In fact, the app doesn't even have a proper English translation of its own name: Xiaohongshu is just the phonetic translation of its Chinese name. 小红书. Although the literal translation 'little red book' may remind English-speaking users of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong's collection of speeches and propaganda slogans of the same name, it has a different connotation in China, where users interpret it as a source of reliable user information. -generated recommendations for everyday things, such as which restaurant to go to or which cosmetic product to buy.
The recent influx of US users has certainly caught the attention of Xiaohongshu's existing user base. David Yang, a recent Chinese graduate student currently living in Paris, suddenly discovered on Sunday that his Xiaohongshu feed was full of American users. He had previously seen some non-Chinese creators consciously come to the platform to attract Chinese followers, but nothing on this scale.
Now when he scrolls through his Xiaohongshu homepage, about a quarter of the content comes from so-called TikTok refugees, according to a screen capture he shared. “Some of them ask what Chinese people think about certain issues, such as the US, LGBT issues or other social issues. And some invite Chinese users to ask them questions. And some just use the app like they use TikTok and post whatever they find interesting,” Yang tells WIRED. The concentration of real personal content shared by normal people rather than polished influencers was refreshing, he added.
Chinese Xiaohongshu users are fascinated by the influx of new voices. Most of them, especially those who speak English, extend a hand of welcome, like TikTok refugees' videos and follow their accounts. Some take the time to explain how the app works to people who have difficulty navigating due to the language barrier.
Sarah Fotheringham, a TikTok user from Utah since 2021, tells WIRED that she's having a surprisingly fun time at Xiaohongshu, despite relying on Google Translate to use the platform. For the first two days of using the app, she spent a few hours each day posting four videos, the last of which explained American school lunch to Chinese users. “People have offered help in every way possible, from navigating the app, adding subtitles to videos and translations,” says Fotheringham. “One comment on my video was from a Chinese user. She said, 'wow, it's like looking over the Great Wall of China.' And for me it's my first time.”
“Most [new Xiaohongshu users] are probably in the curiosity stage. I think there may be moments of cultural shock or controversy over time, but that would be part of the process of them getting to know each other on a deeper level,” Yang says.
