"If … is basic, then … is over the top" — Phrase of the Week
China's favourite new phrase of 2025
Our phrase of the week is: “If … is basic, then … is over the top” (... 基础 jī chǔ，... 不基础 bù jī chǔ)
Context
As 2025 draws to an end, three “Top Ten Buzzwords of the Year” lists have been published in China.
These buzzwords are viral phrases which started online over the last year.
Some of them have become genuinely popular, and are now mainstream expressions used in daily life. To get the full breakdown of those lists, and what phrases are really “hot” in China this year, you can tune into the most recent issue of RealTime Mandarin:
For this penultimate Phrase of the Week of the year, we decided to focus on one “buzzword” from the 2025 lists. And it’s the only phrase which appeared in all three official lists, so there’s a good chance this phrase is here to stay.
Here it is in action:
“If I booked cheap flights, then I’d treat myself to luxury hotels.
I scored budget airline tickets for $200, so I splurged on a five-star beachfront resort.”
机票基础，酒店就不基础——我花200美元买了廉航机票，然后住五星级海景酒店。
And with that, we have our Sinica Phrase of the Week.
What it means
This is actually a sentence template where you fill in the blanks with whatever fits your life.
The direct translation of the structure is: “If … is basic, then … is not basic” (基础 jī chǔ，... 不基础 bù jī chǔ). In actual usage “not basic” can be translated as “over the top”.
This structure started out being used by fashion influencers to describe outfit choices. The typical expression would be: “if the top is basic, the the bottom is not basic” (上身基础，下身就不基础) which means to to mix simple (“basic”) and statement (“not basic”) pieces.
But the phrase quickly evolved beyond fashion.
It’s now used as a self-deprecating take on life’s contradictions. It captures the ironic contrast between what people economise on versus what they splurge on — a way to laugh at your own financial choices.
In the example above, the “basic” spend is on “cheap flights”, but the essential “not basic” spend is splashing out on a “luxury hotel”.
This sentence structure is now widely used online and in daily life. So you can put it to action straight away!
Here are some examples:
“Earning a minimum, but spending maximum” (工资基础，消费不基础)
“Christmas gifts on a budget, but holiday vibes on steroids” (圣诞礼物基础，假期体验不基础)
“I don’t have much saved, but I sure know how to spend” (存款基础，购物不基础)
As you can see, the translation of “basic” and “not basic” totally depends on the context.
So… what are your “basic” and “not basic” lifestyle choices?
Why not create a sentence using this Phrase of the Week and try it out in your next Chinese conversation!
Andrew Methven is the author of RealTime Mandarin, a resource which helps you bridge the gap to real-world fluency in Mandarin, stay informed about China, and communicate with confidence—all through weekly immersion in real news. Subscribe for free here.
