Report reveals top Chinese buzzwords of 2015

An annual report into language use found that "incorrupt" and "Internet Plus" were the most popular buzzwords last year among Chinese in discussions of domestic issues.

When people were talking about international issues, however, "terror" and "anti-terror" were the most popular phrases, according to the Education Ministry report released today.

"Popular words reflect people's interests and show what they care about in any given year. Those words also record social developments," said Yang Erhong, a professor at Beijing Language and Culture University.

The report, which was first published in 2006 and is now in its 11th edition, also identified 10 new words or phrases coined in 2015. One such phrase — parade blue — refers to the clear blue skies that appeared in Beijing ahead of the Sept 3 military parade marking the 70th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, as various measures were taken to curb air pollution.

"New words have shown new concepts and trends in 2015, showing changes in people's interests and attitudes. New words reflect the year's linguistic and social changes," Yang said.

The top 10 most popular words and phrases last year included the 70th anniversary of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, Internet Plus, refugee, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Xi-Ma meeting and Tu Youyou.

Tian Lixin, head of language affairs at the Ministry of Education, said that the popular phrases demonstrate a comprehensive picture of people's lives in China.

The most popular words in 2015 include:

The 70th anniversary of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression: 2015 marked the 70th anniversary of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression

Internet Plus: a new notion brought by Premier Li Keqiang in 2015, seen as a sign of the government's increasing emphasis on the internet industry

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank: initiated by President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang in 2013 as an international financial institution, the bank aims to support building infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific region. It was envisioned to promote interconnectivity and economic integration in the region and to cooperate with existing multilateral development banks.

Xi-Ma Meeting: President Xi Jinping and former Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou met and had face-to-face talks in Singapore on Nov 7, 2005. The meeting was the first between leaders from both sides of the Straits since 1949 - 66 years. It was hailed as a milestone for cross-Straits relations and a breakthrough in leaders' communication.

Tu Youyou: the first Chinese woman to win the Nobel Prize, she also is China's first Nobel Prize winner in medicine.