开麦

• Pinyin: kāi mài
• Hanzi breakdown: 开 (turn on) + 麦 (microphone, from 麦克风) -> enable mic or speak up.

Meaning

To turn on voice chat or speak through a microphone. In broader fandom slang, it can also mean speaking up publicly.

In gaming, 开麦 is practical team communication. Online, 别开麦 or 开麦了 may refer to whether someone should voice an opinion or expose their speaking style.

Examples

1. 打排位最好开麦，方便报点。 It's best to use voice chat in ranked matches so you can call out enemy positions.
2. 他一开麦，队友就听出是新手。 As soon as he gets on the mic, his teammates can tell he's a beginner.
3. 这事你可以开麦说清楚，别阴阳怪气。 You can get on the mic and make this clear properly; don't be passive-aggressive.

Usage Guide

Context: gaming, livestreams, online debate

Tone: practical, direct

Do Say

• 打排位最好开麦，方便报点。
• 他一开麦，队友就听出是新手。

Don't Say

• Do not use it in formal AV instructions without explaining 麦 means microphone.

Common Mistakes

• Thinking 麦 means wheat here; it is short for microphone.

Origin & History

From opening or enabling a microphone, first common in voice chat and livestream contexts.

Cultural Context

Era: 2010s-2020s

Generation: Gamers, stream viewers, and young netizens

Social background: Common in online voice and gaming communities

Regional notes: Widely used across Mainland apps and games.