mǎlìsū: 玛丽苏 - Mary Sue
Quick Summary
Keywords: Mary Sue in Chinese, what is malisu, malisu meaning, 玛丽苏 meaning, Chinese internet slang, fanfiction terms, perfect female character, web novel tropes, 杰克苏, Gary Stu, Chinese drama tropes.
Summary: “玛丽苏” (Mǎlìsū) is the Chinese internet slang term for a “Mary Sue,” a concept borrowed directly from Western fanfiction culture. It describes an impossibly perfect, idealized fictional character, usually female, who is talented in every way, universally loved, and faces no real challenges. This term is used pejoratively in modern China to critique characters in web novels, TV dramas, and movies who are seen as unrealistic, unrelatable, and a product of lazy, wish-fulfillment writing.
Core Meaning
Pinyin (with tone marks): Mǎlìsū
Part of Speech: Noun, Adjective
HSK Level: N/A
Concise Definition: A “Mary Sue”; an idealized, flawless, and wish-fulfillment fictional character.
In a Nutshell: Imagine a character in a story who is stunningly beautiful, a genius, possesses unique superpowers, and is instantly adored by all the attractive male leads. This character, who can do no wrong and overcomes every obstacle with ease, is a “玛丽苏”. The term is almost always used as a criticism, implying the character is boring, flat, and only exists to fulfill the author's fantasy.
Character Breakdown
“玛丽苏” is a phonetic transliteration of the English name “Mary Sue”. The characters were chosen primarily to mimic the sound.
玛 (mǎ): A character frequently used in transliterating foreign names, such as in 玛丽 (Mǎlì - Mary). Its original meaning is “agate”.
丽 (lì): This character means “beautiful” or “pretty”. This is a happy coincidence, as it perfectly aligns with one of the primary traits of a Mary Sue character.
苏 (sū): A character used to transliterate “Sue”. It can also mean “to revive” or refer to the perilla plant.
The characters combine phonetically to sound like “Mary Sue”. The fact that 丽 (lì) means “beautiful” adds a descriptive layer that makes the transliteration feel particularly fitting for its meaning.
Cultural Context and Significance
The term “玛丽苏” is a fascinating example of how global internet culture influences modern Chinese language. Its origin is not in China but in 1970s American Star Trek fanfiction, where “Mary Sue” was coined to satirize overly perfect, author-insert characters. The concept migrated to China with the explosion of the internet and, particularly, the rise of online literature platforms like Jinjiang Wenxuecheng (晋江文学城).
The criticism of 玛丽苏 characters in China reflects a growing sophistication among audiences. Readers and viewers increasingly demand more complex, flawed, and psychologically realistic characters over simple, one-dimensional power fantasies.
Practical Usage in Modern China
“玛丽苏” is extremely common in informal contexts, especially online, but would be out of place in formal or academic writing.
> `这个女主角就是一个典型的玛丽苏。`
> `(Zhège nǚzhǔjué jiùshì yí ge diǎnxíng de Mǎlìsū.)`
> `This female protagonist is a typical Mary Sue.`
* **As an Adjective:** Used to describe a plot, a story, or a character's attributes. It often carries the meaning of "unrealistic," "cringey," or "overly idealistic."
> `这部电视剧的剧情太玛丽苏了，我看不下去。`
> `(Zhè bù diànshìjù de jùqíng tài Mǎlìsū le, wǒ kàn bu xiàqù.)`
> `The plot of this TV series is too "Mary Sue-ish," I can't keep watching.`
It is a staple term on social media platforms like Weibo (微博), Douban (豆瓣), and Bilibili (哔哩哔哩) for reviewing and complaining about media.
Example Sentences
Example 1:
我真受不了这个角色，她太玛丽苏了，所有男的都爱她。
Pinyin: Wǒ zhēn shòubuliǎo zhège juésè, tā tài Mǎlìsū le, suǒyǒu nán de dōu ài tā.
English: I really can't stand this character, she's such a Mary Sue, all the guys love her.
Analysis: A classic complaint. The term is used as an adjective to express frustration with an unrealistic character trope.
Example 2:
虽然这个故事有点玛丽苏，但有时候看看这种无脑爽文也挺放松的。
Pinyin: Suīrán zhège gùshi yǒudiǎn Mǎlìsū, dàn yǒushíhou kànkan zhè zhǒng wúnǎo shuǎngwén yě tǐng fàngsōng de.
English: Although this story is a bit “Mary Sue-ish”, sometimes watching this kind of mindless, feel-good fiction is quite relaxing.
Analysis: Here, the speaker acknowledges the story's flaw (“玛丽苏”) but also expresses a reason for enjoying it, showing a self-aware usage of the term.
Example 3:
作者把自己写成了书里的玛丽苏，拥有金手指，一路开挂。
Pinyin: Zuòzhě bǎ zìjǐ xiě chéngle shū lǐ de Mǎlìsū, yōngyǒu jīnshǒuzhǐ, yílù kāiguà.
English: The author wrote herself into the book as a Mary Sue, possessing a “golden finger” (a cheat ability) and breezing through everything.
Analysis: This sentence connects “玛丽苏” with other related slang terms like “金手指” (jīnshǒuzhǐ - cheat ability) and “开挂” (kāiguà - to use cheats, to be overpowered).
Example 4:
这部剧的女主角不是玛丽苏，她有很多缺点，也经历了很多挫折才成长起来。
Pinyin: Zhè bù jù de nǚzhǔjué búshì Mǎlìsū, tā yǒu hěn duō quēdiǎn, yě jīnglì le hěn duō cuòzhé cái chéngzhǎng qǐlái.
