The popularity of “X Gou”: Analysis of Internet buzzwords from the Perspective ofmemetics
1

Shuai Liu1, Huixian Liu2, Yanchen Zhang2
Institute of Linguistics, Shanghai International Studies University; 2University of Arizona

Abstract:
The structure “X Gou”, one of China’s top ten network buzzwords, no longer solely denotes traditionaldescriptions of animals or cursing people. Nowadays, it is more commonly employed by youth to express selfmockery on Weibo in China, thereby leading to a greater proliferation of rhetorical and interpersonal meaning.
This study analyzes “X Gou” from the perspective of memetics, and suggests that the popularity of “X Gou” memeis influenced by the neoliberalism in China which features high intensity of social and work pressures, coupledwith the influence of youth subcultures, promoting the dissemination of “X Gou” on Internet platforms.
Key words: “X Gou”; internet buzzwords; memetics; neoliberalism; linguistic model

1.

Introduction

The relationship between language, culture, and society has undergone significant transformation with theadvent of Internet technology (Crystal, 2001). The widespread availability of the Internet has sparked rapid social
innovation, with the language used on the Internet spreading at an unprecedented speed and impacting people’s
lives in significant ways. Internet buzzwords are the linguistic expressions that are readily accepted and used by asignificant portion of netizens during a particular period on the internet, subsequently transforming into acommonly utilized communicative language in daily life (Liu, 2023). As I reflection of contemporary social
psychology, buzzwords feature strong timeliness and high frequency of usage and can be expressed through words,
phrases, sentences, or discourses. As Trillò & Shifman (2021) noted that Internet buzzwords are flexible enoughto adapt to various social settings by carrying out numerous social roles and enhance social capital and collective
identities, which also tap into social memory and a sense of belonging to serve various social functions in people’s
lives.
Recently, a linguistic phenomenon, characterized by the structure “X+ Ge/Jie/Ye/ Nü/Gou (dog).”, has
become a part of social reality and are widely used by people. These words are closely related to people’s lives
and reflect their views and opinions on certain things. The different language environment has given these words
new characteristics, and with the help of the Internet and mass media, their meanings have been widely spreadamong people, attracting the attention of many scholars.
In Chinese culture, the prevailing images of Gou remain negative and demeaning while there were certain
totems and admirable positive qualities associated with “Gou” in ancient times (Sun, 2016). “Gou” is usually apejorative term used to scold people, such as “Zou Gou（running dogs）” and “Zhu Gou Bu Ru（worse than pigs
or dogs ） ”. However, under the influence of neoliberalism, people, especially youth, frequently utilize thelinguistic model of “X + Gou” to describe themselves in a self-deprecating manner, which is mostly on account of
the mounting pressures of life and the intense and competitive work they engage in. The phrase encompasses not
only a sense of helplessness conveyed through self-mockery and mild struggle but also various psychologicalmechanisms of self-relief and empowerment. The widespread usage of X+Gou, such as “Jiaban Gou（the person
who works overtime）” and “Xiaonai Gou（young and cute boyfriend）”, indicates that the character of “Gou”
has undergone a radical change in meaning and warrants further attention.
There are more than 600 articles about Internet buzzwords at the time being, including systematic studies
and monographs on master and doctoral papers. The first author retrieved 379 articles on “X Ge/Jie/Ye/ Nü/Gou”
in the decade of 2012-2022, including academic journals, master theses and academic conferences. Most of theresearchers are likely to start from the language ontology, analyzing the syllable pattern, lexical nature, semantic
characteristics, diversity reasons and the cultural psychology behind the popularity of these words. Sun (2016) hastaken the perspective of cognitive linguistics to trace the origin of the use of “X Gou” and attempted to classify
such words in a general way, highlighting the evolution of meaning in various online phrases during their usage.
We can find that an objective and comprehensive evaluation of the usage of “X Gou” in our modern life and thereasons behind its popularity was lacking. To compensate this gap and promote people’s understanding of theword “Gou”, this paper collected data from Weibo with the hope of answering the following research questions:(1) How does the meaning of the word “Gou” evolve during the process of transmission?
(2) What are the defining features of the “X + Gou” language meme?
(3) What are the factors that contribute to the widespread imitation of the “X + Gou” catchphrase?

