Meaning:

The Chinese term “卡” signifies the act of judging and selecting based on certain standards, while “颜” conveys the notion of appearance. Currently trending in Chinese nightclubs, this concept reflects the practice of assessing individuals and denying them entry if they do not meet the perceived standards of attractiveness. A related term, “卡颜局” (pinyin: kǎyánjú), refers to a clique of strangers within a nightclub who exclude newcomers they consider to be below their beauty standards.

Example:

A: 公司附近有一家新开的夜店，听说很火爆。

Gōngsī fùjìn yǒu yījiā xīnkāi de yèdiàn，tīngshuō hěn huǒbào。

There’s a lot of buzz about a new nightclub not far from our office.

B: 大概是潮人云集的地方吧，我有个朋友想进去看看还被卡颜了。

Dàgài shì cháorén yúnjí de dìfāng ba，wǒ yǒuge péngyou xiǎng jìnqu kànkan hái bèi kǎyán le。

It seems to be one of those upscale establishments frequented by posh people. A friend of mine attempted to visit, but was refused entry for not meeting the club’s beauty standards.