<p>I guess it comes from the <em>dialectal pronunciation</em> of 牛 which has the <a href="http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?page=worddict&amp;wdrst=0&amp;wdqb=%E7%89%9B" rel="nofollow">slang meaning "awesome".</a> </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-20T15:38:19.413Z
What dialect would have that?
Ringil
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-20T15:45:46.420Z
@Ringil No idea about the source dialect of this expression, but the initial n ~ l shift exists in some regions, e.g. in Min, Yue or Xiang dialects.
imrek
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-28T16:55:37.040Z
I was also thinking it could be a variety of 牛.
Enrico Brasil
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-22T15:48:30.643Z
I also found quite a few sources saying it has originated from 牛， but also from 溜. One source even claimed that it is the Chinese "LOL", but I could not find any more references to that.
Yoav Vollansky
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-20T15:33:23.567Z
2015-08-20T15:33:23.567Z
imrek
<p>In Chinese, there are many number combinations used as an abbreviation such as 666, 88 and 2333. Today I will introduce you 666. 666, in web terms, means 牛牛牛 or 溜溜溜 in Chinese. It is usually used to describe someone or something excellent or amazing.</p>
<ol>
<li>Origin of 666</li>
</ol>
<p>Actually, 666 has been generated for a long time (the specific time is not clear). And it became popular and was used widely in a game named LOL (League of Legends). For example, if someone plays quite good in a game, you can say 666 to him.</p>
<ol start="2">
<li>Other Common Abbreviations in China</li>
</ol>
<p>Except for 666, there are also some other abbreviations that we use often in daily life or games.</p>
<p>1). 88: it means bye bye.</p>
<p>2). 5555: as the pronunciation of 5 is similar to the sound of crying, we usually use 555, 5555, 55555 to describe our sadness.</p>
<p>3). 520: it means “I love you”.</p>
<p>4). 5201314: it means “I love you for a whole life”.</p>
<p>5). 1314: it means “one’s whole life”.</p>
<p>6). 888: it can be used as a blessing, which shows your good wish of wealth.</p>
<p>7). 2333: this number combination is originated from a forum (<a href="http://www.mop.com" rel="nofollow noreferrer">www.mop.com</a>). The No. 233 emoji from the MP forum is a picture of laughing, so many users like to add a “2333” when they post in the forum. Now  “2333” is a popular web term used to express laughter.
Resource from Sino5000</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2017-12-23T04:18:00.537Z
2020-08-07T01:44:08.810Z
2020-08-07T01:44:08.810Z
Lily Bass
<p>It's homophonic of 溜, which means <em>proficient, smooth (in doing something)</em> in Nothern dialects. Note it doesn't imply a top degree of mastery. It's more like <em>nice</em> instead of <em>pwned</em>.</p>
<p>The use of number 6 first appeared in online games, then spread to internet contents.</p>
<p>Some examples for the original word:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>他爬树很溜（儿）。He's good at climbing trees.</p>
<p>他说的很溜（儿）。He gave a fluent speech.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>One reference I can find: <a href="http://hs.tgbus.com/wenda/201410/20141002121649.shtml" rel="noreferrer">http://hs.tgbus.com/wenda/201410/20141002121649.shtml</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-21T12:10:38.670Z
Although I would imagine *666* (as referenced in the link) means something completely different...
Mou某
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-21T19:05:26.713Z
@user3306356 there are extended usages such as self-mockery or sarcasm which can be said to any word. I don't consider them 'completely different'. I didn't expand on those because the OP is asking for the origin.
NS.X.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-22T09:07:09.417Z
Oh, sorry, I meant more like: 666, number of the devil, that sort of thing.
Mou某
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-20T17:52:59.153Z
2015-08-20T17:52:59.153Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
NS.X.
<p>I'm speaking about for example: </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>他很6</p>
</blockquote>

<p>To mean: He's very pro/skilled.</p>

<p>I've seen this a lot, but I don't quite see what the origin of this comes from.</p>

<etymology><slang>
What is the origin of the slang term 6?
# What is the origin of the slang term 6?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-08-20)

I'm speaking about for example:

> 他很6

To mean: He's very pro/skilled.

I've seen this a lot, but I don't quite see what the origin of this comes from.

**Tags:** etymology, slang


---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2015-08-20. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

It's homophonic of 溜, which means *proficient, smooth (in doing something)* in Nothern dialects. Note it doesn't imply a top degree of mastery. It's more like *nice* instead of *pwned*.

The use of number 6 first appeared in online games, then spread to internet contents.

Some examples for the original word:

> 他爬树很溜（儿）。He's good at climbing trees.
>
> 他说的很溜（儿）。He gave a fluent speech.

One reference I can find: <http://hs.tgbus.com/wenda/201410/20141002121649.shtml>

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: Although I would imagine *666* (as referenced in the link) means something completely different...  
> **username_5**: @user3306356 there are extended usages such as self-mockery or sarcasm which can be said to any word. I don't consider them 'completely different'. I didn't expand on those because the OP is asking for the origin.  
> **username_6**: Oh, sorry, I meant more like: 666, number of the devil, that sort of thing.  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-08-20. Score: 0

I guess it comes from the *dialectal pronunciation* of 牛 which has the [slang meaning "awesome".](http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?page=worddict&wdrst=0&wdqb=%E7%89%9B)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: What dialect would have that?  
> **username_1**: @username_0 No idea about the source dialect of this expression, but the initial n ~ l shift exists in some regions, e.g. in Min, Yue or Xiang dialects.  
> **username_2**: I was also thinking it could be a variety of 牛.  
> **username_3**: I also found quite a few sources saying it has originated from 牛， but also from 溜. One source even claimed that it is the Chinese "LOL", but I could not find any more references to that.  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2017-12-23. Score: 0

In Chinese, there are many number combinations used as an abbreviation such as 666, 88 and 2333. Today I will introduce you 666. 666, in web terms, means 牛牛牛 or 溜溜溜 in Chinese. It is usually used to describe someone or something excellent or amazing.

1. Origin of 666

Actually, 666 has been generated for a long time (the specific time is not clear). And it became popular and was used widely in a game named LOL (League of Legends). For example, if someone plays quite good in a game, you can say 666 to him.

2. Other Common Abbreviations in China

Except for 666, there are also some other abbreviations that we use often in daily life or games.

1). 88: it means bye bye.

2). 5555: as the pronunciation of 5 is similar to the sound of crying, we usually use 555, 5555, 55555 to describe our sadness.

3). 520: it means “I love you”.

4). 5201314: it means “I love you for a whole life”.

5). 1314: it means “one’s whole life”.

6). 888: it can be used as a blessing, which shows your good wish of wealth.

7). 2333: this number combination is originated from a forum ([www.mop.com](http://www.mop.com)). The No. 233 emoji from the MP forum is a picture of laughing, so many users like to add a “2333” when they post in the forum. Now “2333” is a popular web term used to express laughter.
Resource from Sino5000


---