2.

Language memes in the Internet Context

In the Internet era, memes, referring to a cultural unit of information that is transmitted from person to personand evolves over time (Dawkins,1976), are at once products and driving forces of social practices (Xie, 2020).
Not only genetic information but also cultural information can be passed down and evolve through a process of
copying and imitation, like genes in biological evolution. Memes can take many forms and evolve throughprocesses of copying, variation, and selection, similar to genes in biological evolution, whereas language memes
are an important type of memes, which are transmitted through language and play a crucial role in cultural
inheritance and evolution (Drakett, 2018).
Since the inception of memetics, the concept of memes has evolved into a global genre and cultural form
(Cheng & Chen, 2022), and numerous studies have been conducted to classify different language phenomena indaily life, particularly within network environments, from the perspective of memetics. An ethnographic study on
Biaoqing which are emoticons used on Chinese social media finds that Biaoqing is a strong meme, shaped by thenegotiation between two parties on Chinese social media and reflects the profound influence of Chinese social
history and culture (Ying, L., & Blommaert, J. (2020). Xie et al. (2020) discussed the social bond and rhetoricalfunction of language games in Chinese social media, using Chinese character meme carriers constructed on two
major Chinese media social platforms. In contrast to previous studies, their research revealed that internet users
tend to employ a variety of codes to express themselves and signal their community identity. These codes not only
have a playful tone but also facilitate the exchange of ideas in a relaxed and informal context, thereby enablingusers to build and maintain connections with online communities.
The study of Internet buzzwords has also been a focused area. Xia and Zhang (2014) collected more than
1,000 words with monosyllables, diphthongs, and trisyllables related to “X Ge（brother）”. They analyzed thesyllable distribution and summarized the characteristics of part of speech of “X Ge” and concluded that the twosyllable words are, at least for the time being, the main forms of many new words, which are freer and richer ingeneralizing and condensing the ideas of social events. The vocabulary that collocates with “Ge” are mainly thefollowing three types: nouns, verbs, and adjectives. This form not only conforms to the characteristics of double
syllables in Chinese vocabulary, but also adapts to people’s cognitive rules, and could meet the needs of the current
society for abundant expressions. Jiang (2013) explored the history of the semantic evolution of “Ye（grandfather）” and summed up the motives of the semantic changes among several meaning items of “Ye”, andfurther analyzed the changes in its pragmatic function and the cultural factors leading to the results in the linguistic
function.
The widespread use of “X + Gou” in everyday language not only vividly and graphically portrays theexperiences of contemporary youth, but also fosters a sense of belonging among them. However, thecharacteristics of “X + Gou” are rarely addressed. Sun (2016) examined “Danshen Gou” (bachelor), “Banzhuan
Gou” (the brick-mover), “Leicheng Gou” (tired person), and “Mangcheng Gou” (work like a dog) from four
perspectives: composition, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. The study suggests that the motivation for theformation of these structures includes the evolution of the meaning of the word “Gou”, the development andchanges in related history and culture, the need for realistic communication and expression, people’s pragmatic
psychology, and the role of network media in promoting these structures. However, Sun only uses individual caseanalysis as a starting point, which could not fully reflect the commonality of such language memes. Nonetheless,this approach provides a strong basis for further development of our research.

3.

