The Chinese get it: Baizuo

I recently learned of the Chinese word for the Western Woke: baizuo. Bai meaning “white” and zuo meaning “left.”

From a Copilot search, here is an explanation (from Wikipedia):

“Baizuo” is a Chinese pejorative term meaning “white left,” used to describe Western liberals or leftists perceived as naive, hypocritical, or excessively politically correct.

Figuratively, baizuo is used to criticize individuals or movements that are seen as:

• Overly politically correct or obsessed with virtues signaling.
• Naive or morally self-righteous, advocating for social justice causes without practical understanding.
• Focused on immigration, minority rights, LGBT issues, feminism, and environmentalism while ignoring real-world economic or societal problems.
• Hypocritical humanitarians, who are accused of tolerating regressive values for the sake of multiculturalism.

The term often implies that such individuals position themselves as saviors or morally superior, sometimes infantilizing or patronizing the groups they claim to support

Chinese netizens have labeled figures like Angela Merkel, Justin Trudeau, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama as baizuo due to their liberal policies.

In online discussions, a “baizuo mentality” refers to the stereotypical behaviors of being morally self-important, politically correct, and disconnected from practical realities.

In summary, baizuo is both a literal and figurative critique of Western liberalism, highlighting perceived naivety, hypocrisy, and moral posturing in social and political contexts.

Yup, the Chinese get it. Many others, too.