ETYMOLOGY
Evolution:
The term gained popularity from a 1999 CCTV sketch, originally depicting frugality. Its digital transformation occurred in three phases:
Phase 1 (2013-2016): Alibaba's Singles' Day sales birthed "coupon hunters" engaging in cross-store discountsPhase 2 (2017-2020): Pinduoduo's "team pricing" model sparked debates, with automated hacking tools emergingPhase 3 (2021-present): NFT/metaverse exploitation like STEPN sneaker mining schemesNotable Case:
In 2020, a Taobao orange seller accidentally priced 4,500kg oranges at $3.8. Livestreamers mobilized fans to crash the store, raising debates on "tech-enabled bullying"Usage Examples:
Positive: "Stacking VIP discounts+Tmall points+red packets? That's some pro scamming!"Negative: "Creating fake Didi accounts for referral bonuses is asking for legal trouble"