vpn: VPN - Virtual Private Network

• Keywords: VPN in China, what is VPN in Chinese, how to say VPN in Chinese, 翻墙 (fānqiáng), the Great Firewall, internet censorship in China, 虚拟专用网络 (xūnǐ zhuānyòng wǎngluò), circumvent internet restrictions, 科学上网 (kēxué shàngwǎng), 梯子 (tīzi)
• Summary: In China, “VPN” refers to a Virtual Private Network, an essential tool for accessing the unrestricted global internet. Due to the country's sophisticated internet censorship system, known as the “Great Firewall,” a VPN is necessary to reach common websites and apps like Google, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. The act of using a VPN is colloquially and more frequently known as 翻墙 (fānqiáng), which literally means “to scale the wall.” This page explains the technical and cultural significance of the VPN in modern China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): V-P-N (Acronym read as English letters)
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: N/A
• Concise Definition: A technology (Virtual Private Network) that creates a secure, encrypted connection over a public network, primarily used in China to bypass internet censorship.
• In a Nutshell: While in the West, a VPN is often marketed for online privacy or secure corporate access, its primary function and cultural meaning in China are overwhelmingly about one thing: freedom of information. For expats, international students, researchers, and many Chinese citizens, a VPN is not a niche tool but a daily necessity. It's the key to unlocking the global internet and bridging the gap created by the “Great Firewall.” The experience of a slow or disconnected VPN is a common, frustrating part of daily life for its users in China.

As “VPN” is a foreign acronym, it has no character breakdown. However, understanding its formal name and its common slang term is crucial for learners. Formal Name: 虚拟专用网络 (xūnǐ zhuānyòng wǎngluò)

• 虚 (xū): Virtual, empty, hollow
• 拟 (nǐ): To imitate, simulate
• 专 (zhuān): Special, dedicated
• 用 (yòng): To use
• 网 (wǎng): Net, network (originally a pictogram of a net)
• 络 (luò): To connect, enmesh

Combined, 虚拟 (xūnǐ) means “virtual,” 专用 (zhuānyòng) means “for special/dedicated use,” and 网络 (wǎngluò) means “network.” Together, they form a perfect, literal translation of “Virtual Private Network.” Slang Term: 翻墙 (fānqiáng)

• 翻 (fān): To climb over, to flip, to turn over
• 墙 (qiáng): Wall

This vivid term literally means “to climb over the wall.” It paints a clear picture of what using a VPN feels like: actively circumventing a barrier—the Great Firewall—to get to the other side.

The concept of the VPN is inextricably linked to the “Great Firewall of China” (防火长城 - fánghuǒ chángchéng), a government project of internet censorship and surveillance. This “wall” blocks access to thousands of foreign websites, including major search engines (Google), social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), news outlets (The New York Times, BBC), and collaboration tools (Gmail, Slack, Dropbox). Therefore, using a VPN in China is not just a technical act; it's a significant cultural phenomenon. It divides the internet experience into two worlds: the domestic “intranet” (内网 - nèiwǎng) and the global “external net” (外网 - wàiwǎng). A useful Western comparison is the concept of “jailbreaking” an iPhone. In both cases:

• You are bypassing restrictions set by a controlling entity (Apple vs. the Chinese government).
• You do it to gain access to features, apps, or information that are otherwise unavailable.
• The activity exists in a legal and ethical grey area. It's technically forbidden but widely practiced.
• It requires a certain level of technical know-how or a third-party tool to accomplish.

This act touches upon the cultural tension between the state's value of “social harmony” (社会和谐 - shèhuì héxié) and control, and the individual's desire for global connection and unfiltered information.

In daily conversation, people rarely use the formal term “虚拟专用网络”. They will either use the acronym “VPN” directly or, more commonly, the slang term “翻墙 (fānqiáng)”.

• As a Noun: The word “VPN” is used just like in English.
  • “My VPN is too slow.” (我的VPN太慢了 - Wǒ de VPN tài màn le.)
  • “Which VPN do you use?” (你用哪个VPN？- Nǐ yòng nǎge VPN?)
• As an Action (翻墙): The term “翻墙” is the most common way to talk about the act of using a VPN. It functions as a verb-object phrase.
  • “I need to 'scale the wall' to check my email.” (我需要翻墙才能看邮件 - Wǒ xūyào fānqiáng cáinéng kàn yóujiàn.)
• Connotation and Formality: Discussions about VPNs are almost always informal. Due to the sensitive and legally grey nature of the topic, people are often cautious about where and with whom they discuss it. It's a common topic among friends (especially expats) but would be avoided in formal settings or on public social media platforms like WeChat, where conversations are monitored. A common euphemism is “scientific internet access” (科学上网 - kēxué shàngwǎng) or referring to the VPN service as a “ladder” (梯子 - tīzi).

