ETYMOLOGY
[Etymology]
The term gained traction around 2015 in Beijing dialect circles before going viral during the 2018 US-China trade war. Chinese netizens coined "America is passing the hot wok" to describe perceived blame-shifting by US officials, with related Weibo topics amassing 320 million views.
[Iconic Case]
During COVID-19's initial outbreak in 2020, a local official blamed superiors for pandemic control failures. Netizens awarded him "Annual Hot Wok Passing Champion," causing the term's Baidu search volume to spike 470% in 24 hours.
[Cultural Analysis]
• Gaming context: "The jungler was AFK but still passed the wok to ADC?"• Workplace: "Blaming interns when the project fails? How wok-tastic!"• Geopolitics: "Western media's climate wok keeps coming to China"
[Linguistic Impact]
A 2021 Fudan University study revealed "shuai guo" resonates more than formal terms due to its vivid kitchen imagery and dark humor elements, making accusations feel more visceral yet ironically amusing.