Combining them, 网红 (wǎnghóng) literally means “internet red,” which is the Chinese term for an “internet celebrity” or “influencer.” Adding 店 (diàn) creates 网红店 (wǎnghóng diàn), an “influencer store” or, more accurately, a store made famous by the internet and its influencers.
The concept of the “网红店” is deeply tied to the meteoric rise of social media and e-commerce in China. Platforms like 小红书 (Xiaohongshu), 微博 (Weibo), and 抖音 (Douyin) are the breeding grounds for these trendy spots. The core cultural practice driving this phenomenon is 打卡 (dǎkǎ), which literally means “to punch a card” (like a time clock). In this context, it means “to check in” at a location by visiting it and, most importantly, posting photographic evidence online. For many young Chinese people, visiting a 网红店 is a social activity centered on creating content for their feeds, proving they are in touch with the latest trends. Compared to the Western concept of an “Instagrammable spot,” the 网红店 is a more defined and commercialized category in China. While a Western cafe might accidentally become “Instagrammable” due to its nice decor, a 网红店 is often engineered from the ground up to be a perfect photo backdrop. This can sometimes lead to a reputation for prioritizing style over substance, where the food or products may be secondary to the experience of being there.
The term is used ubiquitously in daily conversation, especially among younger generations.