tuìkēng: 退坑 - To Quit a Hobby/Fandom, To Leave a Fandom

• Keywords: tuikeng, 退坑, what does tuikeng mean, Chinese internet slang, quit a hobby in Chinese, leave a fandom, drop a game, ACG culture, Chinese slang, 入坑, rùkēng, 氪金, kèjīn
• Summary: “Tuìkēng” (退坑) is a popular and vivid Chinese internet slang term that literally means “to retreat from a pit.” It is used to describe the act of quitting a hobby, video game, or fandom that one was previously deeply invested in, often because it was consuming too much time, money, or energy. Understanding “tuìkēng” offers a fascinating glimpse into modern Chinese fan culture and the intense nature of certain hobbies.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): tuìkēng
• Part of Speech: Verb Phrase / Separable Verb
• HSK Level: N/A
• Concise Definition: To quit or disengage from a hobby, fandom, or game one was previously deeply invested in.
• In a Nutshell: Imagine your favorite hobby—be it a mobile game, a TV series, or following a pop idol—is a giant, alluring “pit” or “hole” (坑, kēng). You “fell into” it and spent countless hours and maybe some money there. The act of deciding to leave this hobby is “to retreat from the pit” (退坑, tuìkēng). It captures the feeling of making a decisive break from something that has become a major part of your life.

• 退 (tuì): This character means “to retreat,” “to move back,” or “to withdraw.” Think of a soldier stepping back from the front line. It implies a conscious and deliberate movement away from something.
• 坑 (kēng): This character literally means a “pit,” “hole,” or “hollow” in the ground. In modern slang, it's used metaphorically to describe any hobby or interest that “sucks you in,” demanding a lot of your time, money, and emotional energy. It can be a video game, an idol group, or even a craft like building mechanical keyboards.

When combined, 退坑 (tuìkēng) creates a powerful visual metaphor: consciously climbing out of a “time sink” or “money pit” that you had once willingly jumped into.

`退坑` is a cornerstone of modern Chinese internet and fan culture, particularly within ACG (Anime, Comics, Games) and idol-worshipping communities. In China, fandoms and gaming communities can be exceptionally intense. Fans often spend significant amounts of money on merchandise and in-game purchases (called 氪金 (kèjīn)) and dedicate huge amounts of time to “grinding” in games (called 肝 (gān)) or promoting their idols. The “pit” (坑) is therefore often deeper and more demanding than in many Western fan cultures. The Western equivalent might be “leaving a fandom” or “quitting a game,” but these phrases often lack the weight of `退坑`. A Western fan might casually say, “I'm not really into that show anymore.” In contrast, someone announcing they will `退坑` is making a more formal declaration. It implies a significant prior commitment and a conscious, often difficult, decision to reclaim their time, money, or mental energy for other priorities like studying for the `gaokao` (高考), focusing on work, or simply because of disappointment with the product or celebrity. The existence of such a specific and widely used term highlights a cultural recognition of how all-consuming modern hobbies can be. The decision to `退坑` is often framed as an act of self-care or a return to “real-world” responsibilities.

`退坑` is a highly informal term used ubiquitously on social media platforms like Weibo, Douban, Bilibili, and in private chats among friends.

• Connotation: Its connotation can vary:
  • Neutral: A simple statement of fact. “I'm quitting this game to focus on my exams.”
  • Negative: Expressing disappointment or anger. “The company ruined the game with the latest update, I'm quitting in protest.”
  • Positive: Expressing relief or freedom. “I finally quit! I have so much free time and money now.”
• Formality: Strictly informal. You would never use this term in a business meeting or a formal essay. For quitting a job, you would use 辞职 (cízhí).