Data collection and description

In the current age of advanced information technology, online platforms for example Weibo, have emerged
as one of the major fronts for disseminating public opinion in China. It provides a space for people, especially the
youth to share ideas and exchange thoughts, thereby contributing to the evolution of language in the digital era. In
many ways, Weibo can be considered as the main source and center of popularity for internet buzzwords.
Accordingly, paying attention to popular vocabulary on this platform is crucial for creating a timely and effective
corpus.
Therefore, the author intends to investigate the linguistic variation of “X + Gou” buzzwords by drawing
upon the theoretical background of “memetics”. To achieve this goal, the author initially adopted the observation
method to gather and organize sentences pertaining to “X + Gou” from posts made by netizens on Weibo between
2015 and 2020. Ultimately, a total of 185 items were obtained in an attempt to analyze the phenomenon of “X +Gou” buzzwords in online communication and explore the motivations behind their usage. Based on the
preliminary classification and analysis of the gathered data, it can be observed that “X” is primarily employed asa noun, verb, or adjective (Table 1), and that, with the development of the internet, there has emerged ahybridization of Chinese and foreign loan words in their usage.
According to the collected corpus and its contextual analysis, we can broadly categorize it into the following
categories: Firstly, in terms of grammatical collocation, buzzwords “X + Gou” is commonly used in combinations
with other functional words. Its main collocation types are summarized as follows: (1) Noun + Gou, such as
Gaosan Gou, Huaxue Gou, Keyan Gou, etc. (2) Verb + Gou, such as Ganfan Gou, Shangfen Gou, Jiaban Gou,
etc. (3) Adjective + Gou, such as Qiong Gou, Danshen Gou, Shuangbiao Gou, etc. (4) English word + Gou,
representing work situations (e.g., job title, position), such as IT Gou, PC Gou, etc. Secondly, in terms of syllable
structure, “X” usually consists of two syllables, as seen in Dagong Gou, Shantie Gou, Xueba Gou etc. In rare cases,“X” may be a three or multi-syllable word, such as table Aerfa Gou, Yumaoqiu Gou etc. From an emotional
standpoint, “X + Gou” buzzwords are mainly derived from self-mockery and ridicule by netizens. Compared withprevious Chinese phrases such as “Goutuizi( 狗 腿 子 )”, its derogatory connotation has weakened or evendisappeared, and is subjectively judged as such. We will delve into this issue in further detail below:
Table 1 The classification of collected “X + Gou” corpus

4.

