小哥哥

Originally meaning 'little older brother,' 小哥哥 evolved into a flirty, playful honorific that young women use to address attractive young men online and in real life. Think of it as the Chinese equivalent of calling someone 'cutie' or 'hot stuff' — affectionate without being overtly bold. It spread from bullet-comment sections on video platforms where female viewers showered male streamers and idols with the term, and quickly jumped into everyday speech.

The term exploded alongside China's booming live-streaming and idol-fan culture around 2017–2018. Platforms like Bilibili and Douyin gave fans direct channels to interact with attractive male creators, and 小哥哥 became the go-to term of endearment. It reflects a broader shift in how younger Chinese women publicly express appreciation for male appearance — more openly and playfully than previous generations.

网络流行语，女性用来称呼年轻帅气男性的亲昵叫法，带有撒娇、示好意味，源自弹幕文化。