红温

What does 红温 mean?

红温 describes someone so angry, frustrated or flustered that their face seems to glow red like overheated metal. It comes up most after a losing streak or a round of teasing: 'he's 红温 now' means he has lost his composure and might be about to rage. The tone is usually playful, whether you're poking fun at a friend or admitting 'I'm so 红温 right now' about yourself. It overlaps heavily with 破防, but 红温 leans toward anger rather than hurt feelings. Gamers in English would say 'tilted', 'salty' or 'seething'.

Where does 红温 come from?

The term grew out of Chinese gaming and esports slang, particularly the League of Legends community. Explanations point to two sources: the champion Rumble, whose heat mechanic pushes him into a red danger zone, and fans joking about pro players' faces flushing red during tense matches. It spread beyond gaming in 2024 and was included in the 2024 top ten buzzwords list published by the newspaper 语言文字周报 (Language and Writing Weekly).

How to use 红温

• 连输五把，他已经红温了。
  Lián shū wǔ bǎ, tā yǐjīng hóng wēn le.
  After losing five games in a row, he's already seething.
• 别逗他了，再说他就要红温了。
  Bié dòu tā le, zài shuō tā jiù yào hóng wēn le.
  Stop teasing him — one more word and he'll blow a fuse.