Becoming Chinese
Becoming Chinese, also known as Chinamaxxing, is a prominent internet phenomenon of the mid-2020s, driven by Generation Z's growing fascination with Chinese culture, society, and the nation's emergence as a global power. This viral trend, particularly observed in Western countries, goes beyond simple memes to encompass an enthusiastic adoption of Chinese lifestyles, technologies, and even an admiration for its infrastructure—but its true meaning is far more complex. The 'Becoming Chinese' trend, also known as Chinamaxxing, began with Gen Z's online engagement, evolving from ironic humor to a genuine embrace of Chinese culture and lifestyle. This phenomenon sparked diverse reactions, ranging from appreciation for cultural exchange to concerns about superficiality, fetishization, and cultural appropriation. Beyond lighthearted memes, the trend carries subtle geopolitical undertones, reflecting Western youth's disillusionment and China's expanding soft power influence.
AI Summary
Becoming Chinese, also known as Chinamaxxing, is a prominent internet phenomenon of the mid-2020s, driven by Generation Z's growing fascination with Chinese culture, society, and the nation's emergence as a global power. This viral trend, particularly observed in Western countries, goes beyond simple memes to encompass an enthusiastic adoption of Chinese lifestyles, technologies, and even an admiration for its infrastructure—but its true meaning is far more complex.
- The 'Becoming Chinese' trend, also known as Chinamaxxing, began with Gen Z's online engagement, evolving from ironic humor to a genuine embrace of Chinese culture and lifestyle.
- This phenomenon sparked diverse reactions, ranging from appreciation for cultural exchange to concerns about superficiality, fetishization, and cultural appropriation.
- Beyond lighthearted memes, the trend carries subtle geopolitical undertones, reflecting Western youth's disillusionment and China's expanding soft power influence.
The Rise of a Digital Phenomenon
Imagine scrolling through your feed and seeing friends suddenly adopting new routines: sipping hot water, enjoying congee, or praising Chinese infrastructure. This is the essence of 'Becoming Chinese,' or Chinamaxxing—a viral social media trend that's captivated Gen Z, particularly in Western countries, reflecting a growing affection for Chinese culture, society, and philosophy, as well as an appreciation for China's rise as a successful global power.
Term Meaning Becoming Chinese Adopting Chinese lifestyles, technologies, and consumer products, or expressing admiration for Chinese infrastructure. Chinamaxxing An alternative term for 'Becoming Chinese'.
The trend isn't just about mimicry; it's a multi-layered phenomenon. As The New York Times aptly observed, these memes can be 'more of an absurdist joke, a wellness goal or a subtle, ironic expression of protest. Or all of the above,' reflecting a generation's complex engagement with global culture.
Early Ripples: 2025
The first ripples of 'Becoming Chinese' appeared in 2025, with widespread circulation beginning in 2026. A significant early moment was American influencer IShowSpeed's live-streamed visit to China in March 2025, which highlighted the nation's technological advancements and cultural icons for many Western viewers.
Soon after, the internet's wit took over. On April 4, 2025, an X (formerly Twitter) user posted the now-iconic line, 'you met me at a very chinese time in my life'—a clever parody of a famous film quote. Later that year, Twitch streamer Hasan Piker popularized the term 'Chinamaxxing' during his own trip to China.
By the end of 2025, Chinese-American TikTok creator Sherry Zhu leaned into the meme with a series of tongue-in-cheek videos. These 'how to become Chinese' tutorials, instructing viewers on lifestyle choices, garnered over 20 million views and playfully declared, 'Tomorrow, you’re turning Chinese. I know it sounds intimidating, but resisting it now is pointless.'
Zhu's approach sparked a wave of similar content from creators globally, including comedian Jimmy O. Yang. This period also saw a general surge in the popularity of Chinese cultural elements, from Labubu dolls and beverages like Luckin Coffee and Mixue Ice Cream & Tea, to Hanfu clothing and short-form content about cities like Chongqing. A mass migration to Xiaohongshu also exposed Americans to China's middle-class quality of life.
