duòshǒu: 剁手 - Impulse Buying, Shopping Spree

• Keywords: duoshou, 剁手, Chinese slang, online shopping China, Taobao, Singles' Day, 11.11, impulse buy, stop shopping, chop hands, shopaholic, Chinese internet culture, buy buy buy, 吃土, 月光族
• Summary: Discover the meaning of 剁手 (duòshǒu), a popular Chinese internet slang term that literally translates to “chop hands.” This humorous and hyperbolic term is used to describe the uncontrollable urge to make impulse purchases, especially during massive online sales events like Singles' Day (Double 11). Learn why 剁手 is central to understanding modern Chinese consumer culture, how to use it in conversation, and how it relates to concepts like 吃土 (chī tǔ), or “eating dirt,” after a shopping spree.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): duò shǒu
• Part of Speech: Verb phrase
• HSK Level: N/A
• Concise Definition: To stop oneself from making impulse purchases, often used humorously to express regret over a shopping spree.
• In a Nutshell: 剁手 (duòshǒu) is a vivid piece of internet slang that captures the feeling of wanting to stop yourself from online shopping. Imagine you're browsing Taobao and see amazing deals. Your hand, holding the mouse or phone, keeps clicking “buy.” You feel a mix of excitement and future regret, so you joke, “I need to chop my hands off to stop this!” It's the ultimate expression of a love-hate relationship with online shopping.

• 剁 (duò): To chop or mince. This character is made of two parts. On the right is 刀 (dāo), the character for “knife,” clearly indicating cutting. On the left is 㡯, a phonetic component. You can simply remember that 剁 (duò) is a forceful chopping action done with a knife.
• 手 (shǒu): Hand. This is a simple pictograph that originally looked more like a hand with five fingers.
• Together, 剁手 (duòshǒu) creates a graphic and comical image: physically chopping off one's own hands to prevent them from clicking the “buy” button. The violent hyperbole is what makes the term funny and memorable.

剁手 (duòshǒu) is more than just slang; it's a cultural artifact of China's digital age. It was born from and is inseparable from the country's colossal e-commerce ecosystem, epitomized by platforms like Taobao and JD.com, and massive shopping festivals like 双十一 (Shuāng Shíyī), or “Double 11/Singles' Day.” In Western culture, a similar sentiment might be expressed by saying, “Someone needs to take my credit card away!” or “I'm going on a spending freeze.” However, these phrases focus on the financial tool (the credit card) or the financial strategy (a freeze). 剁手 (duòshǒu) is uniquely visceral and personal. It focuses on the physical body part—the hand—that is committing the act of purchasing. This highlights the feeling of a loss of personal control in the face of overwhelming temptation, a common feeling during high-pressure, time-limited online sales. The term reflects a self-aware, humorous, and slightly fatalistic attitude towards modern consumerism. People who use it aren't necessarily in financial ruin; rather, they are participating in a shared cultural ritual of collective spending followed by collective, comical regret. It’s a way to bond with others over a common, modern experience.

剁手 (duòshǒu) is highly informal and is used constantly on social media, in text messages, and in casual conversations among friends, especially those under 40.

• As a Vow or Resolution: You can use it to declare your intention to stop spending.
  • e.g., “这个月我一定要剁手!” (This month I'm determined to stop shopping!)
• To Describe a Past Action: It can be used like a verb meaning “to go on a shopping spree.”
  • e.g., “我昨天晚上又剁手了。” (I went on a shopping spree again last night.)
• As a Group Identity: The term 剁手党 (duòshǒu dǎng) refers to the “Hand-Chopping Tribe,” or shopaholics.
  • e.g., “她是标准的剁手党。” (She's a classic shopaholic.)
• Connotation: The connotation is almost always humorous and self-deprecating. It's a lighthearted way to complain about one's own lack of self-control. It would be very strange to use it in a formal or serious context.

