Meaning:
The number “six’ is a homophone of “溜” in Chinese, which literally means “slippery” (pronounced “līu”) but is often used in slang to praise someone especially skillful at certain things (pronounced “lìu”). Since it’s much easier to type than the Chinese character, using “666” to mean “impressive and skillful” has become popular among Chinese gamers of “League of Legends,” who often chat with each other while playing. The use quickly spread to non gamers and become ubiquitous among Chinese netizens. In a gaming scenario, however, this term could also be used as a cue for danger and reminding one’s teammates to run.
Example:
A: 你和小王打《王者荣耀》，谁厉害？
Nǐ hé xiǎowáng dǎ 《wángzhě róngyào》， shuí lìhài?
Who is better at playing “King of Glory,” you or Xiao Wang?
B: 当然我厉害。
Dāngrán wǒ lìhài。
I am, of course.
A: 我觉得他已经很强了，你666啊。
Wǒ juédé tā yǐjīng hěn qiáng le, nǐ lìulìulìu a。
I think he is pretty good, so you must be really good.
(First editor: Debra Li)