舔狗

• Pinyin: tiǎn gǒu
• Hanzi breakdown: 舔 (fawn over) + 狗 (dog, insulting suffix) -> self-abasing pursuer.

Meaning

A person who pursues someone with excessive devotion despite little respect or response.

It is insulting and should be handled carefully. The term criticizes one-sided self-abasing pursuit, often in romance but sometimes in fandom or social climbing.

Examples

1. 他一直委屈自己，朋友劝他别当舔狗。 He kept sacrificing his own interests, and his friends told him not to be a 舔狗.
2. 真正的喜欢不是做舔狗。 Real love isn't about being a 舔狗.
3. 别用舔狗羞辱认真付出的人。 Don't use 舔狗 to insult someone who is making a genuine effort.

Usage Guide

Context: dating, internet comments, friends

Tone: harsh, critical

Do Say

• 别为了暧昧对象把自己变成舔狗。（Do not abase yourself for someone ambiguous.）
• 这个词很刺耳，别随便叫人舔狗。（The word is harsh; do not label people casually.）

Don't Say

• 用舔狗攻击真诚表达喜欢的人。（That is needlessly insulting.）

Common Mistakes

• Calling any romantic effort 舔狗; the term implies excessive self-neglect.

Origin & History

Internet insult built from 舔, "to lick up to," and 狗 as a demeaning suffix.

Cultural Context

Era: 2010s-2020s

Generation: Young internet users

Social background: Dating and social media communities

Regional notes: Widely understood but rude in Mainland Chinese.