Combining them, 评论 (pínglùn) literally means “to judge and discuss” or “a fair and ordered discussion,” which perfectly captures the modern meaning of a well-considered comment or review.
In modern China, 评论 (pínglùn) is the lifeblood of the digital economy and social interaction. The concept is far more integrated into daily decision-making than its Western equivalent, “reviews” or “comments,” might suggest. For instance, when choosing a restaurant on the app Meituan (美团) or buying a product on Taobao (淘宝), Chinese consumers rely almost religiously on the 评论区 (pínglùn qū), the comment section. A high volume of positive comments (好评 hǎopíng) can make a product an instant bestseller, while a flurry of negative ones (差评 chàpíng) can destroy a business's reputation overnight. This cultural emphasis has led to the phenomenon of 刷好评 (shuā hǎopíng), “brushing good reviews,” and the rise of the 水军 (shuǐjūn), or “water army”—paid ghostwriters who flood comment sections with fake positive reviews to manipulate public opinion. This is a significant cultural contrast to the West, where while fake reviews exist, the terminology and scale of this “industry” are unique to the Chinese internet ecosystem. The act of leaving a 评论 is seen as a direct form of participation and influence.
评论 (pínglùn) is extremely versatile and used in many contexts, from very casual to highly formal. As a Noun (a comment/review):
As a Verb (to comment/to review):
The tone of 评论 is neutral. To specify, you must add adjectives like 好评 (hǎopíng) for a “good review” or 差评 (chàpíng) for a “bad review.”