ETYMOLOGY
The term went viral in 2017 when famous writer Feng Tang published 'How to Avoid Becoming a Greasy Middle-Aged Man', listing commandments like 'stop lecturing others' and 'don't wear Buddhist prayer beads'. The article garnered 230 million views in 24 hours on Weibo.
In 2020, reality show 'The Sons of Venus' became a cultural moment when actor Du Chun's overly flirtatious dance moves were dubbed 'human grease factory'. Memes of his wink and hip thrust flooded Chinese social media. That same year, rapper Subs criticized 'the grease in hip-hop circles is like gutter oil' on Bilibili's rap competition, sparking new debates.
This reflects younger generations' rebellion against outdated authority. As post-80s/90s face midlife crises, 'de-greasing' became new social etiquette - driving China's $60 billion fitness and aesthetic medicine industries. Interestingly, gender-neutral terms like 'greasy big sister' are now emerging.
Example: 'When Manager Zhang insisted on teaching interns about wine tasting at the dinner, he was greasy enough to fry three dishes.'