fánxué: 凡学 - Versailles Literature, Humblebragging

Keywords: 凡学, fanxue, fan xue, Versailles Literature, humblebrag, flexing, Chinese internet slang, how to show off in Chinese, boast, 凡尔赛文学, Chinese social media, Weibo slang, Xiaohongshu trend.

Summary: 凡学 (fánxué), often translated as “Versailles Literature” or “The Study of Humblebragging,” is a popular Chinese internet slang term describing the art of indirectly showing off one's wealth, achievements, or privileged lifestyle. Instead of boasting directly, a practitioner of 凡学 will often frame their flex as a complaint, a casual remark, or a moment of feigned annoyance, making it a subtle yet transparent way to boast on social media.

Pinyin (with tone marks): fánxué

Part of Speech: Noun (Internet Slang)

HSK Level: N/A

Concise Definition: The art or “study” of humblebragging; a method of showing off by complaining or being self-deprecating.

In a Nutshell: Imagine someone complaining, “Ugh, my new mansion is so big, I get tired just walking from the bedroom to the kitchen.” That's a perfect example of 凡学. The term literally translates to “Versailles-ology,” humorously framing this specific type of bragging as a field of academic study. It's about flaunting your good fortune under the guise of annoyance or hardship, a technique used frequently on Chinese social media to appear successful without being overtly boastful.

凡 (fán): This character is taken from the Chinese name for the Palace of Versailles, 凡尔赛 (Fán'ěrsài), which is synonymous with aristocratic luxury and opulence. Ironically, the character 凡 by itself means “ordinary” or “common,” which adds a layer of sarcasm to the term.

学 (xué): This character means “to study,” “learning,” or can act as the suffix “-ology” (like in 社会学, shèhuìxué, sociology).

Combined Meaning: Together, 凡学 (fánxué) creates the mock-academic term “Versailles-ology.” It satirizes the act of humblebragging by treating it as a sophisticated discipline that can be studied, analyzed, and perfected.

凡学 is a thoroughly modern phenomenon born from Chinese social media culture. It reflects a cultural tension between the traditional value of 谦虚 (qiānxū - modesty) and the modern desire to display success and social status. Direct bragging, or 炫耀 (xuànyào), can be seen as crude and lead to a loss of “face.” 凡学 is a (usually clumsy) attempt to navigate this, by showing off while trying to maintain a pretense of humility.

The term was popularized on the social media platform Weibo, inspired by the Japanese manga The Rose of Versailles, which depicts the lavish lives of 18th-century French aristocrats. Netizens began collecting and analyzing examples of this “Versailles” style of speech, ironically codifying its “rules” and turning it into a widespread meme.

Comparison to Western Culture: The closest Western equivalent is “humblebrag.” Both concepts describe bragging masked by a complaint or false humility. However, 凡学 is more specific and meme-ified. The “-学 (-ology)” suffix makes it a uniquely Chinese internet phenomenon, treating the behavior as a comically elaborate social performance. While a “humblebrag” is just a statement, 凡学 can describe the entire post: the self-deprecating text, the “casually” placed luxury item in the photo, and the carefully selected location tag.

Social Media: This is the natural habitat of 凡学. It's rampant on platforms like WeChat Moments (朋友圈), Weibo (微博), and Xiaohongshu (小红书). A classic 凡学 post involves text expressing a minor frustration, accompanied by a photo that reveals the “real” subject: a designer bag, a luxury car's logo on a steering wheel, or an exotic vacation spot.

Connotation and Tone: The term is used almost exclusively in a sarcastic or critical way. To call someone's post “凡学” is to mock them for their cringey and transparent attempt to show off.

Self-Aware Humor: People also use it self-deprecatingly. Someone might preface good news with “我要凡一下” (Wǒ yào fán yíxià - “Let me be 'Versailles' for a moment…”) as a humorous way to acknowledge they are about to share something boast-worthy, which softens the brag.

`凡尔赛文学 (fán'ěrsài wénxué)` - The full, original term for “Versailles Literature.” 凡学 is the shortened, more common version.

`炫耀 (xuànyào)` - Direct boasting or showing off. The opposite of the “humble” part of 凡学.

`装逼 (zhuāng bī)` - (Crude Slang) To act pretentious, to pose, to pretend to be impressive. 凡学 is a specific, and often more elaborate, form of 装逼.

`低调 (dīdiào)` - Low-key, modest, discreet. The true cultural antonym to both 凡学 and 炫耀.

`晒 (shài)` - Internet slang for “to show off” or “to share online.” Literally “to bask in the sun.” Often used in compounds like 晒幸福 (shài xìngfú) - to show off one's happy life.

`朋友圈 (péngyǒuquān)` - WeChat “Moments,” a social media feed where 凡学 is frequently observed.

`土豪 (tǔháo)` - “Nouveau riche.” A term for people with new money, often stereotyped as engaging in less subtle forms of showing off.

`内卷 (nèijuǎn)` - “Involution.” A term for the intense, zero-sum internal competition in society. The pressure of 内卷 often fuels the desire to project an image of success, making 凡学 a common coping or status-signaling mechanism.