Xiaohongshu literally translates from Mandarin to “little red book,” likely a reference to the famed little red book of quotations from Chairman Mao Zedong, the founding father of Communist China.
Five minutes of googling would tell you this isn’t the correct way to translate this (would be too based if it was, though); but never miss an opportunity for some good ol’ red baiting. Journalism at it’s finest.
A lot of Mandarin speaking people on xhs were agreeing with the notion that it is a nod to Mao’s book. I’m pretty sure it is more of a patriotic nod though, like if America had an app called YankeeDoodle
They have a specific name for the book “select quotations of Mao Zedong”. They just don’t use the term xiaohongshu. The meaning itself could be translated as “little red book” but the cultural idea behind the phrase of “little red book” doesn’t exist in the same way.
This is what I gathered from conversation with them about it. I may have misunderstood them but they’re not an apolitical person like many Chinese people and they still didn’t understand in such a way. They’d definitely see that connection if it was one that existed I mean.
Five minutes of googling would tell you this isn’t the correct way to translate this (would be too based if it was, though); but never miss an opportunity for some good ol’ red baiting. Journalism at it’s finest.
A lot of Mandarin speaking people on xhs were agreeing with the notion that it is a nod to Mao’s book. I’m pretty sure it is more of a patriotic nod though, like if America had an app called YankeeDoodle
I seem to have spoken without having the proper information.
It’s the colloquial name to Mao’s red book. Everyone knows what it means.
Ah, well, I stand corrected.
I remember 3 years ago when I first learned about this app having to explain to my Chinese friend why I laughed at it.
It’s so far removed from the “little red book” it doesn’t even register as a potential pun to Chinese people.
I love how you can just go print lies and have a massive audience.
What does the name mean then? I see lots of “it doesn’t mean that” but nobody explains what it means.
They have a specific name for the book “select quotations of Mao Zedong”. They just don’t use the term xiaohongshu. The meaning itself could be translated as “little red book” but the cultural idea behind the phrase of “little red book” doesn’t exist in the same way.
This is what I gathered from conversation with them about it. I may have misunderstood them but they’re not an apolitical person like many Chinese people and they still didn’t understand in such a way. They’d definitely see that connection if it was one that existed I mean.
So many news agencies ran with that. Just deeply lazy reporting.