Keywords: chukeng, chu keng, 出坑, what does chukeng mean, Chinese slang, leave a fandom, quit a hobby, get out of the pit, Chinese internet culture, 入坑, rù kēng, 退坑, tuì kēng
Summary:出坑 (chū kēng) is a popular Chinese internet slang term that literally means “to get out of the pit.” It vividly describes the act of quitting a time-consuming and often expensive hobby, leaving a fandom, or stopping the collection of certain items. If you've ever fallen down the “rabbit hole” of a new TV show, video game, or collection, then deciding to stop is exactly what 出坑 means. It's the opposite of 入坑 (rù kēng), which means getting into a hobby.
Core Meaning
Pinyin (with tone marks): chū kēng
Part of Speech: Verb Phrase
HSK Level: N/A
Concise Definition: To quit a deeply engaging hobby or leave a fandom.
In a Nutshell: Imagine your favorite hobby—be it gaming, collecting Funko Pops, or following a particular celebrity—is a giant, alluring pit (坑). When you first get into it, you “enter the pit” (入坑). This pit consumes your time, energy, and money. 出坑 (chū kēng) is the moment you decide to climb out, either because you've lost interest, it's become too costly, or the story (like a TV series) has ended. It's a declaration of freedom from a beloved obsession.
Character Breakdown
出 (chū): This character's basic meaning is “to go out” or “to exit.” It's a fundamental character seen in words like 出口 (chūkǒu - exit).
坑 (kēng): This character means “a pit,” “a hole,” or “a trap.” In internet slang, it represents a hobby or interest that “sucks you in” with its appeal, demanding your resources.
Combined Meaning: The characters literally combine to mean “to exit the pit.” This metaphor perfectly captures the feeling of leaving a hobby that one was once “stuck” in, whether happily or not.
Cultural Context and Significance
出坑 (chū kēng) is a cornerstone of modern Chinese internet and fandom culture. It reflects a world of intense, niche hobbies and the consumerism that often accompanies them. The “pit” (坑) is a self-aware acknowledgment that these hobbies can be all-consuming.
In Western culture, the closest equivalent to getting *into* a hobby is “going down the rabbit hole.” 出坑 is the act of climbing back out. While one might say “I'm quitting the show” or “I'm done with that game,” the metaphor of 出坑 adds a layer of shared cultural experience. It's not just quitting; it's graduating or being liberated from a specific, intense phase. It’s a more dramatic and communal way to express this change in interest compared to simply saying “I'm not into that anymore.” It acknowledges the “depth” of the prior commitment.
Practical Usage in Modern China
This term is highly informal and is used constantly on social media platforms like Weibo (微博), Douban (豆瓣), and Bilibili (B站), as well as in daily conversation among younger people.
Fandoms (饭圈 - fànquān): Fans use it when they stop following an idol, a band, or a TV show. This can happen when a show ends or if they become disenchanted with the celebrity.
Gaming: A gamer might declare they are 出坑 from a particular mobile or online game that they have spent hundreds of hours on.
Collecting: People who collect anything from mechanical keyboards and fountain pens to makeup and action figures will use 出坑 when they decide to stop buying new items and perhaps even sell their collection.
The connotation is usually neutral or positive, implying a sense of relief or moving on to something new. It's rarely seen as a negative failure, but rather as a natural part of a hobby's lifecycle.
Example Sentences
Example 1:
我最近太忙了，决定从这个游戏出坑了。
Pinyin: Wǒ zuìjìn tài máng le, juédìng cóng zhège yóuxì chū kēng le.
English: I've been too busy lately, so I've decided to quit this game.
Analysis: A classic and common use. The speaker is announcing their decision to stop playing a game due to external reasons (being busy).
English: That TV series is over, I can finally leave the fandom!
Analysis: The use of 终于 (zhōngyú - finally) shows a sense of relief. The end of the content provides a natural point to 出坑.
Example 3:
她把所有的手办都卖了，看来是彻底出坑了。
Pinyin: Tā bǎ suǒyǒu de shǒubàn dōu mài le, kànlái shì chèdǐ chū kēng le.
English: She sold all of her action figures. It seems she has completely quit the hobby.
Analysis: This example shows 出坑 as an observable action. Selling one's collection is a strong signal of being “completely/thoroughly” (彻底 chèdǐ) out of the pit.
