Danmei terms explained, or a little map of the worlds I keep getting lost in
This glossary started as something just for me. I write about danmei, fanfiction and cosplay all the time, and the characters I love come with names, titles, swords, cultivation techniques and about a million other words that nobody uses in everyday life. After years in the fandom, I don't even think about them anymore. Someone says golden core and my brain knows exactly what we're talking about.
While putting it together, I realised something funny. A lot of the words I thought of as English aren't English at all. Gege, shizun, shixiong, shidi. They're Chinese terms that the English fandom simply kept as they are, because translating them would lose something. Gege isn't always just "older brother". It depends on who says it, to whom and in what tone, and if you've read TGCF, you know exactly what I mean.
And then there are words my brain refuses to read normally. Bichen is Lan Wangji's sword, and it has absolutely nothing to do with the word "bitching" from omegaverse fics. I know that. My brain doesn't. After this many years on AO3, I can't expect all my neurons to behave.
So this isn't a dictionary. It's more like a map of a world you walk into through one show or one book, only to find out you suddenly need to know what cultivation is, why people fly on swords, what the difference between shizun and shifu is, why losing a golden core is a catastrophe and why touching Lan Wangji's forehead ribbon is a very, very bad idea.
Yours, Mimosa
Genres and general terms
Term | Explanation |
|---|---|
danmei | Chinese fiction about a romantic relationship between two men |
baihe | The female counterpart of danmei, Chinese GL |
BL (boys' love) | A general term, used mostly for Japanese and Korean works |
web novel | Most danmei is first published online, chapter by chapter |
xianxia | Fantasy about immortals, with cultivation, gods and immortality (MDZS, TGCF, SVSSS) |
wuxia | Martial arts stories about wandering fighters and honour, with less magic |
xuanhuan | Looser mystical fantasy, often with other worlds |
cultivation novel | A story about the path to immortality |
transmigration | The hero wakes up in someone else's body or inside a book (SVSSS) |
rebirth | The hero goes back in time or comes back to life |
resurrection / body sacrifice | Wei Wuxian is summoned back through Mo Xuanyu's sacrifice |
System | A game-like interface that gives the hero tasks |
top / bottom | Roles in a couple; in Chinese gong / shou |
HE (happy ending) | Happy ending |
BE (bad ending) | Sad ending |
OE (open ending) | Open ending |
extras / side stories | Chapters set after the main story ends |
donghua | Chinese animation, for example Mo Dao Zu Shi or Tian Guan Ci Fu |
live-action adaptation | A drama with real actors, for example The Untamed |
audio drama | A radio play version of the story |
manhua | Chinese comic |
censorship | Adaptations have to soften the romance into "brotherhood" |
bromance (adaptation) | The censored version of the relationship in dramas |
cut sleeve | An old euphemism for a gay man, from the story of Emperor Ai of Han |
zhiji / soulmate | Someone who truly knows and understands you |
Cultivation and the supernatural
Term | Explanation |
|---|---|
cultivation | Training body and spirit on the way to immortality |
cultivator | Someone who practises cultivation |
immortal | Someone who has reached immortality |
ascension | Rising to the heavens and becoming a god (TGCF) |
qi / spiritual energy | The life force a cultivator works with |
golden core | The source of spiritual power; losing it is a key moment in MDZS |
core transfer | Wei Wuxian gives his core to Jiang Cheng |
core melting | Destroying someone's core, Wen Zhuliu's ability |
dantian | The energy centre in the lower belly where the core sits |
meridians | Channels that qi flows through |
spiritual root | An inborn talent for cultivation |
foundation establishment | One of the levels of cultivation |
nascent soul | A higher level of cultivation |
heavenly tribulation | A lightning trial before ascension |
qi deviation | When cultivation goes wrong and madness is close |
inner demon / heart demon | An obsession, guilt or desire that threatens the mind |
closed-door cultivation / seclusion | Long meditation in isolation |
dual cultivation | Sharing energy, often a euphemism for sex |
spiritual power transfer | Healing someone with your own power (LWJ and WWX) |
sword flying / sword riding | Flying on a sword |
talisman | A paper strip with drawn characters |
array / formation | A magic pattern drawn on the ground or in the air |
demonic cultivation / unorthodox path | Wei Wuxian's path, the opposite of the way of the sword |
resentful energy | The energy of the dead who were wronged |
fierce corpse | A corpse brought back to life by resentment |
