哭哭马

What does 哭哭马 mean?

哭哭马 is a plush horse with an upside-down, frowning mouth, and people use it as a mascot for how they feel at work: drained, put-upon, but still showing up. Since 马 (horse) also echoes 牛马 ("oxen and horses", slang for worker drones), the toy fit perfectly with the Year of the Horse. Users post photos of it, give it to colleagues, or call themselves 哭哭马 on Mondays and deadline days. The humor is gentle and self-mocking — a cute way to admit you are exhausted.

Where does 哭哭马 come from?

In January 2026, a Year of the Horse plush made in Yiwu had its smiling mouth accidentally sewn on upside down, giving it a crying face. After a shopper in Hangzhou posted about it, the topic drew over 100 million views, and the "defective" toy became a bestseller. Xinhua and other outlets reported that the factory expanded production and received orders from abroad.

How to use 哭哭马

• 周一早上的我，就是一只哭哭马。
  Zhōuyī zǎoshang de wǒ, jiù shì yì zhī kū kū mǎ.
  Me on a Monday morning: one crying horse.
• 同事送了我一只哭哭马，说跟我加班的表情一模一样。
  Tóngshì sòng le wǒ yì zhī kū kū mǎ, shuō gēn wǒ jiābān de biǎoqíng yìmú-yíyàng.
  A coworker gave me a crying horse plush and said it looks exactly like my face during overtime.