Example 4:
这个爱好太花钱了，我不得不出坑。
Pinyin: Zhège àihào tài huāqián le, wǒ bùdébù chū kēng.
English: This hobby is too expensive, I have to quit.
Analysis: Highlights a very common reason for 出坑—the financial burden of the “pit.”
Example 5:
你不是去年就出坑了吗？怎么又买新的了？
Pinyin: Nǐ búshì qùnián jiù chū kēng le ma? Zěnme yòu mǎi xīn de le?
English: Didn't you quit last year? How come you're buying new ones again?
Analysis: This shows how 出坑 can sometimes be temporary. People might quit a hobby only to be drawn back in later.
Example 6:
祝我出坑快乐！再也不用为他花钱了。
Pinyin: Zhù wǒ chū kēng kuàilè! Zài yě búyòng wèi tā huāqián le.
English: Wish me a happy “pit-quitting”! I never have to spend money on him again.
Analysis: A celebratory and humorous use, often seen on social media when someone stops being a fan of an idol.
Example 7:
我对偶像圈没兴趣了，准备出坑，过自己的生活。
Pinyin: Wǒ duì ǒuxiàngquān méi xìngqù le, zhǔnbèi chū kēng, guò zìjǐ de shēnghuó.
English: I'm not interested in the idol scene anymore. I'm planning to get out and live my own life.
Analysis: This implies a conscious choice to disengage from a consuming culture to focus on oneself.
Example 8:
他出坑之后，感觉整个人都轻松多了。
Pinyin: Tā chū kēng zhīhòu, gǎnjué zhěng ge rén dōu qīngsōng duō le.
English: After he quit the hobby, he seemed so much more relaxed.
Analysis: This describes the feeling of relief one might experience after leaving a demanding hobby.
Example 9:
我只是暂时出坑，等我有钱有闲了还会回来的。
Pinyin: Wǒ zhǐshì zànshí chū kēng, děng wǒ yǒu qián yǒu xián le hái huì huílái de.
English: I'm only quitting temporarily. I'll be back when I have the money and free time.
Analysis: This explicitly states the temporary nature of the act, distinguishing it from a permanent decision. The term is flexible enough to accommodate this.
English: Stop trying to recommend stuff to me! It was hard enough for me to quit!
Analysis: This shows the interaction between related slang terms. 安利 (ānlì) means to passionately recommend something (trying to pull someone *in* the pit), and the speaker is resisting being pulled back in after having escaped.
Nuances and Common Mistakes
For Hobbies, Not Vices: A common mistake is to use 出坑 for serious addictions like smoking, drinking, or gambling. 出坑 is reserved for hobbies, fandoms, and consumer habits. For a serious addiction, you would use a more formal word like 戒掉 (jièdiào - to quit an addiction).
Incorrect: 他终于出坑了，不抽烟了。(Tā zhōngyú chū kēng le, bù chōuyān le.)
Correct: 他终于把烟戒掉了。(Tā zhōngyú bǎ yān jièdiào le.)
Informal Slang: Never use 出坑 in a formal essay, business meeting, or any professional context. It is strictly informal slang for casual conversation and social media.
vs. 放弃 (fàngqì):放弃 means “to give up” in a general sense. You can 放弃 a dream, a plan, or a competition. 出坑 is specifically about leaving a “pit”—a hobby or fandom you were once deeply invested in. You wouldn't use 出坑 to say “I give up on this math problem.”
Related Terms and Concepts
入坑 (rù kēng): The direct antonym of 出坑. It means “to enter the pit”—to get into a new hobby or fandom.
退坑 (tuì kēng): A very close synonym. It means “to retreat from the pit” and is used interchangeably with 出坑.
坑 (kēng): The noun for the “pit” itself—the hobby, game, or fandom that consumes your time and money.
安利 (ānlì): (From the brand “Amway”) A verb meaning to enthusiastically recommend something to someone, essentially trying to persuade them to 入坑 (get into the pit).
剁手 (duò shǒu): Literally “to chop one's hands off.” A humorous and dramatic expression of wanting to stop spending money, often because of the expensive demands of a 坑.
爬墙 (pá qiáng): Literally “to climb the wall.” A fandom term for when a fan switches their primary interest from one idol/character to another. They are not leaving the general fandom (not 出坑), just changing their favorite within it.