X’s part ofspeechNominalPhrases

Verbal Phrases

Adjective
Phrases

Other
PhrasesQuantity

76

62

39

8

Percentage

41.08%

33.52%

21.08%

4.33%

Examples

高三狗、化学狗、球鞋狗等干饭狗、上分狗、加班狗等穷狗、单身狗、双标狗等PC 狗、IT 狗等

Findings

Language and writing do not directly reflect the objective world, but are a concept formed after people’s
recognition of the objective world, and the formation of language and writing is the pattern of “objective world,
human conceptual processing, language, and writing” (Xu, 1988: 62). This view underscores the importance ofrecognizing the role of human subjectivity in shaping linguistic and communicative practices and highlights theneed for critical analysis and interpretation of language use in social context. As new concepts and phenomena
emerge, people likewise create new words or meanings to describe them, in order to facilitate communication.
This is not only indicative of the development of language itself but also a reflection of social advancement.
4.1 Diachronic evolution of “Gou”: From Negative to Inclusive
The word “Gou” has undergone a series of transformations and acquired multiple meanings throughout
Chinese history. In traditional Chinese culture, the term “Gou” was often used in derogatory and contemptuous
ways, and certain sayings or expressions containing this term were used to express negative attitudes toward others.
However, it is also true that dogs have been and continue to be valued as faithful and reliable companions ineveryday life. During the nomadic period, “Gou” gained a positive connotation as a symbol of bravery. The
Mongolians, for example, referred to Genghis Khan’s four bold and powerful generals as the “four mastiffs”. In
the agricultural era, however, the image of dogs shaking their heads to their owners was associated with flattery
and sycophancy, giving the term a derogatory connotation. Despite these different connotations, dogs were
included in the Chinese Zodiac due to their loyalty and kindness. They are often regarded as trustworthy andfriendly animals and are valued as pets and working animals in many cultures around the world. Therefore,
depending on the context and historical period, the term “Gou” can have either negative or positive meanings,
highlighting the complexity and fluidity of language and its social connotations (Drakett, et. al, 2018).
Entering the information age, we have seen a shift in the way that the term “Gou” is used in popular culture.
More and more netizens are sharing their experiences with “Gou” as clever and loyal pets on social media, which
has led to a more positive image of dogs in our collective consciousness. At the same time, however, the term
“Gou” continues to be used in new and different ways to describe people’s behaviors or personalities (He, 2014).
For example, people might use “Qiuzhi Gou” or “Danshen Gou” to describe themselves based on their profession
or state of being, while someone who is obsessed with something might be called “Meijv Gou” or “Riman Gou”.
Additionally, certain behaviors or actions may be referred to using terms like “Chaoxi Gou” or “Daigou Gou” toexpress disapproval or condemnation. Interestingly, the usage of phrases like “X + Gou” has led to a shift in theemotional color attached to the term “Gou”. While it may have previously been seen as pejorative or derogatory,
it has now become a word that people are willing to use to claim certain aspects of their identity. This highlights
the fluidity of language and how it can evolve over time to reflect changing social attitudes and practices (Ying &Blommaert, 2020).Initially a neutral term without any emotional connotation, it gradually acquired a derogatory
connotation over time. However, with the rapid development of the Internet, new uses and meanings for “Gou”
have emerged, which dissolve and neutralize the negative meaning of “Gou” and represent certain degrees andstates of the current situation. Within the framework of “X + Gou”, although “Gou” may also be used in aderogatory manner, it is more commonly used as a neutral expression with a sense of humor.
4.2 Replication and Dissemination of the “X + Gou”
To achieve the goal of replication and propagation by spreading to more objects, memes must transition
through four stages: assimilation, memory, expression, and propagation (Heylighen, 1998). The widely usedinternet buzzwords “X + Gou” can always be seen in Weibo posts. Through an analysis of related “X + Gou”
buzzword items, we observe that the formation of “X + Gou” word families on the internet is flexible and everchanging, characterized by many obvious features.
The Internet buzzword “X + Gou” differs from the traditional definition of “Gou”. As demonstrated in theprevious part, the original meaning of “Gou” referred to a carnivorous mammal and was sometimes usedderogatorily. However, the contemporary Internet phrase “X + Gou” is used to describe people as “dogs” or it canbe used to describe a speechless attitude towards something. For instance, “Xiaonai Gou” originally referred tonewborn puppies, but now it is used to describe gentle and affectionate boys. “Xiaolang Gou” used to consider abreed of dog, but today it describes handsome, cool, and dominant young men who provide a sense of security totheir girlfriends, making them highly desirable. “Danshen Gou” can be traced back as the earliest application of
the “X + Gou” meme, which initially was influenced by A Chinese Odyssey to the West in 2011, and then gradually
gained popularity (Sun, 2016). As the term “Danshen Gou” is humorous and self-deprecating, a number ofindividuals use it to poke fun at themselves and express feelings of loneliness. With the widespread use of the term
“Danshen Gou” on the Internet, and the simplicity and memorability of the “X + Gou” meme, more and more
forms of “X + Gou” are being recognized and embraced by people, for example:(1) 科研狗没有周末全年无休。（Weibo, 2020）(2) 不想再当代码狗了，想去摆摊炒粉烤串。（Weibo, 2019)(3) 假装自己是文艺狗。（Weibo, 2018)(4) 我变成了友谊中的“舔狗”，只要别人对我释放善意，立刻就能明显感受到我全身细胞都在积极回应。（Weibo, 2017)(5) 我可以很负责任的告诉你，我就是颜狗。(Weibo, 2018)(6) 真狗，怎么涨的怎么跌回去，哭笑不得。(Weibo, 2020)(7) 你是真的狗啊！(Weibo, 2019)“Keyan Gou” in sentence (1) refers to individuals who are dedicated to scientific research. “Daima Gou” in(2) is a term used to describe those individuals who frequently write code. “Wenyi Gou” in (3) refers to young

