Analysis of Network Catchwords from the Perspective of

Cross-Cultural Communication

Yaru Ben

School of Journalism and Communication, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China

Keywords: Network Media Culture, Internet Buzzwords, Cross-Cultural Communication, Subculture, Postmodernism.

Abstract: As a product of the Internet age, the research of network catchwords is very complicated. This paper mainly

analyzes the network catchwords from the perspective of cross-cultural communication. Based on Saussure's

linguistics and Bourdieu's field theory, the concept is analyzed. This paper analyzes the text characteristics of

network catchwords from five aspects and explains the gains and limitations of different characteristics on

the cross-cultural communication and transmission of network catchwords. This paper argues that the reasons

for the emergence of network catchwords include the expression of emotions and ideas, resistance to the

mainstream culture and power class, the carnival of language, and the construction of identity. Network

catchwords are conducive to cultural exchanges and the birth of new language norms, but negative network

catchwords will also harm Internet Ecology, impact traditional language, and affect people's mental health. It

should correctly understand and use network catchwords.

1 INTRODUCTION

Driven by the wave of the Internet age, Internet

catchwords, as an important part of Internet culture,

have rapidly spread and become popular among

netizens with the characteristics of simplicity, humor,

novelty, and diversity. They not only enrich people's

daily communication and expression but also reflect

many changes in social culture and values. There has

been a lot of controversy since the emergence of

network catchwords, and there is no unified definition

of the concept of network catchwords in the academic

community. The generation, transmission, and

extinction mechanism of network catchwords, as well

as the cultural connotation and social impact behind

them, have always been complex and worthy of in-

depth exploration. Based on the perspective of cross-

cultural communication, this paper analyzes the

concept and characteristics of network catchwords,

analyzes the multiple causes of their formation and

development, and explores their value and

significance in linguistics, sociology, culturology,

and other dimensions.

2 THE CONCEPT AND

CHARACTERISTICS OF

NETWORK CATCHWORDS

2.1 Concept Discrimination

Network buzzwords are generally classified under the

narrow definition framework of network language,

which refers to the text form that is spontaneously

created by Internet users, received and spread on a

large scale, and reached a certain frequency and

influence in a specific period. According to Ferdinand

de Saussure's theory of "language and speech",

network catchwords are a kind of "speech" rather than

"language", which is the conventional way of

individual speech of netizens participating in the

production of network text content. They are vivid

and personalized, which is different from the

"language" as a norm, convention, and even social

system.

Different from the real social catchwords, Internet

catchwords are born in the network field. Bourdieu

believes that this field is a network space with

objective relationships among various positions, and

has its unique logic and rules in this relatively

independent social space (Bourdieu, 1998). The

network field has the characteristics of

Ben, Y.

Analysis of Network Catchwords from the Perspective of Cross-Cultural Communication.

DOI: 10.5220/0013985400004916

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Public Relations and Media Communication (PRMC 2025), pages 32-37

ISBN: 978-989-758-778-8

"decentralization". Network buzzwords can transcend

time and space constraints, and realize information

transmission and sharing more quickly and widely. Its

origin and transmission node can be any netizen in

theory. At the same time, cyberspace belonging to

different platforms, countries, and regions has

connectivity, and network buzzwords can often

spread to all corners of the Internet, and gradually be

closely linked with the lives of network participants

to achieve cross-cultural communication and

dissemination. Network catchwords not only exist in

the network field but also are not born in a single

cultural context. The boundary of the field is

increasingly blurred.

2.2 Characteristics of Network

Buzzwords

2.2.1 Popularity and Modernity

From the perspective of communication

characteristics, network catchwords are popular and

contemporary. The network catchwords are

constantly updated and iterated. The network

language is divided by popularity and forms the

network catchwords. Jinsong, a linguist, believes that

the future of catchwords is ultimately the

disappearance and acceptance. "Disappear" means to

be eliminated in use, and "accepted" means to enter

the general vocabulary. No matter what kind of

future, it can no longer be called "popular".

Therefore, network catchwords often exist in a

specific period, and can reflect the public psychology

and social changes to a certain extent. The national

language resources testing and Research Center

(Chinese media buzzwords), the editorial department

of biting words, language weekly, and other

organizations will issue annual buzzwords every year,

which can be seen as a highly condensed and refined

summary of the annual Internet hotspots. For

example, "loucuicui (it is used to describe shoddy

construction)", "duo maomao (hide and seek)", "My

father is Ligang", "Zhenxiang Law", "Tiktok

Refugee", etc. In the globalized Internet field, such

network buzzwords are conducive to the construction

of unique cultural symbols.

