Meaning:
“尬” is often used together with another character in the phrase “尴尬,” which means “awkward, difficult to handle,” and “舞” means “dance.” Orginating from Taiwan, the term refers to “street dance battles,” where different gangs of street dancers compete against each other. However, mainland netizens have recently used the term based on its literal meaning: those who do not know how to dance moving their bodies awkwardly accompanied by music.
Example:
A: 你在看什么视频？
Nǐ zài kàn shénme shìpín?
What’s that video you’re checking out?
B: 郑州一个公园里的大叔大妈尬舞，太好笑了！
Zhèngzhōu yīgè gōngyuán lǐ de dàshū dàmā gàwǔ, tài hǎoxiào le!
A group of middle-aged men and women dancing clumsily in a park in Zhengzhou. It’s hilarious!
(First editor: Debra Li)