people who are involved in literature. “Tian Gou” is used to describe individuals who have no dignity and will doanything to gain favor with others in (4). “Yan Gou” in (5) pertains to people who cannot resist anything thatappears aesthetically pleasing. The phrase “Zhen Gou” in the (6) does not mean encountering a real dog, but rather
conveys a speechless view of something. Similarly, in the (7), it also does not mean that one is a real dog, whereas
in the context of the internet, it is used to describe someone as unreliable, absurd, or terrible. Due to the broad anddiverse appeal of the “X + Gou” meme, which caters to varying social groups, the personification of dogs invarious contexts has enabled the meme to maintain its strong status through continuous replication in the publicsphere (Nissenbaum & Shifman, 2017).
As indicated above, it can be seen that “X + Gou” frequently originates from a particular event, in which aphenomenon within the event refers to objects possessing similar qualities, grouping them together andemphasizing their collective characteristics. As popular language usage becomes more prevalent, “Gou” as acomponent of frameworks has also assimilated numerous characteristic meanings attributed to popular events.
Concurrently, through the application of personification, metonymy, and other techniques, “X” becomes moreamusing and informal, without being restricted to specific distinguishing criteria, and places emphasis on
satisfying the public’s desire for language that is both enjoyable and economical.
4.3 The spread type of “X + Gou”
Memes in online language come in various forms. When discussing the classification of meme transmission
in language, Blackmore (2000) categorized meme transmission into two types: genotype and phenotype. In termsof language meme genotype, the content of replication remains the same but the form of replication differs.
Conversely, with language meme phenotype, the form of replication is nearly identical while the content ofreplication varies. During the replication and transmission of memes, choices are made regarding the variation ofcommunication types depending on different contexts. Based on research on different variants, the maintransmission types of “X + Gou” include genotype and phenotype.

Figure 1 Blackmore’s memetic classification
4.3.1 Genotype of “X + Gou”
Genotype refers to the transmission of the essential prototype or identical information of a meme throughvariations in its form (Xie, 2020). In other words, the same information can be transmitted in different forms.
Obviously, the “X” Gou genotype is primarily transmitted through the direct expression of the term “X”. The
phrase “X + Gou'' consists of “X” and “Gou”, with the latter term being limited by its semantic meaning, despite
its widespread usage. Since “X + Gou'' is often used as a noun component, it is frequently paired with decisionverbs such as “Shi（是）”, “Zuo（做）”, and “De（的）”, appearing in constructions such as “Who/What is X
+ Gou”. This has resulted in the buzzwords “X + Gou” to have similar functions for referring to people as otherlikewise phrases. For example, saying “I am a Keyan Gou/Dang/Ren” carries the same meaning. Thus, in theconstruction of “X + Gou”, the term “Gou” has been “humanized” and has developed into a neutral expression
with a humorous quality. When using “X + Gou'' in online language, people do not typically alter the “X” or“Gou”, nor do they add any additional elements to “X + Gou”; this maintains the original “X + Gou” meme gene.
4.3.2 Phenotype of “X + Gou”
Phenotypic propagation involves the transmission of varying meanings for the same type of meme, which
includes horizontal grafting of homonyms and heteronyms, homomorphic associative grafting, and isomorphic
horizontal grafting (Chen et.al, 2019). Just as its name implies, these memes maintain their original forms but also
adapt their content to new contexts. Regarding the popular term “X + Gou”, its usage varies depending on the partof speech of the term “X”. When “X” functions as a noun, it refers to a person who embarks on a particular job,
and when “X” is a verb, it means someone who performs an action. Alternatively, when “X” serves as an adjective,
it characterizes the traits or status of a certain group of people.
As demonstrated by the preceding discussion, “X + Gou” has emerged as a successful language meme in
Chinese society. Particularly with the aid of new media, the pairing of “Gou” with additional linguistic memes has

propelled it beyond its initial role in social communication, expanding to convey more nuanced emotions (Dynel,2021). Thus, it is becoming increasingly prominent in daily life and is poised to play an ever-expanding role inshaping language and culture.
4.4 Characteristics of “X + Gou”
From the above analysis, it is evident that the usage of “X Gou” in the context of the Internet has undergone
significant enrichment and expansion, incorporating numerous new semantic features as well. Therefore, it can beconsidered that this form is not an isolated occurrence but rather a language phenomenon exhibiting a trend ofcluster development. He (2014) identified three key attributes of language memes: imitativeness, replicability, andpropagation. Based on the analysis of our corpus, we have identified the following characteristics associated withthese buzzwords.
4.4.1 Fresh Use of Old Words, and Semantic Generalization
The popularity of the term “X + Gou” is a tactile manifestation of the genotypic memetic theory (He & Chen,
2014). In other words, it is a kind of old words empowered fresh use. It is closely integrated with current eventsand social phenomena. Language memes are catalyzed by contextual and subject factors, and influenced by social
factors during the process of replication and dissemination. Through this process, they become sociallycontextualized (Xie, 2020). When we use the word, its default context will be triggered off (Figure 2). Throughout
history, the term “Gou” has been associated with derogatory meanings, such as lowliness, flattery, and badness,
as seen in phrases like “Lang Xin Gou Fei” (to describe a person who is as cruel as a wolf). Most words
incorporating “Gou” carry negative connotations. However, through the fusion of Chinese and Western cultures,
people have developed a new understanding of the characteristics of dogs. As a result, “Gou” has acquiredcommendatory meanings like loyalty and cuteness, leading to an elevation in the status of dogs. The prevalenceof the “X + Gou” meme is pivotal in reversing the negative connotations associated with “Gou”, providing asemantic basis for “Gou” to assert its status as beings worthy of respect. As the usage of “X” expands, thederogatory undertones of “Gou” will wane, and the negative connotations surrounding the “X + Gou” lexicon will
dissipate over time.

