种草 (zhòng cǎo) — literally "planting grass" — is Chinese internet slang for influencers creating desire that makes you want to buy things. In this 17-line HSK 3 Mandarin dialogue, Zoe and Lucas discuss how the opposite trend, called 反向带货 (fǎnxiàng dàihuò) or "de-influencing," is reshaping Social Media Trends on TikTok by telling people what not to buy.
This dialogue is part of our free Chinese listening practice with AI dialogues, built for learners at the HSK 3 level. You'll hear Zoe and Lucas talk about how influencers who used to "plant grass" are now helping everyone "pull grass" — 拔草 (bá cǎo) — removing the urge to shop. The conversation touches on whether de-influencing is really just honesty, and how it connects to 极简主义 (jíjiǎn zhǔyì), or minimalism, as the new maximalism.
The dialogue runs 17 lines between two speakers, Zoe and Lucas. Key vocabulary you'll encounter includes:
The conversation opens with Zoe calling TikTok exhausting and Lucas teasing her about wanting to shop — but the twist is she's watching de-influencing videos instead. For more listening at this level, browse the HSK 3 lessons hub page or try another HSK 3 listening dialogue titled "Hollywood Split".
Start by listening to the full dialogue at normal speed. If lines go too fast, slow playback to 0.5x or 0.75x and replay individual lines until you catch the meaning. Then shadow each line — repeat aloud right after the speaker, matching the rhythm and tones. Finally, use speaking mode to read the lines yourself and get pronunciation feedback.
Listening is free without an account. When you're ready for a different topic, you can create a custom Chinese dialogue on any topic. If you want a bigger challenge, try another HSK 4 listening dialogue titled "Discussing the 2026 Oscar Snubs and Surprises".
De-influencing isn't just a passing Social Media Trends topic — it's a conversation about honesty, consumption, and simplicity that gives you useful Mandarin vocabulary for talking about internet culture.
种草 (zhòng cǎo) literally means "planting grass." In Chinese internet culture, it describes influencers creating desire that makes you want to buy products. The de-influencing dialogue contrasts this with 拔草 (bá cǎo), or "pulling grass," which means removing that desire — telling people what they shouldn't buy and what isn't worth spending money on.
This dialogue is designed for HSK 3 learners. It uses vocabulary like 过度 (guòdù, excessive), 推荐 (tuījiàn, recommend), and 焦虑 (jiāolǜ, anxiety) alongside internet-slang terms like 反向带货 (fǎnxiàng dàihuò, de-influencing) and 极简主义 (jíjiǎn zhǔyì, minimalism) that connect Social Media Trends to everyday Mandarin practice.
Yes. You can slow playback to 0.5x or 0.75x and replay individual lines as many times as you need. This helps you catch unfamiliar words like 网红 (wǎnghóng, influencer) before moving on to shadowing and speaking practice with Mei Lin's pronunciation feedback.