Is China's Lipstick King Finished?
Online reactions to Austin Li's latest livestream controversy
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Austin Li is known as China’s “Lipstick King” (口红一哥). His Chinese name is Lǐ Jiāqí 李佳琦.
The hugely popular live-stream seller, who made his name for testing makeup on himself during live-streams, is facing criticism from fans in China.
During a recent live broadcast, the beauty influencer responded to a comment questioning the high price tag of a 79-yuan Florasis eyebrow pencil.
Li reacted in annoyance:
"How is that expensive? The price has been the same for so many years. Don't talk nonsense. It's difficult for domestic brands... Sometimes you need to look to yourself for the answers. Has your salary increased over so many years? Have you worked hard?"
“哪里贵了？这么多年都是这个价格，不要睁着眼睛乱说，国货品牌很难的……有的时候找找自己原因，这么多年了工资涨没涨，有没有认真工作？”
That did not go down well.
Fans began unfollowing him, and internet users criticised him, memes appeared, and word play and internet slang were invented.
As a result, a new meme “How is that expensive!?” appeared, mocking Li’s arrogance for not knowing the sufferings of the people. One comment on Weibo received over 500,000 likes: "You make money from ordinary people, but then you mock them for being poor. "
坊间因此出现一个新词“哪李贵了”，挖苦他不知民间疾苦的傲慢；在微博上有一条评论超过50万人点赞：“你挣着普通人的钱，到头来嘲讽普通人贫穷。”
Li was quick to apologise. He live-streamed his apology from his studio, trying to hold back the tears. Here's an excerpt:
I am just a salesperson for cosmetic brands. I know that everyone works hard and no one has it easy. I'm really sorry that what I said didn't meet your expectations. The reason I didn't reply right away was because I wanted to sincerely apologise to the girl who raised the question after I finished my work. Anyone can put forward their opinions and ideas about products during a live-stream broadcast. As a host, I should always bring positive energy to everyone and learn to manage my emotions.
我是一名化妆品专柜销售员，我知道大家的工作很辛苦，也很不容易。我所说的没有达到您的期望，真的很抱歉。我之所以没有立即回复，是因为我想在完成工作后，向评论里的女孩郑重地道歉。任何人都可以在直播间提出对产品的意见和想法。作为主播，我应该时刻给大家带来正能量，学会控制情绪。
But that blubbering didn't work either.
Austin lost over 1 million social media followers overnight.
His fans were annoyed by his arrogance and lack of empathy for how hard life is for them.
One comment online sums it up with clever word play:
Someone online joked: "We asked you to stimulate consumption, but we didn't ask you to criticise consumers." [1]
网上有人尖刻地揶揄：“让你刺激消费，没让你刺激消费者。” [1]
This is lost in translation, but the word for “criticise” and “stimulate” (刺激 cì jī) is the same in Chinese depending on the context.
Another reason for the strong reaction of fans is it's much easier for people to vent criticism at Austin Li than get a pay rise:
"Why are you all criticising Li Jiaqi? When will our salary increase?" The first one is much easier to vent about, but the latter is the real focus.
“为什么都在批评李佳琦？我们工资什么时候能涨呢？”确实，前者解气且容易得多，但后者才是真正的重点所在。 [1]
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Favourite Five
1. 掉粉 diào fěn
to lose followers on social media
李佳琦在直播带货79元一支的花西子眉笔时所说的这番话，让他一夜之间掉粉超过百万人 - Li Jiaqi's words during the live broadcast of the 79 yuan Florasis eyebrow pencil caused him to lose over a million followers overnight. [1]
Related:
圈粉 quān fěn - to gain followers on social media
取关 qǔ guān - to unfollow someone on social media
2. 爹味 diē wèi
“Father flavour”; condescending
既然他这么“爹味”，那舆论反弹就反过来教育他一下，谁才是你的衣食父母 - Since he's so "fatherly”, public backlash is here to remind him who his work and life depends on. [1]
Note: This is a derogatory phrase meaning “someone who looks down on others as if he were their father”. Similar to the English “mansplaining”.