• Example 1:
  • 双十一过后，我真的要剁手了。
  • Pinyin: Shuāng Shíyī guòhòu, wǒ zhēn de yào duòshǒu le.
  • English: After the Double 11 festival, I really need to stop shopping.
  • Analysis: This is a classic use case. The speaker has likely spent a lot of money during the massive sale and is now vowing to stop. “要…了” (yào…le) indicates a future action or intention.
• Example 2:
  • 这个折扣太好了，我忍不住要剁手了！
  • Pinyin: Zhège zhékòu tài hǎo le, wǒ rěnbuzhù yào duòshǒu le!
  • English: This discount is too good, I can't help myself from making an impulse buy!
  • Analysis: Here, 剁手 is used in the present moment of temptation. “忍不住” (rěnbuzhù) means “can't resist,” which perfectly captures the feeling that leads to 剁手.
• Example 3:
  • 你看我新买的这些东西，是不是很想剁手？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ kàn wǒ xīn mǎi de zhèxiē dōngxi, shì bu shì hěn xiǎng duòshǒu?
  • English: Look at all this new stuff I bought, don't you feel like going on a shopping spree too?
  • Analysis: This shows how the term can be used to describe the feeling of *wanting* to shop impulsively, not just the regret after. It's used here to mean “feel the urge to shop.”
• Example 4:
  • 如果你再乱买东西，我就帮你剁手！
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ zài luàn mǎi dōngxi, wǒ jiù bāng nǐ duòshǒu!
  • English: If you keep buying random things, I'll “chop your hands off” for you!
  • Analysis: This is a humorous threat between friends or family. The speaker is playfully offering to help the listener stop their spending habit.
• Example 5:
  • 她是个“剁手党”，每天都在收快递。
  • Pinyin: Tā shì ge “duòshǒu dǎng”, měitiān dōu zài shōu kuàidì.
  • English: She's a shopaholic; she's receiving packages every day.
  • Analysis: This introduces the related noun 剁手党 (duòshǒu dǎng), which refers to a person who frequently impulse buys.
• Example 6:
  • 为了防止我剁手，我已经把购物App卸载了。
  • Pinyin: Wèile fángzhǐ wǒ duòshǒu, wǒ yǐjīng bǎ gòuwù App xièzài le.
  • English: To prevent myself from impulse buying, I've already uninstalled the shopping apps.
  • Analysis: This sentence shows a proactive measure taken against the urge to 剁手. It treats “剁手” as an unwanted behavior to be prevented.
• Example 7:
  • 上个月剁手太厉害，这个月只能吃土了。
  • Pinyin: Shàng ge yuè duòshǒu tài lìhài, zhège yuè zhǐnéng chī tǔ le.
  • English: I went on such a crazy shopping spree last month that this month I can only “eat dirt.”
  • Analysis: This perfectly links 剁手 to its most famous consequence: 吃土 (chī tǔ), or “eating dirt,” which means being so broke after spending that you can't afford real food.
• Example 8:
  • 每次看李佳琦的直播，我都控制不住我剁手的冲动。
  • Pinyin: Měi cì kàn Lǐ Jiāqí de zhíbō, wǒ dōu kòngzhì bu zhù wǒ duòshǒu de chōngdòng.
  • English: Every time I watch Li Jiaqi's livestream, I can't control my impulse to shop.
  • Analysis: This connects the term to a specific cultural phenomenon: 直播带货 (zhíbō dài huò), or livestream e-commerce. Li Jiaqi is China's most famous beauty influencer, known for his ability to sell massive quantities of products.
• Example 9:
  • 这件衣服我犹豫了半天，最后还是剁手了。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiàn yīfu wǒ yóuyù le bàntiān, zuìhòu háishì duòshǒu le.
  • English: I hesitated about this piece of clothing for a long time, but in the end, I caved and bought it.
  • Analysis: 剁手 can describe the final decision to buy something after a period of hesitation, representing the moment self-control is lost.
• Example 10:
  • 我的新年决心之一就是不再剁手。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de xīnnián juéxīn zhī yī jiùshì bù zài duòshǒu.
  • English: One of my New Year's resolutions is to stop impulse buying.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates how 剁手 can be used in the context of personal goals and resolutions, framed as a bad habit to be broken.

• It's Hyperbole, Not Literal: The biggest mistake a learner can make is taking 剁手 literally. No one is actually advocating for self-mutilation. It is 100% a joke, and its humor comes from the extreme imagery.
• Informal Use Only: Never use this term in a formal setting, such as a business meeting, an academic paper, or when speaking to an elder you wish to show great respect to. It belongs on social media and in casual chats.
• “False Friend” vs. “Financially Irresponsible”: While someone who constantly 剁手 might become financially irresponsible, the term itself is not a direct translation of it. 剁手 focuses on the *impulsive act of buying* and the *immediate feeling of regret or desire to stop*. A term like 月光族 (yuèguāng zú) (someone who spends their whole salary each month) is closer to describing a financial state, whereas 剁手 describes the behavior that might lead to it.
• Incorrect Usage: Do not apply 剁手 to other impulsive behaviors. It is almost exclusively used for spending money.
  • Incorrect: 我昨晚没忍住，剁手吃了一整个比萨。(Wǒ zuówǎn méi rěnzhù, duòshǒu chīle yī zhěnggè bǐsà.) → (I couldn't resist last night and “chopped hands” to eat a whole pizza.)
  • Reason: This is wrong. The term is tied to commerce and shopping, not food or other temptations.

• 买买买 (mǎi mǎi mǎi) - “Buy, buy, buy!” The excited chant or feeling that directly leads to the act of 剁手.
• 吃土 (chī tǔ) - “To eat dirt.” The direct, humorous consequence of 剁手; being too broke to afford food after a shopping spree.
• 剁手党 (duòshǒu dǎng) - “The hand-chopping tribe.” A noun for the collective of people who are shopaholics.
• 月光族 (yuèguāng zú) - “Moonlight clan.” People who spend their entire monthly salary by the end of the month. The 剁手 lifestyle often leads to becoming a member of the 月光族.
• 双十一 (shuāng shíyī) - “Double 11” or Singles' Day (Nov 11th). China's biggest online shopping festival and the high holiday for 剁手.
• 淘宝 (táobǎo) - China's largest online C2C marketplace, owned by Alibaba. The primary battlefield where 剁手 occurs.
• 直播带货 (zhíbō dài huò) - Livestream e-commerce. A powerful sales model where influencers sell products in real-time, often triggering massive waves of 剁手.
• 种草 (zhòng cǎo) - “To plant grass.” Slang for having a desire for a product planted in your mind, often by an influencer or ad. 种草 is the cause, 剁手 is the effect.