Figure 2 Understanding “X Gou” Memes in Emergent Contexts
4.4.2 Newfangled Language: Its Topicality and in Vogue
Online buzzwords serve as indicators of youth mentality, reflecting the social psychology and values ofcontemporary youth. As such, they are worthy of both synchronic and diachronic research (Xie & He, 2007). In
this sense, buzzwords such as “X + Gou”, which first emerged at the end of 2011 and quickly gained popularity
among netizens, provide insight into the zeitgeist of the times. Internet language, in particular, is a dynamic formof expression that constantly seeks new ideas and modes of communication. Originally taken as a noun and freemorpheme, “Gou” had a versatile position in word formation. However, after being incorporated into the “X +Gou” meme, the word “Gou” becomes a postpositional morpheme that can only appear after “X”, and its format
is fixed as “root + affix”. This illustrates how the semantics of “Gou” have evolved to become more generalized
and virtualized (Chen & Zhu, 2010).
Besides, the “X + Gou” lexicon tends to have a relatively simple semantic function, and once we understandthe meaning of “X”, it becomes easy to comprehend the meaning of “X + Gou”. Moreover, the development andevolution of the “Gou” meme have also given rise to its use as an adjective, such as the expression “Zhen Gou” in(6) to indicate a speechless attitude towards a person or thing. In the age of the internet, the ease-of-learning andthe economic nature of language have enabled “X + Gou” to quickly gain popularity and widespread usage (Fu &Lu, 2010).

5.

Discussion

In the previous section, we discussed the basic information of “X + Gou” based on our corpus, and explore
its most popular features. Moving forward, we aim to investigate the factors underlying the popularity of thesecatchphrases, taking a language memetics approach.
As society advances and progresses, online catchphrases continually evolve to embody new connotations of
the modern era, serving dual functions in interpersonal interactions and within the broader social context. The
widespread dissemination of these catchphrases is the outcome of the interplay between three key factors: thelinguistic attributes of online catchphrases, user demands, and the prevalence of social media platforms (Figure 3).
Each feature of this buzzword represents a broad meme vector that enables internet users to swiftly comprehend
its utility and incorporate it with some degree of variation into their online activities (Crystal & Ebrary, 2001).
Due to the singular attributes of “X + Gou”, it is widely used across diverse contexts, which can readily lead tothe expansion of its meaning.

