老梗

• Pinyin: lǎo gěng
• Hanzi breakdown: 老 (old) + 梗 (meme/reference) -> old meme or tired reference.

Meaning

老梗 means an old or overused meme/reference.

It can be affectionate nostalgia or criticism that a joke is stale. The word implies the audience has seen it many times before.

Examples

1. 这个老梗十年前就有人玩了。 This old 梗 has been around for ten years already.
2. 导演又用老梗，但观众还是笑了。 The director used another old 梗, but the audience still laughed.
3. 别把经典桥段都贬成老梗。 Don't dismiss classic scenes as just old 梗.

Usage Guide

Context: humor, fandom, reviews

Tone: nostalgic, critical, teasing

Do Say

• 反复出现的笑点可叫老梗。（It fits overfamiliar jokes.）
• 怀旧时也能温和说老梗。（It can be affectionate.）

Don't Say

• 把所有经典元素都叫老梗。（Classic is not always stale.）

Common Mistakes

• Do not use 老梗 for a new joke you personally dislike.

Origin & History

Built from 老, old, plus 梗, meme/reference, as internet culture tracked joke freshness.

Cultural Context

Era: 2020s

Generation: Internet users familiar with meme cycles

Social background: Online humor, fandom, and review communities

Regional notes: Common in Mainland comment culture.