chinas group buyers

China’s Group Buyers – 拼客

You’re probably familiar with Groupon.

But did you know that China also has more than 800 group buying websites, of which Groupon is just one? 

In fact, in China group buying is said to be more than just a way to get a cheap meal or movie ticket. The group buyers — 拼客(pīnkè) — are almost like a social movement unto themselves.

拼客(pīnkè) is Chinese slang for group buyers who get together to save money by increasing their negotiating leverage or by using resources more efficiently. While it often takes place impersonally through group buying sites, it can also be a very social activity among strangers as well. 拼客(pīnkè) are involved in a variety of activities such as:

拼房 (fáng): renting homes together to save money

拼餐 (cān): eating together to save money

拼玩 (wán): hanging out together to save money

拼车 (chē): renting cars together to save money

拼游 (yóu): travel together to save money

Here’s a breakdown of the characters in 拼客(pīnkè):

拼 (pīn): to link or connect (eg. 拼凑 – pīn còu – to piece together)

客 (kè): customer or person (eg. 顾客 –   – customer)

It’s worth noting that 拼客(pīn kè) have come to represent more than just an activity or hobby. They’ve come to represent a new kind of  thriftier lifestyle and mentality that’s becoming increasingly popular in China (alongside the standard conspicuous consumption).

Below are some examples of how the word “拼客” is used. You can find more examples in context through the FluentU program.

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.

P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

FluentU Ad

Example A)

“为降低生活成本与他人拼饭、拼车、拼卡,就过上了拼客的生活 “

“wèi jiàngdī shēnghuó chéngběn yǔ tā rén pīn fàn, pīn chē, pīn kǎ, jiù ɡuò shàng le pīnkè de shēnghuó”

“To reduce living costs, we bought food, rented cars, and got cards with other people — we basically came to lead a life of group buyers

Example B)

“很多私家车主经常到网站上发帖寻找同路线的拼客,提供免费拼车 “

“hěnduō sījiā chē zhǔ jīngcháng dào wǎngzhàn shàng fātiě xúnzhǎo tóng lùxiàn de pīnkè

“Many private car owners frequently go to websites and post to find fellow 拼客, and provide a free card ride” (here this is an unusual usage of 拼客 that actually refers to the thriftier mindset rather than group buying per se)

Example C)

“记者采访发现,对于拼客一族,很多市民都持有不同的态度”

“jìzhě cǎifǎng fāxiàn, duìyú pīnkè yìzú, hěnduō shìmín dōu chíyǒu bùtóng de tàidù”

“A reporter found that, city residents had different views towards group buyers.”

Have you ever tried joining the 拼客 in China? What’d you think?

And One More Thing...

If you want to continue learning Chinese with interactive and authentic Chinese content, then you'll love FluentU.

FluentU naturally eases you into learning Chinese language. Native Chinese content comes within reach, and you'll learn Chinese as it's spoken in real life.

FluentU has a wide range of contemporary videos—like dramas, TV shows, commercials and music videos.

FluentU brings these native Chinese videos within reach via interactive captions. You can tap on any word to instantly look it up. All words have carefully written definitions and examples that will help you understand how a word is used. Tap to add words you'd like to review to a vocab list.

FluentU's Learn Mode turns every video into a language learning lesson. You can always swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you're learning.

The best part is that FluentU always keeps track of your vocabulary. It customizes quizzes to focus on areas that need attention and reminds you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. You have a 100% personalized experience.

Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

Enter your e-mail address to get your free PDF!

We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe

Close