Kota Kinabalu: A photo of a woman tearfully bidding farewell to her boyfriend at an airport has quickly caught the attention of Chinese netizens.
A post in early August on Xiaohongshu, a popular social media platform in China, by user @YourKris, received an outpouring of support, but not in the way one might expect.
Believing that the blogger was experiencing relationship troubles, Xiaohongshu users flooded the comments section with messages of encouragement.
However, these were not your typical words of comfort — they were written in Chinglish, a mix of Chinese and English that often results in humorous and awkward translations.
One comment tried to uplift @YourKris with a play on a well-known Chinese saying and went viral.
“You pretty, he ugly. U swan, he frog!” it said.
This was a Chinglish version of the Chinese idiom that likens a man to a toad attempting to eat swan meat, meaning someone who is trying to date a person above their league.
“The old doesn’t go, the new doesn’t come,” another user commented, encouraging @YourKris to let go of the past and embrace new opportunities.
Others chimed in with creative, but somewhat blunt, remarks.
“Want cry go outside cry,” one wrote, using a direct translation of a Chinese expression that suggests one should not display emotions in public.
Netizens took the opportunity to connect with @YourKris in a way that was both light-hearted and culturally unique.
Amidst these supportive remarks, there were also comments that reflected the humour and self-reflection of the netizens themselves.
“This is the first time I have understood so much English, I even feel like I could retake the gaokao [China’s national college entrance exam]. I’m so strong now, it’s terrifying!” one user joked.
This comment not only added to the light-hearted atmosphere but also illustrated how Chinglish can bridge language barriers in amusing ways.
On X, where the story also gained traction, a user with the handle @albertcamslut summed up the situation.
“Imagine going through a rough patch with your boyfriend and thousands of Chinese netizens comfort you,” they said.
“This would actually fix me I can’t lie,” the X post further added, reflecting the healing power of humour and collective empathy.
As the story continued to spread online, it highlighted how even in moments of sadness, the internet community can come together to offer support, often in the most unexpected and amusing ways.
