Meaning:
“扛” means to “lift,” and “把子” means a “handle.” Originally a mafia jargon, this term is a variant of “舵把子,” which refers to the “person at helm” and therefore the “leader of a group.” Chinese netizens jokingly use the term to refer to the best of a group of people or things.
Example:
A: 夜宵届的扛把子是什么？
Yèxiāo jiè de kángbǎzi shì shénme?
What’s the best choice for a snack at night?
B: 当然是小龙虾。据说全国有近两万家专营小龙虾的食肆。
Dāngrán shì xiǎolóngxiā。Jùshuō quánguó yǒu jìn liǎngwàn jiā zhuānyíng xiǎolóngxiā de shísì。
The crayfish of course. There are nearly 20,000 eateries specializing in crayfish dishes nationwide according to reports.
(First editor: Debra Li)