2.2.2 Diversity and Compatibility

From the perspective of content sources, network

catchwords cover a wide range from changes in

national policies to individual trivia. Whether it is

"CD-ROM", "double reduction", "carbon peaking

and carbon neutralization", "digital intelligence",

"diking economy", "xianyanbao", "dazi", "banwei",

there are both grand narratives selected by

mainstream media and collective wisdom

spontaneously created by netizens. Network

buzzwords can come from different network

communities and interest circles. Some of the words

derived from the small circle layer can be applied to

different contexts through the extension of meaning,

and ultimately gain national recognition and achieve

"breaking the circle". For example, the meaning of "C

wei (center)" derived from the fandom has been

greatly expanded from "stage position". The diversity

of network catchwords is also reflected in the mixing

of different languages, and the network catchwords

that integrate multiple languages gradually occupy a

place. For example, "Ni You freestyle Ma (do you

have a freestyle)", "City bu City", etc. Taking "City

bu City" as an example, this online catchphrase

comes from blogger Baobao Xiong. As a multilingual

user growing up and living in a multicultural

environment, cultural differences bring differentiated

experiences and trigger text production. Because the

emotional concepts and interests contained in it can

resonate with people from different cultural

backgrounds, it can be spread in a cross-cultural

environment (Zhang, 2024).

2.2.3 Innovation and Conciseness

From the perspective of word formation, Internet

buzzwords are innovative and concise. To cope with

the information society of massive data, shorten the

time of receiving and decoding, communicate more

conveniently and efficiently, and memorize and

spread effectively and quickly, network text

producers often want to refine a sentence into a short

word or phrase. For example, the lyrics "life has been

so hard, don't uncover some things" are abbreviated

from "Ren Jian Bu Chai", and similar words include

"Xi Da Pu Ben" and "Ye Qing Hui". In addition,

Pinyin acronyms also occupy an important part in the

current production of online buzzwords, which can

improve the efficiency of keyboard input, but also

increase the difficulty of text decoding, forming a

certain barrier. For example, "yyds (describe

someone or something that has been at the top for

years)", "awsl (express one's great fondness for

something)", "kswl (they are well matched)", etc.

Some Internet buzzwords combine foreign languages

with Chinese to form Chinese and foreign patchwork

words, which are mostly used in spoken expressions

in Hong Kong and other regions of China and can

play a role in simplifying oral communication, such

as "hold zhu", "da call", etc. This kind of Chinese and

Analysis of Network Catchwords from the Perspective of Cross-Cultural Communication

foreign patchwork network catchwords often retain

the original meaning of the two languages.

2.2.4 Vividness and Interest

From the perspective of rhetoric, the rhetoric of

network catchwords is diverse, including

homophony, metaphor, antithesis, thimble,

intertextuality, etc. Among them, the network

catchwords that use homophony are the most

common. Some homophony words are caused by

netizens' hand mistakes when using input methods,

while others are deliberately associated with visual

texts (such as expression packs). By simply re-coding

the popular text content, humorous and interesting

effects are formed, such as "beng bu zhu", "duo sun

na", and so on. Homonyms can also be produced in

the translation between China and foreign countries,

such as Ruyi's translation of "no zuo no die", and the

complete transliteration of "nao tai tao (not at all)",

and "book si yi (incredible)".

2.2.5 Personalization and Entertainment

From the perspective of emotional color, network

catchwords have the characteristics of

personalization and emotional exaggeration. For

example, "envy, jealousy, and hatred" expresses

extreme envy through the stacking of synonyms, and

"I am too hard/South" reflects helplessness. Some

network catchwords refine the keywords of the

characters in the hot events, which has the effect of

satire and ridicule, or through the hot events, a

familiar and common word is given new meaning.

For example, "beating soy sauce" came from a TV

interview. When the reporter asked a question, the

passer-by said he didn't care about a certain event, but

just came out to beat soy sauce. Therefore, "beating

soy sauce" has been given a new connotation similar

to "hanging high over nothing". There are also "I don't

want you to think I want me to think" and so on. The

network catchwords created based on the semantic

method have barriers in the process of cross-cultural

communication because they are multi-coded.

3 REASONS FOR THE

FORMATION OF NETWORK

CATCHWORDS

3.1 Expression of Emotions and Ideas

As a perceptual communication vocabulary, netizens

use this to express their emotions and attitudes, obtain

psychological release and comfort, expect to reach

more people's understanding and resonance and build

an emotional symbiosis. Netizens use network

catchwords to express their views on all aspects of

life, such as work, life, and emotion. As the main

body of Internet users, teenagers pursue exaggerated

and personalized expressions and experience novel

lifestyles. Internet buzzwords are undoubtedly a tool

for their discourse construction. Internet buzzwords

used by netizens to express their emotions are usually

straightforward and strong, with clear love and hate.

They tend to overreact in the face of strange news,

which is the externalization of the "shock feeling" of

the modern cultural industry. When the feeling of

shock has become a universal and basic form of

perception, the threshold of people's satisfaction with

novelty seeking and stimulation has also increased

imperceptibly, and the network catchwords inevitably

become vulgar and boring.

