de troles — ni te molestes en leerla.コメント欄が荒らしだらけ——読む価値もないよ。댓글란이 트롤투성이야——읽을 가치도 없어.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: social media, forums, comment sections, gaming
Tone: dismissive, amused
✓ Do Say
- He's obviously trolling.他明显是在故意挑事。Está claro que está troleando.あいつは明らかに荒らしてるだけだよ。걔 분명 트롤링하는 거야.
- Don't feed the trolls.别喂喷子。No alimentes a los troles.荒らしにエサをやるな。트롤에게 먹이를 주지 마.
✗ Don't Say
- Calling someone a troll when they're making a legitimate point is dismissive and shuts down real conversation当别人在提出正当观点时称对方为喷子是一种不尊重,会扼杀真正的对话Llamar trol a alguien que está haciendo un comentario legítimo es despectivo y corta de raíz una conversación real正当な意見を述べている人を「荒らし」と呼ぶのは、本物の議論を封じ込める無礼な行為정당한 의견을 말하는 사람을 트롤이라고 부르는 것은 무시하는 행위이며 진정한 대화를 차단한다
Origin & History
From early internet forums and Usenet in the 1990s. Originally referred to the fishing technique of trolling — dragging bait through water — metaphorically dragging provocative comments through online forums to see who bites.
Cultural Context
Era: 1990s onwards
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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