流行

• Pinyin: liú xíng
• Hanzi breakdown: 流 = 氵 (water) + 㐬 (phonetic, flow); 行 = 彳 (step) + 亍 (pace), meaning 'to travel'

Meaning

Popular; fashionable; to be in vogue. Describes something that is currently trending or widely adopted.

Used for trends in music, fashion, food, technology, and culture. Can function as a verb or adjective. Unlike 受欢迎 which means 'well-liked,' 流行 specifically implies a trend that spreads widely. Also used in medical contexts for diseases that spread.

Examples

1. 这首歌现在很流行。 This song is really popular right now.
2. 最近流行穿这种颜色的衣服。 Wearing this colour of clothing is trendy lately.
3. 这个游戏在学生中很流行。 This game is very popular among students.

Usage Guide

Context: fashion, culture, trends

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 现在很流行短视频。(Short videos are really popular right now.)
• 这种发型去年很流行。(This hairstyle was very trendy last year.)

Don't Say

• 这个老师很流行。(Don't use 流行 for people being popular — use 受欢迎. 流行 is for trends, styles, and things that spread.)

Origin & History

Compound of 流 (to flow) + 行 (to go/travel). Literally 'flowing and spreading,' vividly describing how trends move through a population.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal