破圈

pòquān
verb

Meanings

  1. 1 to break out of one's niche
  2. 2 to go mainstream (from a subculture)
  3. 3 to cross over

Examples

Zhè bù dòngmàn chénggōng pòquān, xīyǐnle hěnduō fēi fěnsī.
This anime broke out of its niche and attracted many non-fans.
B zhàn yīzhí zài chángshì pòquān.
Bilibili has been trying to break into the mainstream.

Tips

culture
here means 'circle / niche / fandom'. 破圈 became a buzzword around 2020 when Bilibili (B) explicitly aimed to expand beyond its anime-gaming-otaku core audience. Now applies to any creator, brand, or work that crosses over from a small subculture into mainstream awareness.
usage
Common related terms: 出圈 (very similar — 'go beyond your circle'), (inside the niche), (outside the niche), 饭圈 (fan circles, esp. for celebrities).

Stroke Order

quān