The word is a portmanteau of two separate terms:
By combining them, 防火长城 (fánghuǒ chángchéng) creates a vivid and slightly ironic image: a massive, nationwide digital firewall that acts like the Great Wall, defending the country from what the government perceives as harmful information from the outside world.
The Great Firewall is one of the most significant aspects of modern Chinese life and a point of major cultural difference with the West. From the perspective of the Chinese government, the GFW is a necessary tool for maintaining social stability and harmony (维稳, wéiwěn). The official narrative is that it protects citizens from harmful, destabilizing, or obscene content, and prevents foreign powers from interfering in domestic affairs. This aligns with a broader cultural and political value that prioritizes the collective good and social order over individual freedoms, such as unfettered access to information. For the average Chinese citizen, the GFW is a fact of life. While many are frustrated by it, others are indifferent or accept it as normal. An entire domestic ecosystem of apps has thrived in the absence of Western competitors (e.g., Baidu for search, WeChat for social media, Youku for video). The Western concept of near-total freedom of speech online stands in stark contrast. In the U.S. or Europe, internet censorship is typically limited to illegal content (like hate speech or child pornography) and is a subject of intense public debate. The GFW, however, is a comprehensive, state-level system that blocks entire platforms and topics for political reasons, which is fundamentally different in scope and purpose. Understanding the GFW means understanding that the internet is not a globally uniform experience.
While “防火长城” is the official term, it's not always used in casual conversation.