dài huò: 带货 - Livestream Selling, Influencer Marketing

• Keywords: daihuo, dài huò, 带货, livestream selling, influencer marketing, social commerce, Chinese e-commerce, KOL, wanghong, what does daihuo mean, sell products online, Chinese internet slang, product promotion
• Summary: Discover the meaning of dài huò (带货), a crucial term in modern China's digital economy. “Dài huò” refers to the wildly popular practice of “livestream selling” or “influencer marketing,” where internet celebrities (KOLs or 网红) use live video streams and social media to showcase, recommend, and sell products directly to their followers. This entry explains its cultural significance, practical usage, and why it's more than just a product endorsement.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): dài huò
• Part of Speech: Verb (Verb-Object Phrase)
• HSK Level: N/A
• Concise Definition: To use one's personal influence to promote and sell products, typically through live streaming or social media.
• In a Nutshell: Imagine a mix between a celebrity talk show, a QVC home shopping channel, and an interactive online party. That's `带货`. A charismatic host, or “influencer,” goes live on a platform like Douyin (TikTok) or Taobao, demonstrates products in real-time, and creates a sense of excitement and urgency. Followers can ask questions, see the product in action, and click a link to buy it instantly, often at a limited-time discount. It's a powerful form of “shoppertainment” that has transformed retail in China.

• 带 (dài): To carry, to bring, to lead. Think of this character as representing the influencer's action of *bringing* a product to the audience's attention and *leading* them to make a purchase.
• 货 (huò): Goods, products, merchandise. The character contains the radical 贝 (bèi), which originally meant “cowrie shell” and is found in many characters related to money and trade.
• Together, 带货 (dài huò) literally translates to “carrying goods.” In its modern context, the influencer isn't physically carrying the inventory; they are metaphorically “carrying” the product's sales and reputation with their own credibility and influence.

`带货` is more than just a sales tactic; it's a cultural phenomenon at the heart of China's “wanghong economy” (网红经济). It signifies a massive shift in consumer trust from traditional brands and advertising to individuals. While the West has “influencer marketing,” `带货` is different in its scale, intensity, and directness. A Western influencer might post a sponsored photo on Instagram with a discount code. A Chinese `带货` livestreamer, like the famous “Lipstick King” Li Jiaqi (李佳琦), hosts a multi-hour, high-energy, live sales event that can generate millions of dollars in sales in a single night. The key difference lies in the integration of entertainment, community, and commerce:

• Trust and “Digital 关系 (guānxi)”: Top livestreamers build a strong, parasocial relationship with their millions of followers. Their recommendations are perceived as advice from a trusted friend rather than a corporate ad. This digital form of `关系` (interpersonal relationships and trust) is paramount.
• “Shoppertainment”: The events are entertaining. Hosts tell stories, create inside jokes, and interact with the audience in real-time, making shopping a fun, communal experience.
• Urgency and Exclusivity: Livestreams thrive on “flash sales” and “limited quantity” offers that are only available during the broadcast, creating a powerful sense of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out).

This contrasts with the more passive nature of most Western influencer marketing, making `带货` a uniquely Chinese model of social commerce that many global brands are now trying to emulate.

`带货` is a ubiquitous term in conversations about e-commerce, marketing, and social media.

• As a Verb: This is its most common use, meaning “to sell/promote via influence.”
  • `他今天晚上要带货。` (Tā jīntiān wǎnshang yào dài huò.) - He is going to do a sales livestream tonight.
• Describing Ability: It's often used with `能力 (nénglì)` to describe someone's sales power.
  • `这个网红的带货能力很强。` (Zhège wǎnghóng de dài huò nénglì hěn qiáng.) - This influencer's ability to sell products is very strong.
• As a Noun/Modifier: It can describe a person or an event.
  • `带货主播 (dài huò zhǔbō)`: A livestream sales host.
  • `带货直播 (dài huò zhíbō)`: A sales livestream.

The connotation is generally neutral, referring to a business activity. It becomes positive when someone is successful (`带货能力强`) and negative when an influencer promotes low-quality products or fails to sell anything, an event often described as `翻车 (fānchē)` - “crashing the car.”