ghost general | Wen Ning |
evil spirit / wraith | A hostile ghost |
possession | When a spirit takes over a body |
Inquiry | The Lan musical technique for asking ghosts questions through the guqin |
Rest / Cleansing (songs) | Calming melodies of the Lan clan |
spirit summoning | Calling up spirits |
ghost king | The highest rank of ghost (TGCF) |
Supreme (ghost rank) | The ghost rank of Hua Cheng in TGCF |
heavenly official / god | A god in the Heavenly Court |
martial god | God of war |
literary god | God of literature and learning |
merits | The "currency" of gods in TGCF, earned from prayers |
prayers / worshippers | What keeps a god's power alive |
demon | A demon |
demonic race / Heavenly Demon | SVSSS, where Luo Binghe is half demon |
Sects, hierarchy and forms of address
Term | Explanation |
|---|---|
sect | A cultivation school, often also a family |
clan | A family, for example the Lan clan of Gusu |
Sect Leader | Head of a sect, like Jiang Cheng or Lan Xichen |
Chief Cultivator | The post above all sects (Jin Guangyao) |
the Four Great Sects | Lan, Jiang, Jin and Nie after the fall of the Wen |
head disciple | The first disciple of a sect |
disciple | A student of a sect |
inner / outer disciple | The master's close circle vs. ordinary members |
shizun | A respectful way to address your master (Shen Qingqiu in SVSSS) |
shifu | Master or teacher, a bit more personal than shizun |
shixiong | An older fellow disciple under the same master |
shidi | A younger fellow disciple |
shijie | An older female fellow disciple (Jiang Yanli for Wei Wuxian) |
shimei | A younger female fellow disciple |
shishu / shibo | Your master's younger / older fellow disciple |
gege | Older brother; tender and sometimes flirty (Hua Cheng to Xie Lian) |
didi | Younger brother |
jiejie / meimei | Older / younger sister |
xiong | A polite "brother" added to a name between equals (Wei-xiong) |
-jun | A respectful suffix meaning lord, as in Hanguang-jun |
gongzi | Young master, a son of a good family |
xiansheng | A polite form of address, sir or master |
daozhang | A respectful address for a Taoist cultivator (Xiao Xingchen) |
Your Highness | How people address Crown Prince Xie Lian |
A-___ (A-Yuan, A-Qing) | An affectionate prefix for close people and children |
___-er (Lian-er) | An affectionate suffix |
jiujiu | Maternal uncle (Jin Ling about Jiang Cheng) |
birth name | Lan Zhan, Wei Ying, used only by people who are close |
courtesy name | Lan Wangji, Wei Wuxian, the usual way to address someone |
title / sobriquet | Hanguang-jun, Yiling Laozu |
cultivation partner / Dao companion | An official partner, the equivalent of a spouse |
Clothing, objects and symbols
Term | Explanation |
|---|---|
forehead ribbon | The Lan clan ribbon with a cloud pattern. A symbol of self-control; only family or a partner may touch it |
cloud pattern | The Lan clan symbol on ribbons and robes |
sect uniform / robes | White for Lan, purple for Jiang, gold for Jin, grey for Nie, a red sun for Wen |
hanfu | Traditional Chinese clothing |
outer robe / inner robe | The layers of hanfu |
sash / belt | What holds the robes together |
hair crown / guan | A hair ornament on the topknot, a sign of adulthood and status |
hairpin | Gifting a hairpin can be a romantic gesture |
hair ribbon (red) | Wei Wuxian's signature |
veiled hat | Worn for example by Xie Lian while travelling |
bamboo hat | Xie Lian's hat |
qiankun pouch / sleeve | A magic pouch or sleeve that holds more than it should |
spirit-trapping pouch | A pouch for catching spirits |
clarity bell | The Jiang clan bell that rings near evil |
sword tassel | A tassel hanging from a sword |
jade token / jade pendant | Proof of membership or entry (Cloud Recesses) |
guqin | Chinese zither, Lan Wangji's instrument |
dizi | Transverse flute, Wei Wuxian's instrument |
xiao | Vertical flute, Lan Xichen's Liebing |
fan | Nie Huaisang, Shen Qingqiu, Shi Qingxuan |
spiritual weapon | A weapon with its own will and name |
Zidian | The Jiang family whip (Madam Yu, Jiang Cheng) |
Emperor's Smile | The wine from Gusu that Wei Wuxian loves |
lotus | The symbol of the Jiang clan and Lotus Pier |
lotus root and pork rib soup | The soup Jiang Yanli makes for Wei Wuxian |
rabbits | The rabbits Lan Wangji keeps |
red string (of fate) | An invisible thread between soulmates (TGCF) |
silver butterflies | Hua Cheng's weapon and symbol |
dice | Hua Cheng's trick and the gambling in Ghost City |
bridal sedan | The opening story of TGCF with the ghost groom |
umbrella | Hua Cheng's red umbrella in the rain |
lantern | The thousand lanterns lit for Xie Lian |
Specific terms from MDZS, TGCF and SVSSS
Mo Dao Zu Shi (Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation)
Term | Explanation |
|---|---|
Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation | The English title of the novel |