Figure 3 Factors That Influence “X Gou” Meme Adaptation and Selection
As the saying goes, “Put new wine into old bottles.” The sudden popularity of the term “X + Gou” can beunderstood as a phenomenon of reusing old words. Through the use of metaphorical language and rhetoric in theform of “X + Gou”, which is easily grasped by people due to its underlying cognitive structure, the new meaning
has been able to gain wider acceptance among the public and enrich the expressive power of language. Furthermore,
as He (2014) points out, the emergence and spread of buzzwords like “X + Gou” are influenced by both internaland external factors of language.
5.1 Internal Language Mechanism
5.1.1 Old Phrases and new referents
As society evolves, the original conceptual and textual systems no longer suffice to meet the growing
demands of communication. In order to bridge this gap, various approaches are typically employed (Lin & Wen,2022), which include: inventing new symbols, borrowing from other languages or dialects, creating symbolic
expressions such as pictographs and onomatopoeia, establishing new expressions from existing lexical andgrammatical structures, and extending the use of original expressions through analogy, metonymy, and metaphor(Xie et. al, 2020). The popularity of the term “X + Gou” can be attributed to the latter approach of re-purposing
and adapting an existing language format. By diluting the original meaning of the word and imbuing it with new
significance that reflects contemporary times, this term has become widely adopted among netizens.
Tohar et. al (2007) proposed that the along with the signified constitute the sign, which is only the first levelof a semiotic ideographic system (Tohar et. al, 2007). When this sign is used as the signifier for a second
ideographic system, a new signifier is produced. In other words, the speaker transcends the narrow definition of“Gou” and expands the meaning of “X + Gou” in both a longitudinal and vertical dimension, moving from a
relatively confined domain (specific nouns) to a broader one (abstract nouns, adjectives, or verbs). This allows forthe expression of the speaker’s understanding of a certain phenomenon in contemporary society.
5.1.2 Labor-saving principle
Nowadays, by virtue of the fast-paced lifestyle and the prevalence of convenient online communication,
netizens increasingly favor communication that is timely, universal, and straightforward. Considering that thecharacteristics of information dissemination in the Internet age, there is a need for concise, clear, and easily
memorable content that can be transmitted quickly and with minimal effort. As a result, research on popularvocabulary also takes into account the influence of the “labor-saving principle” (Chen, 1994). Some researchers(Wiggins & Bowers, 2015; Chen et al, 2019) attribute this preference for concise language to human inertia,
making it a natural tendency dictated by the anatomical, physical, and psychological structure of human beings.
Similarly, the corpus of “X + Gou” that we have collected consists mostly of three-character grammaticalstructures and Internet acronyms, which align well with the characteristics of the current online environment.

The economic principle of language dictates that language use must balance minimal language withmaximum effect, while the mechanism of language requires maintaining the original language model andorganizing it accordingly (Chen, 1999). It has to be noted that the most significant driving force of language change
is simplification, evidenced by the transition from literary to vernacular Chinese due to its aptness forcommunication (Jiang & Vásquez, 2020). However, some linguists have raised concerns about the potentiallydestructive nature of extreme simplification. There is a risk that efforts to rebalance language may lead to
unforeseeable changes that spiral out of control and propagate through the language chain like dominoes,
ultimately leading to irreversible damaging effects on the language itself. As such, while language change isnecessary, restraint and a cautious approach are required to prevent unintended consequences.
5.2 External Language Environment
5.2.1 Motivation of social communicative function
The evolution of language is closely intertwined with social needs in real life (Dynel, 2021). When theseneeds change, language adapts accordingly, driven by its function. From a lexical perspective, the concept of“necessity” is crucial to language innovation, as words that are no longer needed fade away, while newly createdinternet buzzwords should serve a communicative purpose. As people strive to find the perfect context for abuzzword, it may become necessary to adjust its meaning or usage to encompass new objects or ideas (Page,2012).
This process is driven by our urgent desire to express ourselves effectively, and the buzzword becomes flexible inits ability to adapt to changing circumstances. Ultimately, this dynamic relationship between language and its users
leads to constant innovation and adaptation over time.
In today’s online media environment, language has shifted from a previously serious and cautious style to amore humorous and lighthearted tone. For example, people now refer to themselves as “Jiaban Gou” whenworking overtime, adding a touch of self-deprecation and weariness that resonates with others in the online
community. Despite the lack of complaints about the literal meaning of this phrase, its graphic effect is powerfulin conveying an image of exhaustion and burnout. This illustrates how language can shape and convey emotions
and attitudes in new and creative ways, reflecting the changing needs and experiences of its users in the digital age(Shifman, 2014).
5.2.2 Gamification amusement of the subject of discourse
On one hand, “game” refers to an activity in which the participant interacts with the main objective ofobtaining pure pleasure. It is a cyclical, re-creative spiritual communication activity that involves the mutual
participation and integration of the participant’s consciousness. The increasing popularity of “X + Gou” can beseen as a form of gamification of discourse that applies the “fun principle” to the generation and construction of
discourse. In particular, the early use of the term “Danshen Gou” was characterized by ridicule and humor, creating
a carnival-like atmosphere that attracted attention, increased the volume of discussion, and achieved a dissipationof the seriousness of traditional media discourse. This process also satisfied the public’s desire for idealized
objectives (Ying & Blommaert, 2020).
On the other hand, Popular fashion represents a kind of cultural identity psychology that can easily influence
language. This is because language contains certain restrictions that determine which elements are amenable tochange and which are less susceptible (Xie, 2020). Chinese has proven to have a powerful assimilation andscreening ability for foreign languages in any circumstance. It can filter out beneficial ingredients that arecompatible with the Chinese language, while also eliminating unsuitable factors. The innate, idiosyncratic, andself-protective function of Chinese demonstrates the existence of a mechanism within the language that can
automatically regulate language information, restore broken language patterns, and prevent fragmentation. Besides,
the hidden mechanism of Chinese is essentially controlled by the people who use the language, because people
have to organize and remember useful information in order to survive. When the “X + Gou” buzzwords havebecome a commonly accepted language form, it manifests that the generalized semantics of the word “Gou” hasbeen accepted by people and conforms to the objective law of language development.
In summary, we can conclude that the catchphrase “X + Gou” is a powerful language meme that aligns withpeople’s cognitive characteristics. Additionally, the evolution of the word “Gou” in Chinese has made it popularin society, and owing to its ease of imitation, high productivity, and economic characteristics, “X + Gou” isparticularly used as a reflection of the living conditions and mentality of young people.
6.

