Meaning:

    “黑” means “black,” and “粉” is the transliteration of the English word “fan.” First used in online chat about TV competition shows like “Super Boy,” the term was coined by netizens to refer to “fans” who are not really fans. Instead of supporting and loving their idols, a “black fan” would try to expose the defects in stars and find fault with them. They are also called “fans” because no matter what attitude they have for stars, they help celebrities get the publicity they need in the show biz. The term also refers to fans who make up stories and pit celebrities against each other.

    Example:

    A: 娱乐圈有什么八卦？

    Yúlèquān yǒu shénme bāguà?

    What’s the gossip in the show biz?

    B: 一个大腕的妻子炮轰另一个大腕，后者的粉丝反击。然后大腕的妻子讥讽他雇佣水军，还有说他的黑粉素质低。

    Yīgè dàwàn de qīzi pàohōng lìngyīgè dàwàn, hòuzhě de fěnsī fǎnjī。Ránhòu dàwàn de qīzi jīfěng tā gùyōng shuǐjūn, hàiyǒu shuō tā de hēifěn sùzhì dī。

    A show biz tycoon’s wife bombarded a famous actor and producer, and the actor’s fans fought back. Then the tycoon’s wife criticized him for hiring paid posters. She also said his fans who made the dispute worse were cheap.