小鲜肉

小鮮肉

xiǎoxiānròu

noun

Measure Word

一个小鲜肉 gè

Meanings

1 young male heartthrob
2 good-looking young male celebrity
3 pretty boy idol

Characters

Literally 'little fresh meat' — young, attractive, and marketable.

Examples

这部剧请了好几个小鲜肉。

Zhè bù jù qǐng le hǎo jǐ gè xiǎoxiānròu.

This drama cast several young heartthrobs.

观众现在不只看小鲜肉，也看演技。

Guānzhòng xiànzài bù zhǐ kàn xiǎoxiānròu, yě kàn yǎnjì.

Audiences now don't just look at pretty faces — they care about acting too.

Tips

culture

Popularized around 2014 for young male idols with boyish good looks. Often contrasted with '老戏骨' (veteran actor). Chinese state media has criticized '小鲜肉' culture for promoting superficiality over talent.

register

Casual and slightly objectifying. Some find it harmless pop culture slang; others consider it demeaning. The female equivalent is '小花' (young actress) or '小仙女' (fairy girl).

Stroke Order

小 xiǎo

鲜 xiān

肉 ròu