ZJU slang 101

Just like any other group or community, Zhejiang University (ZJU) has its own unique campus slang. To help our international friends avoid scratching their heads over these “cryptic codes” when they first arrive, I’m here to break them down for you.

First up, the most common one: “Sanben.” In China, “Sanben” traditionally refers to the third batch of universities in the National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao) admissions—usually less prestigious schools with relatively weaker academic strength. But ZJU students love to joke that they’re “Sanben students” too. Here, though, “Sanben” has a playful twist: it actually means “the third-ranked undergraduate university in the country,” subtly showing off their pride in their alma mater.

ZJU has two popular campus forums where students can chat freely about study, life, and everything in between: Duoduo Alumni Circle and CC98. Scroll through the comment sections, and you’ll spot some unusual letter combinations—let’s start with “bd.”

“bd” is the pinyin abbreviation of “bang ding” (literally “help bump”). It’s used to boost a post’s visibility—kind of like hitting a “promote” button so more people can see and engage with it. Simple, but super useful.

Then there’s “bg”—a term with a long, nostalgic backstory (and a few different theories). The most widely accepted one dates back to ZJU’s Yuquan Campus, where there used to be a tree at the gate nicknamed “Baogao Shu” (literally “Report Tree”). “bg” is short for “baogao” (“report”). Back in the day, after graduate students finished their thesis defenses, they would gather under this tree to plan a big meal—treating their classmates and advisors to celebrate. Even though the tree was later removed as the campus changed, the term “bg” stuck. To this day, when a ZJUer says “I’ll bg everyone,” it means “I’m buying dinner or drinks for the group!”

There you have it—some essential ZJU slang to help you fit right in. Next time you see “Sanben,” “bd,” or “bg” around campus or on the forums, you’ll know exactly what’s going on!