3. 花西币 huā xī bì
Florasis Coin
花西币这个新词的出现，实际上反映了消费者对李佳琦的反抗 - The emergence of the term Florasis Coin reflects consumer resistance against Li Jiaqi. [4]
Related:
花西子 huā xī zǐ - Florasis; Florasis currency - Internet slang with similar meaning to Florasis Coin
眉笔门 méi bǐ mén - Eyebrow Pencil Gate controversy
4. 哪李贵了 nǎ lǐ guì le
how is that expensive (implying Austin Li is out of touch)
坊间因此出现一个新词“哪李贵了”，挖苦他不知民间疾苦的傲慢；在微博上有一条评论超过50万人点赞：“你挣着普通人的钱，到头来嘲讽普通人贫穷” - As a result, a new meme “How is that expensive!?” appeared, mocking Li’s arrogance for not knowing the sufferings of the people. One comment on Weibo received over 500,000 likes: "You make money from ordinary people, but then you mock them for being poor. "
Note: Read more in The China Project Phrase of the Week.
5. 水能载舟，亦能覆舟 shuǐ néng zài zhōu, yì néng fù zhōu
water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it
水能载舟，亦能覆舟。曾经拥趸李佳琦的人潮，正渐渐散去 - Just as water can carry a boat or capsize it, the once loyal crowd of Li Jiaqi is gradually dispersing. [2]
More: This is a common phrase used when talking about the reactions of the people to unwelcome government policy, or unhappy fans in response to celebrities who say or do the wrong thing.
Related: Not really related but similar imagery:
顺水推舟 shùn shuǐ tuī zhōu - to take advantage of the situation
Consuming the Conversation
Useful words
6. 摔 shuāi
fall, stumble
傲慢只会让你摔得更狠，唯有真诚才能让你在普通人中走得更稳 - Arrogance will only make you fall harder; only sincerity can help you walk more steadily among ordinary people. [2]
7. 傲慢 ào màn
arrogant
人们首先不满的，是他那番话里透露出来的傲慢 - What people are primarily dissatisfied with is the arrogance revealed in his words. [1]
8. 忏悔 chàn huǐ
regret
李佳琦在公开道歉中倒也放低了姿态，忏悔“不应该迷失自己” - Li Jiaqi did humble himself somewhat in his public apology, expressing regret: "I shouldn't have lost myself." [1]
9. 忘本 wàng běn
forget one's roots
他没有忘本，并暗示自己那番话只是一时情绪失控 - He didn't forget who he is and implied that his words were just a momentary emotional outburst. [1]
10. 嫌弃 xián qì
look down upon
网友并不买账。无数人指责他，挣着普通人的钱，却嫌弃普通人穷 - Netizens are not buying it. Countless people are criticising him for earning money from ordinary people but looking down on them for being poor. [2]
Related:
鄙夷 bǐ yí - look down upon, to disdain
嫌贵 xián guì - find something expensive
11. 酸楚 suān chǔ
bitter and resentful
有人不无酸楚地挖苦：“一年就赚18亿，确实理解不了我们普通人怎么涨不了工资” - Some people, with a touch of bitterness, sarcastically say, "Earning 1.8 billion in a year, of course he doesn't understand why we ordinary people can't get a raise." [1]
12. 共情 gòng qíng
empathy
不管李佳琦愿不愿承认，他的拼、他的共情，已经渐渐成为一种人设 - Regardless of whether Li Jiaqi is willing to admit it or not, his hard work and empathy have gradually become a kind of image projection. [2]
Three-character phrases
13. 活靶子 huó bǎ zi
a live target
因为刚好有他这样一个撞到枪口上来的活靶子 - Because there happened to be a live target like him who walked right into the crosshairs. [1]
Note: someone who becomes an easy target for criticism or blame
14. 门儿清 mén'r qīng
discerning, vigilant
尽管李佳琦嘴上疯狂找补：“它质量很好，不会粘、不会糊的”，但观众还是看的门儿清 - Despite Li Jiaqi's frantic attempts to make amends with words like "it has excellent quality, won't stick, won't smudge," the audience remained cautious in their judgment. [2]
Note: North eastern dialect. In relation to making decisions.
