These characters were chosen purely for their phonetic value to transliterate the French word “Versailles.” Their individual meanings have no connection to the slang term. The modern meaning comes entirely from the association with the opulence, luxury, and aristocratic lifestyle of the Palace of Versailles, particularly as depicted in the popular Japanese manga The Rose of Versailles.
The term 凡尔赛 became viral in China around 2020, popularized by a Weibo blogger who emulated the lifestyle depicted in The Rose of Versailles. She would post about her luxurious life, but always framed as a complaint or a minor inconvenience, which users found both amusing and cringeworthy. This practice was humorously dubbed “Versailles Literature” (凡尔赛文学, fán'ěrsài wénxué). The term perfectly captures a social tension in modern China. With rising prosperity, there is a desire to display one's success, but traditional Chinese values often prize humility and modesty (低调, dīdiào). 凡尔赛 is the awkward, and often transparent, attempt to bridge that gap—to show off without looking like you're showing off. Compared to the American concept of a “humblebrag,” 凡尔赛 is often more elaborate and theatrical. A humblebrag might be a single sentence, like “Ugh, so tired from my two-week vacation in Italy.” A 凡尔赛 statement is often a short story, complete with feigned emotion and trivial details designed to highlight the main point of luxury. It’s a performance of nonchalance.
凡尔赛 is an extremely informal slang term used almost exclusively on social media and in casual conversations, especially among younger generations. It carries a mocking, sarcastic, or humorous tone.