Conclusion

Viewed through the lens of memetics, language memes elucidate the laws governing discourse transmission
and language dissemination. The aim of language memetics is to analyze pragmatic phenomena from a memetic
perspective, thereby promoting a deeper understanding of both familiar and unfamiliar languages and, by extension,of human beings themselves (He, 2014). The widespread adoption of the “X + Gou” catchphrase reflects thecurrent self-deprecating mental state of the masses and the fast-paced, high-pressure nature of contemporary life.
This catchphrase possesses certain advantages over traditional language, allowing it to quickly grab publicattention and have a significant impact. Furthermore, the general herd mentality compels people to keep up withthe latest fashion, leading to further acceleration in the spread and application of buzzwords.
In practice, significant progress has been made in empirical analyses of “memetics”, the emergence of “X +Gou” catchphrases can be attributed to both internal and external factors in language. By examining the lexical
nature, and characteristics of these buzzwords, we can conclude that the word “Gou” has acquired new meanings
when combined with other occupations, animals, adjectives, and abbreviated letter combinations in modern
contexts. This vocabulary not only reflects the fast-paced nature of contemporary life but also satisfies people’s
need for concise information, reflecting changes in social structure and mentality. Following the law of language
development, this trend is likely to continue and give rise to similar word structures such as “X Ge”, “X Zu” and“X Jie”. The ability of language to serve people’s social lives confirms that language functions can determine
language changes (Shifman, 2013). If language fails to accurately describe the current environment, it will
naturally evolve to better reflect social needs. It is clear that after over a decade of transmission and development,
the “X + Gou” catchphrases, which is very much characterized by their combining form and meaning, have become
conventionalized symbolic units. These buzzwords convey figurative and emotional colors that attract listenerattention, owing to contemporary associations between “Gou” and other morphemes that imbue them with a
specific popular meaning. This kind of buzzword often conveys commendation, conveying an impression of broadmindedness and optimism (Liu, 2023). However, it can sometimes reflect derogatory meanings as well.
To conclude, the theory of memes offers a compelling explanation for the development and changes in humanlanguage. Firstly, it interprets the evolution of human society and culture from a biological perspective, withlanguage as a carrier of culture. Secondly, internet buzzwords follow the same pattern of emergence, evolution,and extinction as biological evolution, further corroborating the meme theory. Based on these premises, studying
the replication and dissemination of language memes not only illuminates the evolutionary process of language
but also has profound reference and guiding significance for the development and promotion of language via
powerful memes. Future research could examine the intrinsic motivation and ideology of online users who utilize
the “X + Gou” catchphrase by amalgamating the rhetorical meaning and effects of “Gou”. In addition, interviews
may be employed to conduct a multidimensional validation analysis of language use in cyberspace from amultimodal perspective.

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