• Example 1:
  • 这游戏太肝了，我决定退坑了。
  • Pinyin: Zhè yóuxì tài gān le, wǒ juédìng tuìkēng le.
  • English: This game is too much of a grind, I've decided to quit.
  • Analysis: This is a very common reason for `tuìkēng`. The term 肝 (gān), meaning “to grind,” shows the physical toll the user feels the game is taking, justifying their decision to quit.
• Example 2:
  • 那个明星出了丑闻，很多粉丝都退坑了。
  • Pinyin: Nàge míngxīng chūle chǒuwén, hěnduō fěnsī dōu tuìkēng le.
  • English: That celebrity had a scandal, so a lot of fans left the fandom.
  • Analysis: Here, `退坑` is used in the context of fandom. It's a collective action prompted by a negative event. It's a stronger statement than just “they don't like him anymore.”
• Example 3:
  • 我玩模型只是个爱好，还没到退坑的程度。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ wán móxíng zhǐshì ge àihào, hái méi dào tuìkēng de chéngdù.
  • English: I just build models as a hobby, it's not serious enough to the point of “quitting the pit.”
  • Analysis: This sentence shows that `退坑` implies a high level of initial commitment. The speaker is saying their involvement is casual, so the concept of `退坑` doesn't really apply.
• Example 4:
  • 你真的要退坑吗？我们还想跟你一起玩呢。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ zhēnde yào tuìkēng ma? Wǒmen hái xiǎng gēn nǐ yīqǐ wán ne.
  • English: Are you really quitting? We still want to play with you.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates how `退坑` can be a social event, affecting the friends left behind in the “pit.”
• Example 5:
  • 为了准备高考，我暂时退坑，等考完再回来。
  • Pinyin: Wèile zhǔnbèi gāokǎo, wǒ zànshí tuìkēng, děng kǎo wán zài huílái.
  • English: In order to prepare for the Gaokao, I'm quitting temporarily. I'll come back after the exam is over.
  • Analysis: The use of `暂时 (zànshí)`, meaning “temporarily,” shows that `退坑` doesn't have to be permanent. This is often called “暂时退坑 (zànshí tuìkēng)”.
• Example 6:
  • 退坑之后，我感觉我的钱包和肝都得救了。
  • Pinyin: Tuìkēng zhīhòu, wǒ gǎnjué wǒ de qiánbāo hé gān dōu déjiù le.
  • English: After quitting, I feel like my wallet and my liver have both been saved.
  • Analysis: A humorous and common way to express the positive relief of quitting a hobby that was a “money pit” (氪金) and a “time sink” (肝).
• Example 7:
  • 他昨天还在玩，今天就宣布退坑了，太突然了。
  • Pinyin: Tā zuótiān hái zài wán, jīntiān jiù xuānbù tuìkēng le, tài tūrán le.
  • English: He was still playing yesterday, and today he announced he's quitting. It's so sudden.
  • Analysis: Using `宣布 (xuānbù)` or “to announce” with `退坑` highlights the declarative and almost official nature of the act in fan circles.
• Example 8:
  • 我朋友向我推荐了一个新游戏，我怕我又要入坑了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ péngyǒu xiàng wǒ tuījiàn le yī ge xīn yóuxì, wǒ pà wǒ yòu yào rùkēng le.
  • English: My friend recommended a new game to me, I'm afraid I'm going to get sucked in again.
  • Analysis: This example uses the antonym, 入坑 (rùkēng), “to enter the pit.” The cycle of `入坑` and `退坑` is a common topic of discussion.
• Example 9:
  • 这个“坑”太深了，我爬不出来了，没法退坑。
  • Pinyin: Zhège “kēng” tài shēn le, wǒ pá bù chūlái le, méifǎ tuìkēng.
  • English: This “pit” (hobby) is too deep, I can't climb out, there's no way to quit.
  • Analysis: This is a self-deprecating and humorous way to say you are completely addicted to a hobby and have no intention of quitting.
• Example 10:
  • 她退坑的原因很简单，就是没钱了。
  • Pinyin: Tā tuìkēng de yuányīn hěn jiǎndān, jiùshì méi qián le.
  • English: The reason she quit the hobby is very simple: she ran out of money.
  • Analysis: This points to the financial aspect, often related to 氪金 (kèjīn), being a primary driver for someone's decision to `退坑`.

• Mistake 1: Using it for formal activities.
  • `退坑` is strictly for hobbies, fandoms, and interests. You do not `退坑` your job, your school, or your marriage.
  • Incorrect: 我想退坑我的工作。 (Wǒ xiǎng tuìkēng wǒ de gōngzuò.)
  • Correct: 我想辞职。 (Wǒ xiǎng cízhí.) - I want to resign from my job.
• Mistake 2: Confusing it with “to give up” in general.
  • The general word for “to give up” is `放弃 (fàngqì)`. `退坑` is much more specific. You `放弃` a plan or a dream, but you `退坑` a mobile game. `退坑` implies you were once happily inside the “pit” you are now leaving.
  • Example: You would say 我放弃了学钢琴 (Wǒ fàngqì le xué gāngqín - I gave up on learning piano), but if you were deeply obsessed with piano, bought many expensive pianos, and spent all your time on it, you could humorously say 我要退钢琴的坑了 (Wǒ yào tuì gāngqín de kēng le - I'm going to quit the 'piano pit').

• 入坑 (rùkēng) - The direct antonym: “to enter the pit.” To get into a new, all-consuming hobby or fandom.
• 脱粉 (tuōfěn) - A very close synonym, but specifically means to stop being a fan (“粉”) of an idol or celebrity. It literally means “to take off the fan status.”
• 爬墙 (páqiáng) - “To climb the wall.” Slang for when a fan switches their primary interest from one idol/character to another.
• 氪金 (kèjīn) - To spend real money on virtual goods in games (microtransactions). A major cause of financial stress that leads to `退坑`.
• 肝 (gān) - Literally “liver.” Used as a verb meaning “to grind” or play a game with extreme dedication, often at the expense of sleep and health. A major cause of burnout that leads to `退坑`.
• 坑 (kēng) - The “pit” itself. It can refer to the hobby/fandom. Someone might say, “欢迎来到我的坑” (Huānyíng láidào wǒ de kēng) - “Welcome to my fandom/hobby.”
• 咸鱼 (xiányú) - “Salted fish.” Slang for a casual player or someone with no motivation. After someone `退坑`, they might become a `咸鱼` in that community, logging in occasionally but not participating seriously.
• 粉 (fěn) - “Fan.” A loanword from English. Can be a noun (我是他的粉 - I'm his fan) or a verb (我粉他三年了 - I've been a fan of his for three years).