YAOWENJIAOZI, an academic journal on Chinese language, released a list of the top 10 catchphrases of 2012 on Dec. 30 and the word “positive energy” was the clear winner.

    The top 10 catchphrases include “positive energy,” “Yuanfang, what do you think,” “a bite of ... ,” “getting shot even if lying on the ground,” “tall, rich and handsome,” “China-style,” “Alexander” (which sounds similar to the Chinese word for “heavy pressure”), “the most beautiful,” “excellent,” and “down to earth.”

    “Popular phrases mirror social attitudes and social development during the period in which they become popular, and these phrases became more popular and widespread in 2012 because of new media,” said Wen Jun, dean of the School of Social Development of East China Normal School.

    All these phrases express the range of complicated emotions that Chinese people felt in 2012, providing indications for the future of the country.

    Year of positive energy

    “Positive energy” is a specialized physics term, and it became a popular phrase after it appeared in the book, “Rip it Up,” written by British psychologist Richard Wiseman. Wiseman said in the book that a human body is an “energy source” and a person can show a new self with more confidence and more energy by inspiring internal potential.

    Hao Mingjian, chief editor of the journal, explained why it was such a popular phrase.

    “’Positive energy’ is a healthy and affirmative driving force and emotion and refers to individuals and things that are healthy, positive, inspiring and full of hope,” said Hao.

    In fact, several words on the top 10 list are related to “positive energy,” such as “the most beautiful” and “excellent.”

    The phrase “the most beautiful,” which was frequently seen in newspapers, was used to describe exemplary figures in Chinese society. These included “the most beautiful teacher” Zhang Lili, “the most beautiful driver” Wu Bin and “the most beautiful soldier” Gao Tiecheng, whose acts of selflessness made the news.

    The word “excellent” was used to express admiration and support. It shows that Chinese people are no longer satisfied with just being onlookers but are determined to become more proactive.

    Year of online muckraking

    In 2012, there were several high-profile cases of netizens discovering and exposing official corruption. These included the exposure of officials who raised the eyebrows of people with their illegal properties and sex scandals. Some officials were also wrongly accused.

    In the process of online muckraking, two phrases, “Yuanfang, what do you think” and “getting shot even if lying on the ground,” were coined in 2012 and were widely spread among netizens.

    The popularity of “Yuanfang, what do you think,” which comes from the television show “Detective Di Renjie” showed that Chinese netizens are increasingly demanding transparency from their leaders. Linguists said “getting shot even if lying on the ground” also expressed a popular sense of victimhood, caused by things such as the constant China bashing that was used by both candidates in the U.S. presidential election.

    Year of grass-roots fun

    “A Bite of China,” a seven-episode documentary which first aired on CCTV-1 in May, made the word “a bite of ... ” one of the most common phrases in 2012. Millions of netizens used the phrase to make sentences, highlighting their “grass-roots” love of life, living and nature.

    In the meantime, a batch of film and drama productions which were “down to earth” (which means close to people’s lives and hearts) became popular in 2012. Whether it was “The Legend of Zhen Huan” or “Lost in Thailand,” millions of people flocked to see the ordinary characters portrayed in the films. (Wang Yuanyuan)