鸡娃

Literally 'injecting the child with chicken blood,' 鸡娃 describes the phenomenon of hyper-competitive Chinese parents who pack their kids' schedules with tutoring, music lessons, sports, and every conceivable extracurricular — all in pursuit of elite school admission. Think helicopter parenting cranked up to eleven, fueled by anxiety, college rankings, and the terrifying belief that one missed piano lesson could doom your child's entire future.

Rooted in China's intense gaokao college-entrance culture and shrinking middle-class mobility, 鸡娃 exploded as a term alongside the rise of 'involution' (内卷) anxiety. Parents, especially in tier-1 cities, felt enormous pressure to outcompete peers. The term gained ironic and self-aware usage just as Beijing began cracking down on the private tutoring industry with the 'double reduction' policy in 2021.

指父母像打了鸡血一样拼命给孩子报各种课外班、强迫孩子不断竞争进步的育儿方式。