杀熟

殺熟

shāshú

verb

Meanings

1 to rip off loyal customers or acquaintances
2 (of a platform) to charge higher prices to regular users based on algorithmic price discrimination

Characters

familiar, regular customer

Examples

很多打车软件都被指控大数据杀熟。

Hěn duō dǎchē ruǎnjiàn dōu bèi zhǐkòng dàshùjù shāshú.

Many ride-hailing apps have been accused of using big data to rip off loyal users.

同样的酒店，老用户的价格竟然更贵，这不是杀熟吗？

Tóngyàng de jiǔdiàn, lǎo yònghù de jiàgé jìngrán gèng guì, zhè búshì shāshú ma?

Same hotel, but the price is higher for regular users, isn't that exactly ripping off loyal customers?

他开的餐馆从来不杀熟，朋友来都给优惠。

Tā kāi de cānguǎn cónglái bù shāshú, péngyǒu lái dōu gěi yōuhuì.

The restaurant he runs never rips off friends, he always gives them a discount.

Tips

culture

Originally meant overcharging friends, relatives, or repeat customers in small-business contexts. The phrase exploded around 2018 when users noticed Didi, Ctrip, and Meituan showed higher prices to loyal accounts. Now 大数据杀熟 (big-data yield-to-loyalty pricing) is the default meaning online.

mistakes

Not literal: 杀 is 'to kill' only in form; here it means 'to exploit, to fleece.' 熟 refers to 熟客 / 熟人 (a regular / an acquaintance), not to cooked food.

Stroke Order

杀 shā

熟 shú