绿帽 (lǜ mào)
2025-09-13 16:09:30ETYMOLOGY
The evolution of this term reflects China's digital folklore in microcosm:
Historical Roots: Yuan Dynasty laws forced sex workers' families to wear green scarves. By Ming era, 'green hat' became slang for marital betrayal, notably in 17th-century novels.
Digital Renaissance: World of Warcraft players in 2009 mocked PVP losers with 'getting green-hatted', boosted by Kung Fu Panda memes. The 2016 divorce scandal of actor Wang Baoqiang saw #GreenHatGuy trend with 2.3B views.
Gen-Z Reinvention: Young netizens subvert the stigma through 'cuckold chic' culture:
'My wife shook hands with her idol - I wear this green hat proudly!' (Bilibili comment)However, dark derivatives like 'green hat detection' services (spyware for spouses) spark ongoing privacy debates.
Example: 'My teammate used my account to flirt with girls - never saw this green hat coming'