3.2 Resistance to Mainstream Culture

and Power Class

Network catchwords are the product of the integration

of postmodern culture and popular culture. The core

spirit of postmodernism is to defy all authoritarian

metalanguage and attempt to eradicate the tyranny of

words in the social and cultural fields (Lyotard,

1996). The postmodernity of network catchwords is

reflected in the fact that there are few language

expressions that look up to worship. In the production

process, from the perspective of civilians, it changes

and deconstructs the traditional word formation

mode, is not limited to the production of patterned,

standardized, and authoritative texts, pursues the

communication perspective of equality, and

advocates individuality and freedom. As a cultural

symbol, network catchwords have a strong style to

announce the differences from the mainstream

society, convey unique styles and opinions, and vent

dissatisfaction and exclusion. In addition, Internet

buzzwords weaken the differences between the elders

and children of traditional Confucian ethics, and

cyberspace also blurs the differences in gender,

identity, status, and age of netizens, making it

difficult to abide by traditional etiquette and ethics,

and building a relatively free and equal space for

resistance. However, with the expansion of the spread

scope of network catchwords and the increasing

social influence, national institutions and commercial

forces began to participate in the production and use

of network catchwords, and the network catchwords

originally classified as youth subculture gradually

became the potential wrestling field between the

PRMC 2025 - International Conference on Public Relations and Media Communication

government and netizens, the mainstream culture and

youth subculture.

3.3 Language Game and Carnival

Network catchwords are a kind of nonprofessional

text with humor, entertainment, and ridicule. Through

a variety of interesting changes to the traditional

language norms, the game of communication is

established in the network field. The text production

methods of network catchwords mainly include the

use of homophony, collage and disassembly, merger

and abbreviation, and meaning assignment. There are

parodies and adaptations of classics, as well as the

creation of new words, the construction of new

meanings, and the input of new contexts. Through

subversive deconstruction, netizens can achieve the

purpose of entertainment and ridicule. At the same

time, in the face of various social pressures and social

problems brought about by rapid economic

development and continuous social progress, the

anxiety of netizens can be relieved through relatively

open and loose network catchwords, and some

objective social problems such as corruption and bean

curd dregs project can also be exposed and spread,

thus highlighting the living conditions of netizens and

the general public mentality. In addition, according to

John Fiske's "productive pleasure" theory, netizens

can stimulate their intelligence and gain a sense of

pleasure and achievement in the process of text

production by spoofing themselves or others (Fiske,

2003). Network catchwords are spread in the process

of game writing, and its creators and users take this

opportunity to "escape" from reality for a short time

and express themselves freely and equally.

3.4 Construction of Identity

Internet catchwords are a product of people's

Liberation from self-consciousness and attention to

self-power and social hot spots (Man, 2023). It can

help netizens build self-identity, identity, and social

identity. In essence, it is an identity of resistance and

negotiation.

First, is self-identity. Netizens can find their sense

of existence, recognize their creativity, and achieve

self-identity by creating and using network

catchwords in the network field (Wu & Yin, 2023).

This sense of identity is not only the affirmation of

self but also the confirmation of the value and

significance of individual existence (Cai, 2022).

Second, identity and group identity. Social

constructivism believes that identity is usually shaped

and constantly influenced by the social environment

(Berger & Lukman, 2019), which is given from the

outside to the inside. Network catchwords can help

individuals find their "tribe", obtain the strength and

sense of belonging to the group, and feel the

company, identity, and support. This identity is

actively constructed by individuals themselves under

the premise of external influence and is a self-

advertised identity and label. For example, "da gong

ren (migrant workers)" let the majority of office

workers find resonance in self-mockery, and gathered

netizens with common characteristics and

experiences. Network catchwords can also be used as

the symbolic representation of a subculture circle.

Different subculture circles are condensed because of

"interest". All styles and interesting cultures, to some

extent, express a general tendency to seek and shape

identity outside the field of work (Baldwin, 2004).

Through the use of these symbols, individuals express

their identity with the subculture, show their interests,

and construct their subculture identity. The agreed

shared language within the group is separated from

the mainstream society and can be used to "call" each

other in a larger space.

Third, social identity. The rise of network

catchwords to social identity that can arouse the

common feelings and collective memories of the

public often depends on the reproduction of discourse

practice by the mass media. Mass media and key

opinion leaders (KOL) reach a universal standard in a

sense by secondary construction, expansion, and

distribution of the meaning of network buzzwords.

First, according to the "markedness theory" of Erving

Goffman, the purpose of "stigmatization" is achieved

by linking some network buzzwords with non-

standard ones, such as "xiao niu wen xue (chick

literature)", "nv si ji (female driver)", "she chu", etc.

