Emotional Theft: A Growing Trend Among Chinese Youth Explained

A new trend called “tou gan”, which means “emotional theft”, is becoming popular among young adults in China. This lifestyle allows people to live in secret and purposefully “derail” their lives. This could involve living separately from a partner or keeping financial information hidden from family members. Some also create exclusive social media profiles to maintain this secretive lifestyle, as reported by the South China Morning Post.

The term “tou gan” describes a reclusive way of living characterized by small acts of resistance against the norms of daily existence. Followers of this trend may deliberately defy cultural norms, such as leaving work early or rebelling against healthy eating habits. For example, a woman from southeastern China never discloses her true income to her parents, creating a fictitious but tethered to reality number when questioned about her earnings. Many people prefer small living spaces where they feel in control of their lives, such as a woman who chose to live separately from her boyfriend to regain personal time and a sense of freedom.

Those practicing “emotional theft” find joy in the mundane aspects of life and often give much thought to how others perceive them. This may entail sharing private photos on social media with a restricted audience, as seen during a trip to South Korea.