潦草小狗 scruffy puppy

Scruffy Puppy, the black parts can be colored with a marker pen

Meme Explanation

1. Original Source of the Viral Term: Yu Hua's "Scruffy Puppy"

This term first became popular because of writer Yu Hua: netizens noticed that Yu Hua often had messy, fluffy, center-parted hair and a lazy, laid-back demeanor. They compared his photos with those of a scruffy, bewildered-looking puppy, finding their appearances and expressions highly similar, thus jokingly calling him Scruffy Puppy

Yu Hua himself humorously played along with the meme: he purposely cut his hair short to try and get rid of this nickname, but fans teased him saying 'it's not about the hairstyle, it's about your appearance and demeanor'. He graciously accepted this cute nickname, making the term completely viral and popular

2. Evolution of Meaning: From a nickname to a popular self-deprecating term across the internet

Originally, 'lǎocǎo' (scruffy) was a derogatory term (meaning sloppy, perfunctory), but after becoming a meme, it transformed into a positive and comforting term, describing:

• Someone whose appearance is unkempt, a bit tired and messy, but who is relaxed, genuine, laid-back, and experiences less mental exhaustion
• Used for self-deprecation: to describe office workers who pull all-nighters, are too lazy to dress up, live a casual life, and don't strive for perfection

Common scenarios for use:

1. Self-deprecation: I didn't wash my hair or put on makeup today, I'm just a scruffy puppy
2. Describing a friend: They look sloppy, but they're incredibly gentle and reliable, a typical scruffy puppy
3. Describing a relaxed, casual, non-competitive way of life