Alexander V. Ignatenko

The article is devoted to the study of the phenomenon of language play in the Chinese segment of Internet communication and communication (wǎngluò yǔyán). In this regard, the purpose of the study is to analyze the main types of graphic, semantic and grammatical transformations, such as playing with tones, using abbreviations, acronyms, numeronyms, emojis, stickers, games with hieroglyphs, mixing writing systems, as well as metaphors, allusions, irony and rethinking familiar semantic relationships. The key functions of the language game are considered: identifying users with groups, enhancing expressivity, creating a humorous effect, saving linguistic resources, circumventing censorship and linguocreative creation of new meanings within the framework of the theory of neology. The influence of Internet slang on modern Chinese is discussed, including interaction with literary norms and penetration into everyday speech The study used three main sources: the Weibo microblogging platform, Douyin video hosting (an analogue of TikTok) and youth forums (Tieba, Douban). The study highlights the relevance of studying the language game for understanding the dynamics of an isolating type of language and culture in the digital age as a whole.