The second is to rewrite the text with negative

meaning through "semantic appreciation", to weaken

the resistance and negativity of the text, such as "pain

and happiness", or expand the scope of concepts, and

raise the positive vocabulary to the values generally

recognized at the ideological level, such as "zheng

neng liang (positive energy)". Third, through

"memory expansion", the memory of a group is raised

to the memory of people of a time, and the group

identity is shaped into social identity, which often

appears in film and television works or cultural

industrial products with diachronic characteristics.

Some catchwords also reflect netizens' identification

with mainstream society, which is often a social

identity spontaneously formed based on patriotism

and national pride, such as "Florist" (Wu, 2021).

Fourth, the coexistence of negotiation and

resistance. Resistance identity is mainly reflected in

Analysis of Network Catchwords from the Perspective of Cross-Cultural Communication

the resistance to the mainstream culture and power

class mentioned above, which will not be repeated

here. In some cases, network buzzwords are also used

to negotiate and reconcile the relationship between

different groups, to build a more harmonious social

identity. Some network buzzwords were

"incorporated" into negotiation and compromise.

According to Herbert Dick's theory, the way of

incorporation mainly depends on ideology and

commercialization (Hebdige, 2002). The former

mainly relies on the state machinery, media, schools,

etc. to purge and weaken, while the latter, such as

"sang wen hua (funeral culture)" and other negative

cultural symbols, frequently appear in commercial

advertisements and cultural industrial products, and

resistance is blurred again.

4 INFLUENCE AND PROSPECT

OF NETWORK CATCHWORDS

4.1 Positive Impact

From the perspective of cultural communication,

network catchwords, especially multilingual network

catchwords, are conducive to cultural communication

and mutual learning. For example, the popularity of

"LOL" and "emo" on the Chinese Internet has

enhanced mutual understanding and integration of

Chinese and foreign cultures, promoted friendship

and cooperation between different cultures, and is

conducive to the development of globalization.

From the perspective of pragmatic development,

network buzzwords have also spawned new language

norms in the process of network communication. For

example, "good good study, day day up." and "you

can you up, no can no bee bee." were originally

nonstandard expressions in English, but they have

gradually been recognized and incorporated into the

vocabulary of daily use.

4.2 Negative Impacts

From the perspective of social stability, there are

malicious insults in network catchwords, which will

affect the communication ecology of network

language and breed network violence. Negative

network buzzwords often use homonyms,

abbreviations, metaphors, or decomposition and

reconstruction to turn praise into criticism, impacting

the health and civilization of the network. From a

cross-cultural perspective, some insulting Internet

buzzwords have been eliminated and entertained due

to language barriers, which seems to have reduced

their harmfulness and also contributed to the spread

to some extent. The youth group among netizens,

whose world outlook and values are not yet mature,

are vulnerable to such words.

From the perspective of cultural development,

network catchwords affect pragmatic norms and

people's normal language communication and formal

written expression. Some younger netizens are

"rotten stems" when they speak. The unique word

formation of Internet catchwords, although vivid, is

often not accepted on formal occasions. On the one

hand, the traditional culture adapted by the second

innovation can be inherited and spread innovatively.

On the other hand, it will lead to semantic distortion

and ambiguity, improper use, and sometimes even the

opposite meaning. In the process of dialogue between

different cultures, some excellent traditional cultures

also lost their "aura", seriousness, and self-discipline,

resulting in misunderstanding and differentiation.

From the perspective of public psychology,

decadent social culture is spread through negative

network catchwords, which affect people's

psychological state, such as "tang ping (lying flat)",

"nei juan (rolling inside)", "kong xin ren (hollow

man)", "jing shen nei hao (spiritual internal friction)",

etc. Self-mocking network catchwords will affect

people's self-awareness under social pressure, making

it difficult to face life with a positive attitude.

This paper argues that, overall, there is a positive

trend in the development of online buzzwords. As for

the regulation and governance of negative Internet

buzzwords, it is necessary to strengthen the

constraints and restrictions of the corresponding rules

and regulations and use algorithm technology to

restrict and guide minor Internet users with a clean

Internet communication atmosphere.

5 CONCLUSION

In the era of globalization and media, in an

increasingly open and inclusive Internet environment,

the integration and exchange of different cultures

have become an inevitable trend. As an important part

of the Internet text production process, network

catchwords are a cultural phenomenon that is highly

characteristic and can not be ignored in the Internet

era. The research on their generation, dissemination,

and development needs to be discussed in

combination with different dimensions such as

politics, society, and culture. As one of the distinctive

and unique types of cross-cultural network

catchwords, it has played an important role in cultural

PRMC 2025 - International Conference on Public Relations and Media Communication

exchanges, social harmony, and common

development, and will evolve into more diverse forms

in the future.

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Analysis of Network Catchwords from the Perspective of Cross-Cultural Communication