Yiling Patriarch | Wei Wuxian's title |
Hanguang-jun | Lan Wangji's title |
Zewu-jun | Lan Xichen's title |
Twin Jades of Lan | Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji |
Cloud Recesses | The Lan clan residence in Gusu |
the 3,000 (4,000) rules | The Lan clan rules carved into a wall |
Lotus Pier | The Jiang clan residence in Yunmeng |
Koi Tower | The Jin clan residence in Lanling |
Unclean Realm | The Nie clan residence in Qinghe |
Nightless City | The Wen clan residence |
Burial Mounds | The place where Wei Wuxian was thrown |
Stygian Tiger Seal | An artifact that controls the dead |
Yin Iron | A mysterious metal that drives the plot |
Sunshot Campaign | The war of the sects against the Wen clan |
Indoctrination | When the Wen summon young disciples for "re-education" |
Xuanwu of Slaughter | A giant turtle in a cave |
Bichen | Lan Wangji's sword, roughly "Free of Dust" |
Suibian | Wei Wuxian's sword, roughly "Whatever" |
Chenqing | Wei Wuxian's flute |
WangXian (song) | The melody Lan Wangji composed for Wei Wuxian |
Tian Guan Ci Fu (Heaven Official's Blessing)
Term | Explanation |
|---|---|
Heaven Official's Blessing | The English title of the novel |
Crimson Rain Sought Flower | Hua Cheng's title |
Crown Prince of Xianle | Xie Lian |
Flower-Crowned Martial God / Prince Who Pleased God | Xie Lian's famous image |
scrap collecting / trash god | Xie Lian scraping together merits |
Heavenly Capital / Heavenly Court | Where the gods live |
Spiritual Communication Array | The gods' "group chat" |
Ghost City | Hua Cheng's home |
Paradise Manor | Hua Cheng's palace |
the Four Calamities | The four strongest ghosts |
White No-Face | The main villain |
Mount Tonglu | The birthplace of ghost kings |
Human Face Disease | The plague in Xianle |
E-Ming | Hua Cheng's living scimitar with an eye |
Fangxin | Xie Lian's sword |
Ruoye | Xie Lian's living silk band |
Puqi Shrine | Xie Lian's countryside shrine |
Scum Villain's Self-Saving System (SVSSS)
Term | Explanation |
|---|---|
The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System | The English title of the novel |
Proud Immortal Demon Way | The novel inside the novel |
scum villain | Shen Qingqiu |
stallion novel | A novel with one hero and a harem of women |
protagonist halo | The hero simply can't lose |
B-points / Satisfaction points | Points awarded by the System |
OOC (out of character) | Punished when you act against the original |
Cang Qiong Mountain Sect | The main sect of the story |
Qing Jing Peak | Shen Qingqiu's peak |
Xin Mo | Luo Binghe's demonic sword |
Endless Abyss | Where Shen Qingqiu pushes Binghe |
Fandom terms
Term | Explanation |
|---|---|
MXTX | Mo Xiang Tong Xiu, author of MDZS, TGCF and SVSSS |
MDZS / TGCF / SVSSS | Short names of MXTX's three novels |
canon | What really happened in the book |
canon divergence | A fic where the story goes a different way |
AU (alternate universe) | Modern AU means the characters live in the present day |
fanfic | Fanfiction |
ship / shipping | Rooting for a couple |
OTP | One true pairing |
WangXian | Lan Wangji × Wei Wuxian |
HuaLian | Hua Cheng × Xie Lian |
BingQiu | Luo Binghe × Shen Qingqiu |
slow burn | A relationship that takes a long time to develop |
mutual pining | Both want each other, neither says it |
angst | Painful, sad scenes |
fluff | Sweet, cosy scenes |
hurt/comfort | One suffers, the other comforts |
yearning | Longing |
devotion / 800 years of devotion | Hua Cheng's love for Xie Lian |
mutual misunderstanding | A classic source of heartbreak |
reunion | Meeting again |
enemies to lovers | From enemies to lovers |
yandere | Obsessively in love (Luo Binghe) |
tsundere | Cold on the outside (Jiang Cheng); Lan Wangji is more kuudere |
uncensored / original novel | The book without changes for TV |
official translation | The English edition published by Seven Seas |
fan translation | A translation made by fans |
The Untamed | The live-action adaptation of MDZS (2019) |
bunnies (Lan clan) | The fandom joke about rabbits in Cloud Recesses |
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Mimosa Confiante
By day, I work somewhere between marketing, copy and campaigns; by night, I usually end up somewhere between fanfiction, cosplay and yet another “what if” that refuses to leave me alone. I write mainly in the Harry Potter and Mo Dao Zu Shi fandoms, most often Snarry, Snamione, HarryLu and WangXian. My healthcare background means that anatomy, medicine and far too much research occasionally find their way into my stories. Cosplay is another way for me to play with the characters I love, whether I stay close to canon or turn them into my own fanfiction and AU versions. In Diary of a Slytherin Girl with ADHD, I write openly about life with a brain that usually has far too many tabs open at once.
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