This generation of young foreigners buys clothes on Shein, beautifies on Xiaohongshu, scrolls videos on TikTok, and reads domineering CEO novels on North American Jinjiang.
Foreign friends ask sincerely: I've heard Xiaohongshu is China's version of Instagram?
Netizen: Xiaohongshu is way richer than Instagram; it's like a mashup of Instagram, Yelp, Twitter, Reddit, Quora, Pinterest, plus a graphic version of TikTok.
Brits don't do any planning before going out; they just open Xiaohongshu👇
Russian female college student joins Xiaohongshu and first asks: Do you have Xiao Zhan's account?
Whether you're a restaurant owner, an influencer, or someone looking to learn Chinese, get prettier, or stan a celebrity, just come to Xiaohongshu.
Cardi B has already joined👇
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Overseas Businesses Create Viral Xiaohongshu Hits
Foreigners are now going all out to break through, relying on Xiaohongshu to overtake on the curve.
Including but not limited to: using Chinese slogans with Xiaohongshu references, asking customers to write positive reviews on Xiaohongshu, and setting up shop directly on the platform.
Xiaohongshu's Hottest Ice Boat👇
Xiaohongshu Viral Cambridge Cuisine👇
"Missing You in the UK"👇
Xiaohongshu Trending Souvenirs👇
Foreign merchants are pulling out all the stops to attract Chinese spending.
Getting a Michelin three-star rating isn't as practical as landing on Xiaohongshu's trending list.
After all, for Chinese students abroad, Xiaohongshu serves as Baidu, Google, Dianping, and Ctrip all in one—everything can be Xiaohongshu.
Merchants who master Xiaohongshu's traffic code are already a step ahead of their competitors.
Chinese students on an outing: open Xiaohongshu. Foreigners on an outing: follow the Chinese.
After all, meticulous planning is ingrained in East Asian DNA; foreigners basically copy homework like the bottom students, relying entirely on J-people (planners) to lead the way.
Foreigners on Xiaohongshu "Seeking Advice"
The "foreigners seeking advice for makeovers" trend has gone viral—a paradise for ordinary people, a new traffic track for influencers.
Recently, many foreigners have come to Xiaohongshu holding signs saying "tingquan (seeking advice)," asking netizens for fashion makeover advice.
No matter your skin color, height, or size, there's no body shaming here, only beauty guides.
Even though they can't read Chinese, foreigners use Google Translate.
No one leaves Xiaohongshu still looking ugly—before vs. after makeover👇
Though occasionally a few go off-script, like a Korean minimalist style turning into prison chic👇
Xiaohongshu users still jump into roasts, striking a balance between subtle praise and blunt criticism.
There's also a type of foreigner with such good looks that netizens simply give up on makeovers:
Suggestion: just use them as a photo backdrop👇
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Actually, getting roasted occasionally is fine; foreigners say: Asians curse so poetically😅
This Generation of Foreigners Is All Joining Xiaohongshu
The first batch of foreigners to join Xiaohongshu have already hit the jackpot.
Whether English learners or fashion makeover participants, they've all reaped the traffic dividends.
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Though the posts are Google Translated, the comments section also reeks of machine translation—communication is the priority, teaching comes second.
This generation of foreigners is trending towards studying in China; they join Xiaohongshu and pick up Chinese along the way.
To those with good attitudes, everyone enthusiastically teaches (or rather, bullshits)👇
Bad attitudes won't even get a pass from a 187cm heartthrob😅
To deter freeloaders, start by teaching them sarcasm (阴阳怪气)😅
Universities Join Xiaohongshu
The study-abroad circle is no exception: foreign universities are flocking to Xiaohongshu.
Promo videos, campus daily life, student interviews—a fusion of YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, securely cashing in on this wave of traffic.
The University of Melbourne joined Xiaohongshu last year and now has over ten thousand followers.
The comment section is flooded with Chinese students checking in and sharing, becoming organic promoters.
Boston University has also opened a Xiaohongshu account:
The comment section also features various Q&As for students👇
Toronto Metropolitan University's China admissions office uses Xiaohongshu more like a WeChat Moments feed👇
Of course, opening an account on Xiaohongshu also means bracing for scolding, like the University of Sheffield, which fell out of QS100👇
Beyond just having a presence, HKU even allows uploading Video Essays via Xiaohongshu.
Previously, Vimeo and YouTube were used; now it's more fitting for Chinese students' needs.
Chinese international students are cash cows coveted by universities worldwide, and joining Xiaohongshu is the first step to show sincerity.
Once sincerity is shown, it also serves as free promotion for programs—why wouldn't universities jump on board?
Xiaohongshu has brought not only great convenience to Chinese people but also many new ideas for foreigners.
Of course, we hope everyone evaluates information rationally without over-reliance—just because something is a Xiaohongshu hit doesn't mean you must try it, only to find it underwhelming; nor should you be overly sensitive, thinking a university is low for being on Xiaohongshu or that it doesn't care about international students if it's not.
Xiaohongshu is just a medium to help you understand the world, not the only way to get information; you still need to exercise careful judgment. Finally, we look forward to Xiaohongshu better facilitating cross-cultural exchange between China and the world.
