Definitions
branch; stem; stalk; CL:根[gēn]; to block; to hinder; (neologism that evolved from 哏[gén], initially in Taiwan, during the first decade of the 21st century) memorable creative idea (joke, catchphrase, meme, neologism, witty remark etc); prominent feature of a creative work (punchline of a joke, trope in a drama, special ingredient in a dish, riff in a pop song etc)
About
The character "梗", with its traditional form identical to the simplified, is composed of the tree radical (木) and the phonetic component "更", and its earliest meanings were concrete, referring to the thorny branches of plants or a stiff, obstructive piece of wood. This notion of stiffness and obstruction logically extended into more abstract applications, giving rise to verbs meaning to block or hinder, as seen in the compound "梗阻". The significant semantic shift to its contemporary internet slang usage, where it denotes a recurring joke, meme, or narrative trope, is a relatively recent development influenced by overseas linguistic exchange; it is largely understood as a loaned meaning from the Japanese internet term "ネタ" (neta), which itself originates from the word "種" (tane), meaning seed or source material, and was assigned the character "梗" in its Chinese adoption. This evolution transformed the character from describing a physical impediment to labeling the essential, often humorous, building blocks of online cultural discourse.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这花梗很长。
这个梗很好笑。
他写了故事梗概。
他心脏梗塞了。
交通梗阻很严重。
网络流行梗传播很快。
这个梗的出处是那部电影。
如果你不懂这个梗，就无法理解笑话的笑点。