Editing 崩老头

==Chinese==

===Pronunciation===
* '''Pinyin:''' bēng lǎo tóu
* '''Tones:''' 1st–3rd–2nd

===Etymology===
Compound of:
* [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%B4%A9 崩] (bēng) – "to collapse; to burst; to break down"
* [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E8%80%81 老] (lǎo) – "old; elderly"
* [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%A4%B4 头] (tóu) – "head; person; end"

Literally "collapsing the old man" or "making the old man break down."
Coined as internet slang on [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E6%8A%96%E9%9F%B3 抖音] (Dǒuyīn) around 2024.

===Noun===
'''崩老头''' (bēng lǎo tóu)

# ''(Chinese internet slang)'' A viral social media trend originating on
   [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E6%8A%96%E9%9F%B3 抖音] (Dǒuyīn) circa 2024,
   in which young rural women, known as
   [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E7%B2%BE%E7%A5%9E%E5%B0%8F%E5%A6%B9 精神小妹]
   (jīngshén xiǎomèi, "spirited sisters"), solicit escalating monetary gifts from
   older or middle-aged men via social media under the guise of companionship,
   culminating in blocking the target once he can no longer provide — thereby
   "collapsing" him.
# ''(by extension)'' Any act of gradually extracting money or gifts from an
   emotionally vulnerable man online through feigned affection or friendship.

====Usage notes====
* The "old man" (老头) in this term is '''metaphorical''' and does not refer
  exclusively to elderly men. Targets are categorized by generation into a
  so-called "old man ecosystem":
** '''青档''' (qīng dàng) – men born in the 2000s ("adolescent uncs")
** '''中档''' (zhōng dàng) – men born in the 1990s ("middle uncs")
** '''老档''' (lǎo dàng) – men born in the 1980s ("uncs")
** '''至尊档 / 神古档''' – men born in the 1960s–1970s ("supreme" or "divine ancient uncs")
* The trend is generally considered '''legal''' in China, operating in a grey
  area of transactional emotional labour rather than fraud.
* Often associated with the [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E7%B2%BE%E7%A5%9E%E5%B0%8F%E5%A6%B9 精神小妹]
  (jīngshén xiǎomèi) rural e-girl subculture on
  [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E6%8A%96%E9%9F%B3 抖音] and
  [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%BF%AB%E6%89%8B 快手] (Kuǎishǒu).

===Verb===
'''崩老头''' (bēng lǎo tóu)

# ''(Chinese internet slang, transitive)'' To perform the act of "old man
   collapsing" upon a target; to solicit and drain a man of money through
   escalating requests before blocking him.
#: ''她同时在崩十六个老头。''
#: ''Tā tóngshí zài bēng shíliù gè lǎo tóu.''
#: "She was collapsing sixteen old men simultaneously."

===Related terms===
* [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E7%B2%BE%E7%A5%9E%E5%B0%8F%E5%A6%B9 精神小妹]
  (jīngshén xiǎomèi) – "spirited sister"; the female archetype associated
  with this trend
* [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E7%B2%BE%E7%A5%9E%E5%B0%8F%E4%BC%99 精神小伙]
  (jīngshén xiǎohuǒ) – "spirited brother"; the male rural delinquent
  counterpart stereotype
* [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E7%BA%A2%E5%8C%85 红包] (hóngbāo) –
  digital monetary gift, a common vehicle for payments in this trend

===See also===
* [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E6%8A%96%E9%9F%B3 抖音] (Dǒuyīn)
* [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%BF%AB%E6%89%8B 快手] (Kuǎishǒu)
* [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E6%90%9C%E7%8B%90 搜狐] (Sōuhú)

===References===
* J Gao (2026). ''Old Man Collapsing – China's Wildest Gen Z Internet Trend''
* Multiple articles published on [https://www.sohu.com 搜狐 (Sohu)], 2026,
  documenting the rise of the 崩老头 phenomenon.