搭子

What does 搭子 mean?

A 搭子 is a companion for one particular thing: a 饭搭子 (meal buddy), 旅游搭子 (travel buddy), 健身搭子 (gym buddy), 学习搭子 (study buddy) and so on. The relationship is lighter than friendship and built around a shared activity, so there are no heavy social obligations: you meet up for that one thing and that's it. Many young people like it precisely because it offers company without pressure, which suits both introverts and busy people. It is similar to English “gym buddy” or “workout partner”, just applied to almost anything.

Where does 搭子 come from?

The word was originally a regional term for one's mahjong partners. It spread widely among young people around 2023 as they looked for low-pressure ways to find company, and 《咬文嚼字》 (Yaowen Jiaozi) included it in its 2023 top ten buzzwords.

How to use 搭子

• 我在找一个周末一起爬山的搭子。
  Wǒ zài zhǎo yí gè zhōumò yìqǐ pá shān de dā zi.
  I'm looking for a hiking buddy for the weekends.
• 她是我的饭搭子，我们只聊吃的。
  Tā shì wǒ de fàn dā zi, wǒmen zhǐ liáo chī de.
  She's my food buddy; we only ever talk about food.