Meaning:
“爱” means “love,” and “豆” means “beans.” The Chinese transliteration for the English word “idol,” this term makes a detour to Japan and South Korea before being widely used by Chinese netizens to refer to their idols, often young celebrities from the show biz. The use of the Chinese character “爱” also tells the feelings of fans towards their idols.
Example:
A: 周五有个新片首映，你去吗？放映结束后演员和观众互动，你的爱豆吴亦凡也会来。
Zhōuwǔ yǒu gè xīnpiān shǒuyìng, nǐ qù ma? Fàngyìng jiéshù hòu yǎnyuán hé guānzhòng hùdòng, nǐ de àidòu wúyìfán yě huì lái。
Will you come to the movie premiere Friday? The cast will meet audiences after the movie show, and your idol Kris Wu will be present.
B: 可惜我去不了，要加班。
Kěxī wǒ qùbùliǎo, yào jiābān。
It’s a shame I cannot go. I have to put in some overtime.
(First editor: Debra Li)