• Example 1:
  • 李佳琦靠带货口红出了名。
  • Pinyin: Lǐ Jiāqí kào dài huò kǒuhóng chūle míng.
  • English: Li Jiaqi became famous by promoting and selling lipsticks.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses `靠 (kào)`, meaning “to rely on,” to show that `带货` was the method or reason for his fame.
• Example 2:
  • 你觉得哪个明星带货最厉害？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ juéde nǎge míngxīng dài huò zuì lìhai?
  • English: Which celebrity do you think is the best at selling products (via influence)?
  • Analysis: A common question comparing the sales power of different influencers. `厉害 (lìhai)` here means “formidable” or “awesome.”
• Example 3:
  • 昨晚的直播，她带货的销售额超过了一百万。
  • Pinyin: Zuówǎn de zhíbō, tā dài huò de xiāoshòu'é chāoguòle yī bǎi wàn.
  • English: In last night's livestream, the sales volume of the products she promoted exceeded one million.
  • Analysis: This shows how `带货` connects directly to a quantifiable result, `销售额 (xiāoshòu'é)` or “sales volume.”
• Example 4:
  • 我看了她的带货视频，忍不住就下单了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ kànle tā de dài huò shìpín, rěnbuzhù jiù xiàdān le.
  • English: I watched her product promotion video and couldn't resist placing an order.
  • Analysis: `忍不住 (rěnbuzhù)` means “couldn't help but,” perfectly capturing the impulsive nature of purchases driven by effective `带货`. `下单 (xiàdān)` means “to place an order.”
• Example 5:
  • 这款新产品需要找一个有影响力的博主来带货。
  • Pinyin: Zhè kuǎn xīn chǎnpǐn xūyào zhǎo yīge yǒu yǐngxiǎnglì de bózhǔ lái dài huò.
  • English: This new product needs to find an influential blogger to promote and sell it.
  • Analysis: This illustrates the business strategy behind `带货`. `博主 (bózhǔ)` means “blogger” or content creator.
• Example 6:
  • 他带货翻车了，因为产品有严重的质量问题。
  • Pinyin: Tā dài huò fānchē le, yīnwèi chǎnpǐn yǒu yánzhòng de zhìliàng wèntí.
  • English: His sales livestream was a disaster because the product had serious quality issues.
  • Analysis: This introduces the important related slang `翻车 (fānchē)`, meaning “to crash” or “to fail spectacularly.”
• Example 7:
  • 很多农民现在也通过直播带货卖水果。
  • Pinyin: Hěn duō nóngmín xiànzài yě tōngguò zhíbō dài huò mài shuǐguǒ.
  • English: Many farmers now also sell fruit by promoting it through livestreams.
  • Analysis: Shows that `带货` isn't just for celebrities and cosmetics; it's a tool used by people from all walks of life, including farmers selling fresh produce.
• Example 8:
  • 带货不仅仅是卖东西，更重要的是建立信任。
  • Pinyin: Dài huò bùjǐnjǐn shì mài dōngxi, gèng zhòngyào de shì jiànlì xìnrèn.
  • English: Livestream selling isn't just about selling things; more importantly, it's about building trust.
  • Analysis: This sentence explains the core philosophy behind successful `带货`.
• Example 9:
  • 她的带货风格很亲切，就像在和朋友聊天。
  • Pinyin: Tā de dài huò fēnggé hěn qīnqiè, jiù xiàng zài hé péngyou liáotiān.
  • English: Her style of product promotion is very friendly, just like chatting with a friend.
  • Analysis: This describes the *style* (`风格 fēnggé`) of a `带货` host, highlighting the importance of a personal, relatable approach.
• Example 10:
  • 这个品牌从不找人带货，他们只靠口碑。
  • Pinyin: Zhège pǐnpái cóngbù zhǎo rén dài huò, tāmen zhǐ kào kǒubēi.
  • English: This brand never asks people to do influencer marketing for them; they only rely on word-of-mouth.
  • Analysis: This sentence provides a contrast, showing a marketing strategy that explicitly avoids `带货` in favor of organic `口碑 (kǒubēi)`, or “word-of-mouth reputation.”

• `带货 (dài huò)` vs. `卖 (mài)` (to sell): `卖` is the general term for selling anything, anywhere. A shopkeeper `卖` goods. `带货` is specifically selling through one's personal influence and platform, usually online. You wouldn't say a cashier at a supermarket is doing `带货`.
• `带货 (dài huò)` vs. `推广 (tuīguǎng)` (to promote): `推广` is a broad marketing term for any kind of promotion, like running a TV ad or handing out flyers. `带货` is a very specific type of `推广` that is performative, personal, and directly linked to immediate sales conversion. All `带货` is a form of `推广`, but not all `推广` is `带货`.
• Common Mistake: A beginner might try to use `带货` for any kind of endorsement. For example, saying “Michael Jordan is 带货 for Nike” would sound odd. While he endorses Nike, his role is more of a brand ambassador. `带货` implies an active, often live, event with a direct call to purchase. A better Chinese term for that kind of long-term brand ambassadorship would be `代言 (dàiyán)`.

• `网红 (wǎnghóng)` - “Internet celebrity.” The key people who perform `带货`.
• `直播 (zhíbō)` - “Livestream.” The primary medium and platform for `带货` events.
• `KOL (Key Opinion Leader)` - An English acronym widely used in China to refer to major influencers with the power to `带货`.
• `种草 (zhǒng cǎo)` - “To plant grass.” Popular slang for making someone desperately want to buy a product. Successful `带货` results in `种草` for the audience.
• `拔草 (bá cǎo)` - “To pull up the grass.” The follow-up to `种草`; it means to finally buy the product you've been wanting.
• `翻车 (fānchē)` - “To flip the car.” Slang for a public failure. A `带货` stream can `翻车` if the product is bad, the tech fails, or the host makes a mistake.
• `粉丝 (fěnsī)` - “Fans.” The followers and viewers who trust the influencer and buy the products.
• `代言 (dàiyán)` - “To endorse,” “to be a spokesperson.” A more formal and traditional role than `带货`, often involving celebrities as long-term brand ambassadors.