English: The female lead in this drama is not a Mary Sue; she has many flaws and only grew after experiencing many setbacks.
Analysis: This shows the negative of the term, using it as a benchmark for what a good, well-developed character is *not*.
Example 5:
你别把你的小说写得太玛丽苏了，读者会吐槽的。
Pinyin: Nǐ bié bǎ nǐ de xiǎoshuō xiě de tài Mǎlìsū le, dúzhě huì tǔcáo de.
English: Don't write your novel to be too “Mary Sue-ish”, or the readers will roast you for it.
Analysis: A piece of advice given to a writer. It links the concept of “玛丽苏” with the act of “吐槽” (tǔcáo - to roast/complain), which is a common reaction.
Example 6:
这部小说的男主角是“杰克苏”，女主角是“玛丽苏”，真是天生一对。
Pinyin: Zhè bù xiǎoshuō de nánzhǔjué shì “Jiékèsū”, nǚzhǔjué shì “Mǎlìsū”, zhēnshì tiānshēng yíduì.
English: The male lead of this novel is a “Gary Stu,” and the female lead is a “Mary Sue“—truly a match made in heaven.
Analysis: This is a sarcastic comment that introduces the male equivalent, “杰克苏” (Jiékèsū), highlighting how both main characters are unrealistically perfect.
Example 7:
一开始我以为她是个玛丽苏，后来才发现她所有能力都是自己努力得来的。
Pinyin: Yìkāishǐ wǒ yǐwéi tā shì ge Mǎlìsū, hòulái cái fāxiàn tā suǒyǒu nénglì dōu shì zìjǐ nǔlì dé lái de.
English: At first, I thought she was a Mary Sue, but later I discovered that she earned all of her abilities through her own hard work.
Analysis: This sentence shows a nuanced understanding, contrasting the “Mary Sue” trope (effortless perfection) with the qualities of a well-written character (earned success).
Example 8:
“玛丽苏”这个词本身就带有一种贬义。
Pinyin: “Mǎlìsū” zhège cí běnshēn jiù dài yǒu yì zhǒng biǎnyì.
English: The term “Mary Sue” itself carries a pejorative connotation.
Analysis: A meta-commentary on the word itself, useful for learners to understand its inherent negativity.
Example 9:
弹幕里全都在刷“玛丽苏警告”。
Pinyin: Dànmù lǐ quán dōu zài shuā “Mǎlìsū jǐnggào”.
English: The bullet comments are all spamming “Mary Sue alert.”
Analysis: This demonstrates usage on video platforms like Bilibili, where “弹幕” (dànmù - bullet comments) fly across the screen. “刷” (shuā) means to spam or repeat a comment.
Example 10:
停止你的玛丽苏幻想吧，现实点！
Pinyin: Tíngzhǐ nǐ de Mǎlìsū huànxiǎng ba, xiànshí diǎn!
English: Stop your Mary Sue fantasies and be more realistic!
Analysis: Here, the term is used outside of literary criticism to describe someone's unrealistic daydreams or expectations about their own life.
Nuances and Common Mistakes
“Mary Sue” vs. “Strong Female Character”: A common mistake is to label any capable or talented female protagonist a “玛丽苏”. The key difference is flaws and struggle. A strong character (e.g., Mulan) faces real challenges, has weaknesses, and grows through adversity. A 玛丽苏 is perfect from the start and meets no meaningful resistance.
Incorrect: `花木兰是一个玛丽苏，因为她打仗很厉害。` (Huā Mùlán shì yí ge Mǎlìsū, yīnwèi tā dǎzhàng hěn lìhai.) - Incorrect because Mulan struggled, trained hard, and was constantly in danger.
Formality: Never use “玛丽苏” in a formal essay, business meeting, or any serious context unless you are specifically discussing internet culture. It is strictly informal slang.
False Friend - “Heroine” (女主角 nǚzhǔjué): While a 玛丽苏 is almost always the heroine of her story, not all heroines are 玛丽苏. “女主角” is a neutral term for a female protagonist. Calling a complex, well-written heroine a “玛丽苏” is a misuse of the term and can be seen as a shallow critique.
杰克苏 (Jiékèsū) - The male equivalent of a 玛丽苏, from “Gary Stu” or “Jack Sue”. An impossibly perfect male character.
傻白甜 (shǎ bái tián) - Lit. “silly white sweet.” A different female character trope: naive, innocent, and pure-hearted. Unlike a 玛丽苏, she is not all-powerful and often needs protecting.
霸道总裁 (bàdào zǒngcái) - “Overbearing CEO.” A popular male archetype in romance fiction who is rich, powerful, possessive, and often falls for a 玛丽苏 or a 傻白甜 character.
金手指 (jīn shǒuzhǐ) - Lit. “golden finger.” A term for a special power, cheat, or unfair advantage a character has that makes their journey easy. A hallmark of a 玛丽苏.
爽文 (shuǎng wén) - “Feel-good fiction.” A genre of web novels focused on pure wish-fulfillment, where the protagonist effortlessly defeats enemies and succeeds. 玛丽苏 stories are a sub-genre of 爽文.
穿越 (chuānyuè) - “Transmigration” or “time-travel.” A hugely popular web novel genre where a modern protagonist is transported to a different time period or world, often becoming a 玛丽苏.
吐槽 (tǔcáo) - From the Japanese 'tsukkomi'. To roast, complain, or make a snarky comment. This is the primary action people take in response to a 玛丽苏 character.
开挂 (kāiguà) - “To use a cheat/hack” in a video game. Used figuratively to describe a character who is so overpowered it seems like they are cheating at life. 玛丽苏 characters are always 开挂.