Lifestyle Embraced: 2026
By 2026, the trend fully blossomed into concrete lifestyle adoptions. Western social media users began posting videos of themselves embracing Chinese habits—drinking Tsingtao beer, walking with hands held behind their backs, eating congee, consuming traditional Chinese medicine, or simply drinking hot water as a playful badge of honor.
A popular spin involved becoming a 'Chinese baddie,' which included practices like making hot soup for loved ones, gifting expensive fruits, or ordering drinks with specific requests like 'siu tim, siu bing' (less sugar, less ice) or 'zou tim' (sugar-free). Some influencers even advised on ordering coveted apparel from Chinese companies on Taobao, with the core idea being to declare oneself 'becoming Chinese' or humorously 'discovering' they always were.
A Spectrum of Reactions
Like any widespread cultural phenomenon, 'Becoming Chinese' was met with a spectrum of reactions. Many Chinese content creators welcomed the newfound Western attention, seeing it as an opportunity to share their culture more broadly and fostering moments of pride and connection.
However, not everyone viewed it so positively. Some found the trend to be insincere or even mocking, highlighting a persistent tension between cultural appreciation and appropriation. The South China Morning Post noted the irony that wellness advice, once met with racist or xenophobic comments during the COVID-19 pandemic, was now widely embraced, sparking a complex online discourse.
Critics like Zeyi Yang, writing in Wired, pointed out the potential pitfalls: a concern that the meme fetishized Chinese culture, lacked a deep understanding of 'Chineseness,' and represented a temporary, disposable form of cultural engagement. This perspective questioned whether a fleeting trend could truly honor a complex identity that some 'are stuck being forever, including all the less fun parts.'
Conversely, some, like Cliff Buddle of the South China Morning Post, argued that the meme was a positive force. They saw it as an opportunity to foster greater understanding and engagement between Chinese culture and non-Chinese communities worldwide, believing it could build bridges. Notably, the phenomenon is expected to be a subject of academic research, and on Chinese social media, 'Chinamaxxing' is often translated as 'sinicization.'
Cathy Pham, interviewed by Time, introduced the concept of 'eating the other,' referencing feminist author bell hooks. This critique suggests that dominant groups sometimes 'consume' marginalized cultures in a way that reinforces existing power structures, rather than genuinely challenging them.
Jessie Yeung of CNN further highlighted a unique aspect: China's accumulating 'global cultural capital' through this trend differed from that previously accrued by Japan or South Korea. She opined that this difference was partly due to Japan and South Korea being democracies and staunch US allies, while China is an authoritarian state and a major US rival. Daniel Cheng of Jacobin also criticized the trend for resembling 'conservatives' fantasies about life in medieval times,' with 'Chinamaxxers' imagining themselves as 'China's urban elite rather than the mass of impoverished gig workers.'
RAND Corporation scholar Austin Horng-En Wang viewed the trend as a 'unilateral imagination of China from Western youth,' which he argued often differs from the actual lifestyles of Chinese people. He further alleged that some portrayals carried racist or sarcastic undertones, comparing it to the 'Cozymaxxing' trend of 2025 as simply another teenage fad.
Geopolitical Undercurrents
Beyond the cultural exchange, 'Becoming Chinese' also revealed political implications. Cindy Yu, writing for The Times, noted that the trend's rise coincided with Pew Research Center data showing that under-34s in many countries viewed China more favorably than older generations. This, she suggested, could be a subtle, politically subversive response by American youth to narratives encouraging animosity towards China.
Yan Zhuang in The New York Times saw the trend as a signal of China's expanding 'soft power,' and for some American creators, a 'wry expression of disillusionment with politics at home.' New York University professor Shaoyu Yuan echoed this, identifying the meme as both 'meme logic' and 'cultural cachet,' saying it shows how 'Chineseness' is becoming 'globally consumable.' However, Yuan cautioned that the more Chinese government officials frame the trend as part of the 'China story,' the more it may be met with skepticism.