Idioms
15. 不依不饶 bù yī bù ráo
not give up, to persist
以往通常很快也就翻篇了，为什么这一回人们如此不依不饶 - In the past, things usually blew over quickly, but why are people so unwilling to let it pass this time? [1]
16. 装点门面 zhuāng diǎn mén miàn
enhance one's appearance or image
原因是口红被视为一种廉价但又能装点门面的消费品 - The reason is that lipstick is seen as an inexpensive yet effective way to enhance one's appearance. [1]
17. 节衣缩食 jié yī suō shí
tighten one's belt, to live frugally
在需要节衣缩食的时刻，口红、眉笔乃至服装，统统都成了可买可不买的奢侈品 - During times when one needs to tighten their belt, lipstick, eyebrow pencils, and even clothing have all become optional luxury items. [1]
18. 颠扑不破 diān pū bú pò
unshakeable, impervious
有一条颠扑不破的市场营销原理：要想改变消费者的观念，永远是事倍功半的 - There is an unshakeable principle in marketing: trying to change consumers' perceptions takes twice the effort. [1]
19. 一落千丈 yí luò qiān zhàng
steep fall, a rapid decline
他在网友心中的形象，也一落千丈 - His image in the minds of netizens also fell steeply. [2]
20. 口不择言 kǒu bù zé yán
speak carelessly or without thinking
除了选品上的失误，李佳琦也有几次口不择言，引起粉丝的不适 - In addition to mistakes in product selection, Li Jiaqi has also been indiscreet on a few occasions, making his fans feel uncomfortable. [2]
Phrases
21. 撞枪口上 zhuàng qiāng kǒu shàng
run into the muzzle of a gun; become an easy target for criticism or blame
不如说是这种情绪终于找到了一个释放的出口，因为刚好有他这样一个撞到枪口上来的活靶子 - It's better to say that this emotion finally found a release because there happened to be a live target like him who walked right into the criticism. [1]
Related: 开口即错 kāi kǒu jí cuò - make mistakes as soon as their mouth opens
22. 睁着眼睛说瞎话 zhēng zhe yǎn jīng shuō xiā huà
make false statements knowingly
他竟然教育起消费者“不要睁着眼睛乱说”，如果你穷，那最好“找找自己原因” - He actually educated consumers, saying, "Don't speak nonsense with your eyes wide open", and if you're poor, you should "look at what you’ve done wrong". [1]
23. 精致的猪猪女孩 jīng zhì de zhū zhū nǚ hái
elegant "piggy girls" or girls who are not skinny and are a bit lazy but desire both a refined lifestyle and affordability
他最初的支持者，正是那些既向往精致生活、又讲究实惠的“猪猪女孩” - His initial supporters were precisely those ordinary girls who aspired to a refined lifestyle while being mindful of affordability. [1]
Note: A common internet slang phrase that’s been around since 2017. It’s neutral, and often a self deprecating term used by young women to refer to themselves similar to “happy-go-lucky”.
24. 一石激起千层浪 yì shí jī qǐ qiān céng làng
One stone causes a thousand waves; a single action or statement can trigger a huge reaction or controversy
一石激起千层浪，随着过往一些言论被接连扒出，李佳琦“女生之友”的形象，轰然倒塌 - One stone caused a thousand waves, and with some of his past statements being uncovered one after another, Li Jiaqi's image as the "best friend of all girls" collapsed in a thunderous manner. [2]
Note: We’ve learned this several times in the newsletter. It’s included here because it’s such an important phrase to know!
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