cìyuánbì

Meaning:

“次元” means “dimension,” and “壁” means “wall.” Originally, this refers to the barrier between “two-dimensional” and “three-dimensional” worlds, that is, the world of manga and animation and the real world. Oftentimes, fans of manga and animation are thought of as nerdy by those who are not, and there seems to be barriers in communication between the two groups. Chinese netizens also use the term to refer to hard-to-break barriers between people from totally different backgrounds and with different tastes and lifestyles.

Example:

A: 听说小花找了个海归富二代的男朋友。

Tīngshuō xiǎohuā zhǎo le ge hǎiguī fùèrdài de nánpéngyou。

I’ve heard that Xiao Hua is dating a guy who’s born with a silver spoon and has studied overseas.

B: 她是彻底打破次元壁了。

Tā shì chèdǐ dǎpò cìyuánbì le。

She’s totally climbing up the social ladder.