i人 / e人

What does i人 / e人 mean?

An i人 is an introvert who recharges alone and dreads small talk; an e人 is an extrovert who thrives on socializing and fills every silence. Young people use the labels as shorthand social identities: 'I'm an i人, please don't make me introduce myself first.' Popular jokes compare how the two types react to the same situation, and spin-offs include 为i做e, an introvert forced to act like an extrovert at work or at parties. The labels are mostly playful self-description rather than serious psychology, and they often come up when looking for a like-minded 搭子.

Where does i人 / e人 come from?

The labels come from the MBTI personality test, which went viral among young people in China around 2022–2023, especially on Xiaohongshu. In 2023 i人/e人 was featured on a list of the year's top ten internet buzzwords, where it was singled out as the most popular social label of the year.

How to use i人 / e人

• 我是i人，聚会只想坐在角落。
  Wǒ shì i rén, jùhuì zhǐ xiǎng zuò zài jiǎoluò.
  I'm an introvert — at parties I just want to sit in the corner.
• 全组就他一个e人，破冰全靠他了。
  Quán zǔ jiù tā yí gè e rén, pòbīng quán kào tā le.
  He's the only extrovert on our team, so breaking the ice is all on him.