打call — To Cheer For / Show Support
What Does 打call Mean?
From Japanese concert culture where fans shout specific calls and responses during performances. In China it escaped fan culture to mean actively cheering for, supporting, or endorsing anything. You can 打call for a friend's project, a restaurant you like, a policy you support, or a sports team. The concert origin gives it a communal, enthusiastic quality — 打call implies visible, vocal support, not just passive agreement.
Cultural Context
The journey from Japanese concert halls to Chinese everyday speech passed through idol fan culture and then exploded onto general social media. 打call became particularly common during the reality TV idol competition era (2018-2021) when voting and supporting idols was called 打call. It then broadened to any enthusiastic public support.
Similar Expressions in English
Like 'to root for,' 'to stan,' 'to give props to,' or 'to hype up.' More active and vocal than simply liking something — 打call implies you're actively making noise in someone's support.
How Is It Used?
Chinese Explanation (中文解释)
来自日本演唱会文化，粉丝在演唱会上大声呼喊配合节拍，后泛指为某人或某事积极支持、加油打气。