Time magazine also connected the meme to a broader American disillusionment with domestic politics, suggesting a desire for 'an alternative model to the U.S.' This reflects how cultural trends can become vehicles for expressing deeper societal sentiments. The Chinese government itself has also been using social media as a tool to improve perceptions of China internationally. Nicole Chan of the South China Morning Post opined that the meme was less about infatuation with Chinese culture and more about a long-overdue recognition that 'Chinese-built systems' like TikTok permeate internet life.
Official Endorsement
Unsurprisingly, the Chinese government took notice. In February 2026, foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian welcomed the international interest in Chinese daily life when asked to comment on the 'Becoming Chinese' trend. He remarked that the trend reflected a broader understanding of Chinese culture, moving beyond traditional symbols like the Great Wall, kung fu, and pandas, to embrace more nuanced aspects of daily life, including Chinese cuisine.
The BBC noted that while the meme stirred a limited response within China, the state media tabloid the Global Times reported on it favorably. This coverage highlighted how 'Chinese lifestyles increasingly gain global appeal,' acknowledging the trend's role in shifting international perceptions.
Article
Becoming Chinese
Tsingtao beer, the beverage of choice for one who is "becoming Chinese"
Becoming Chinese, also known as Chinamaxxing, is an internet meme and social media trend popularized by Generation Z during the mid-2020s associated with a growing affection of the Chinese culture, society and philosophy as well as an open appreciation of the rise of China as a successful great power. It is particularly prevalent among those living in the Western world who choose to adopt Chinese lifestyles, technologies and other "Made in China" consumer products, or publicly express admiration for the transport, energy and public service infrastructures in the People's Republic of China.
The meme's origins date back to 2025, but it began widespread circulation across TikTok and other social media platforms in 2026, particularly following the second Trump administration's tariff wars and efforts to ban TikTok in the United States. The New York Times wrote that such memes could be considered "more of an absurdist joke, a wellness goal or a subtle, ironic expression of protest. Or all of the above."
History
Becoming Chinese
According to Le Parisien, a major contributor to the Chinamaxxing trend was American influencer IShowSpeed, whose live-streamed visit to China in March 2025 highlighted the country's technological advancements as well as cultural icons. On April 4, 2025, a X (formerly Twitter) user named "@girlvirus" posted a tweet stating, "you met me at a very chinese time in my life", a parody of the final line in the film Fight Club. Twitch streamer and left-wing influencer Hasan Piker used the term "Chinamaxxing" during his trip to China later that year.
By the end of 2025, a Chinese-American TikTok content creator named Sherry Zhu leaned into the meme by "posting a series of tongue-in-cheek videos instructing non-Chinese viewers on how to 'become Chinese' through their lifestyle choices". In one video, she stated, "Tomorrow, you're turning Chinese. I know it sounds intimidating, but resisting it now is pointless." Her videos garnered over 20 million views and inspired many content creators to follow her instructions. Many other content creators, both in Greater China and in the Chinese diaspora, then followed suit with Zhu's style of content, among them comedian Jimmy O. Yang.
In a BBC News article, Koh Ewe pointed out other developments in 2025 contributing to China's boosted image in lockstep with "Chinamaxxing", including but not limited to Labubu dolls, beverages like Luckin Coffee and Mixue Ice Cream & Tea, Adidas, hanfu and short-form content about cities like Chongqing, as well as a mass user migration to Xiaohongshu in early 2025 in the wake of the threat to ban TikTok in the United States that exposed Americans to the middle class quality of life in China.
Beginning in 2026, many videos were posted depicting Americans adopting Chinese culture. Examples of such include drinking Tsingtao beer, walking with hands held behind one's back, eating congee, consuming traditional Chinese medicine, and drinking hot water. One spin on the trend involved becoming a "Chinese baddie" through acts like making hot soup, giving expensive fruits, or ordering drinks siu tim, siu bing (less sugar and less ice) or zou tim (sugar-free). Bloomberg News columnist Howard G. Chua-Eoan observed that some influencers also gave advice on how to order certain coveted apparel from Chinese companies on Taobao. Many aforementioned forms of engagement involve the declaration that one is "becoming" Chinese or "discovering" that one has been Chinese all along.
