Suan le, a buzzword on the Internet. It refers to the kind of person who is jealous of others. It was mostly used to express the envy of others from appearance, material life, and emotional life. [2]
Background
At the beginning of 2019, “Lemon Essence” began to spread on social networks. Derivative sentences such as “I’m sour” and “I don’t know why, lemons always surround me” have become common memes of netizens’ communication. As the name suggests, the essence of “Lemon Essence” is one word-“sour”. This meme has emerged in the gaming circle. It is also used to describe people who are always sour and jealous in life, who do not see others better than themselves, and who have a high self-esteem. Subsequently, the meaning of ridicule and self-deprecation gradually extended. Netizens often used “I am the lemon essence” to express their envy from the ridicule.
Spread
The popularity of the term “lemon essence” starts with a set of emoticons. The internet big V blogger @黄released a set of emoticons that eat lemons and surrounded by lemons. The topic “The essence of mankind is lemon essence” resonated with netizens, and the popularity fluctuates depending on the season. [2]
During Spring Festival when flower cards, the red envelopes , and the New Year’s money are given out, those who did not receive such gifts are said to be “sour.” The next peak of popularity of this meme occurs around Valentine’s Day. Displays of love and affection make netizens envy and jealous, so Valentine’s Day is also nicknamed World Lemon Day. [2]
Well-known funny bloggers @奔波儿灞和巴波儿奔 said “What is Valentine’s Day? Lemon Day!” The blog post fits the mood of netizens in the festive atmosphere, the commentary reached 30,000+, which drove the popularity. A series of lemon essence peripheral products such as “Lemon Carp”, “Lemon Tea”, and “Lemon Pillow” were also born. In addition to the sweetness of Valentine’s Day, there was also a sense of sourness on social networks. [2]
Examples