Discourse
Reactions
Reactions to the social media trend have been mixed. Many Chinese content creators showed appreciation to newfound western attention and saw it as an opportunity to further spread Chinese culture, while others found it to be insincere and mocking. A video from the South China Morning Post said that although wellness advice shared by Chinese influencers were widely embraced in 2026, similar advice shared during the COVID-19 pandemic had been met with racist or xenophobic comments. An article by Charmaine Mok in the same news site pointed out that online discourse oscillated "between cultural appropriation and appreciation."
Zeyi Yang, writing in Wired, pointed out the criticisms that some Chinese people had with the meme, including that it was fetishizing Chinese culture for a convenient trend; that it lacked deeper understanding of "Chineseness"; and that it reflected a temporary, discardable, and disposable form of cultural engagement while "some of us are stuck being Chinese forever, including all the less fun parts that come with it."
Cliff Buddle, in an opinion piece for the South China Morning Post, argued that the meme, soon to "be the subject of academic research", was a positive force to forge "understanding and engagement" between Chinese culture and non-Chinese all around the world. Cathy Pham told Time that the meme is a form of "eating the other", a reference to an essay by feminist author bell hooks on how dominant groups "consume" marginalized cultures, reinforcing existing power structures. Chinamaxxing or 'becoming Chinese' is frequently translated as "sinicization" on Chinese social media, according to The Economist.
Jessie Yeung, writing in CNN, stated that the "global cultural capital" attained by China in this trend was different from that previously accrued by Japan and South Korea. Yeung opined that the difference was due in part to the latter two countries being "democracies and staunch US allies, while China is an authoritarian state and major US rival". Daniel Cheng of Jacobin wrote that the meme resembled "conservatives' fantasies about life in medieval times" with Chinamaxxers imagining themselves as "China's urban elite rather than the mass of impoverished gig workers who deliver their takeout."
RAND Corporation scholar Austin Horng-En Wang saw the trend as an "unilateral imagination of China from Western youth which differs from the actual lifestyles of Chinese people", and further alleged that some of these portrayals carried racist or sarcastic undertones. He also compared it to the Cozymaxxing trend in 2025, suggesting that it might simply be one of the many teenage trends.
Political implications
According to Cindy Yu, writing for The Times, the social media trend's rise coincided with Pew Research Center data showing that "under-34s viewed China much more favorably than over-50s in 16 of the 17 countries they polled" and could be a politically subversive response by American youth to "being told to hate China" in contemporary politics.
Similarly, Yan Zhuang writing for The New York Times "may signal China's growing soft power abroad. For some American creators, they are also a wry expression of disillusionment with politics at home." Yan cited New York University professor Shaoyu Yuan, who identified the meme as both "meme logic" and "cultural cachet". Shaoyu Yuan also said the trend was a sign of China's increasing soft power, saying "you can see it most clearly in how Chinese culture and 'Chineseness' are becoming familiar, repeatable, and globally consumable in everyday life", though added that the more Chinese government officials frame the trend as part of the "China story," the more it may be received with skepticism.
Time found that the meme reflected American disillusionment with contemporary domestic politics and thus "a desire for an alternative model to the U.S." while also pointing out that the Chinese government itself was using social media as a tool for improve perceptions of China internationally; in particular, spokesperson Lin Jian said that flights to China during Chinese New Year "dramatically increased" in 2026. Nicole Chan, writing for the South China Morning Post, opined that the meme was less about infatuation with Chinese culture and more so a long-overdue recognition that "Chinese–built systems" like TikTok permeate internet life.
Chinese government response
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian welcomed the international interest in Chinese daily life, when he was asked to comment about the "Becoming Chinese" trend on social media in February 2026. Specifically, Lin said it was a broader reflection of understanding Chinese culture beyond "traditional symbols, such as the Great Wall, kung fu, pandas, and Chinese cuisine".
The BBC said that the meme had stirred a limited response in China, but that state media tabloid the Global Times reported on it favourably as "Chinese lifestyles increasingly gain global appeal".