• Example 1:
  • 我的 VPN 今天又连不上了，真烦人。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de VPN jīntiān yòu lián bu shàng le, zhēn fánrén.
  • English: My VPN can't connect again today, it's so annoying.
  • Analysis: This is a very common complaint in China. VPN services are often unstable due to government crackdowns. “连不上 (lián bu shàng)” is a key phrase meaning “can't connect.”
• Example 2:
  • 你有没有好用的 VPN 推荐？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ yǒu méiyǒu hǎoyòng de VPN tuījiàn?
  • English: Do you have any good (easy-to-use) VPNs to recommend?
  • Analysis: A frequent question, especially for newcomers to China. “好用 (hǎoyòng)” means “good to use” or “effective,” and “推荐 (tuījiàn)” means “to recommend.”
• Example 3:
  • 我得开 VPN 才能用谷歌查资料。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ děi kāi VPN cáinéng yòng Gǔgē chá zīliào.
  • English: I have to turn on my VPN to be able to use Google to look up information.
  • Analysis: “开 (kāi)” means “to open” or “to turn on,” and is the common verb for activating a VPN. “查资料 (chá zīliào)” means “to search for materials/information.”
• Example 4:
  • 不翻墙的话，在中国生活很不方便。
  • Pinyin: Bù fānqiáng dehuà, zài Zhōngguó shēnghuó hěn bù fāngbiàn.
  • English: If you don't scale the wall (use a VPN), life in China is very inconvenient.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses “翻墙” as the core action. The “的话 (dehuà)” structure means “if…” and is very common in spoken Chinese.
• Example 5:
  • 你翻墙之后网速怎么样？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ fānqiáng zhīhòu wǎngsù zěnmeyàng?
  • English: How is your internet speed after you scale the wall?
  • Analysis: Using a VPN almost always slows down the internet connection (“网速 - wǎngsù”). This is a practical follow-up question when discussing VPNs.
• Example 6:
  • 咱们别在微信上聊翻墙的事，不安全。
  • Pinyin: Zánmen bié zài Wēixìn shàng liáo fānqiáng de shì, bù ānquán.
  • English: Let's not talk about “scaling the wall” on WeChat, it's not secure.
  • Analysis: This highlights the cultural sensitivity. WeChat (微信 - Wēixìn) is known to be monitored, so users often avoid sensitive topics like this.
• Example 7:
  • 他正在用他的梯子看油管上的视频。
  • Pinyin: Tā zhèngzài yòng tā de tīzi kàn Yóuguǎn shàng de shìpín.
  • English: He is using his “ladder” (VPN) to watch videos on YouTube.
  • Analysis: This example uses two common slang terms: “梯子 (tīzi)” for VPN, and “油管 (Yóuguǎn)”, literally “oil pipe”, for YouTube.
• Example 8:
  • 这个 VPN 有很多国家的节点可以选择。
  • Pinyin: Zhège VPN yǒu hěn duō guójiā de jiédiǎn kěyǐ xuǎnzé.
  • English: This VPN has servers (nodes) in many countries to choose from.
  • Analysis: “节点 (jiédiǎn)” is the technical term for the server location you connect to with your VPN. Users often switch nodes to find a faster connection.
• Example 9:
  • 有些人把用VPN叫做“科学上网”。
  • Pinyin: Yǒuxiē rén bǎ yòng VPN jiàozuò “kēxué shàngwǎng”.
  • English: Some people call using a VPN “scientific internet access.”
  • Analysis: This sentence introduces the most common euphemism. “把…叫做…” (bǎ…jiàozuò…) is a useful structure for saying “to call X as Y.”
• Example 10:
  • 你需要先翻墙，然后才能注册这个网站。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ xūyào xiān fānqiáng, ránhòu cáinéng zhùcè zhège wǎngzhàn.
  • English: You need to scale the wall first, and only then can you register on this website.
  • Analysis: This shows a typical sequence of events. “先…然后…” (xiān…ránhòu…) means “first…then…”. “注册 (zhùcè)” means “to register.”

• Mistake 1: Not Using “翻墙” (fānqiáng).
  • A beginner might try to literally translate “I use a VPN,” creating an awkward sentence. While “我用VPN” (wǒ yòng VPN) is understood, the much more native and common way to express the action is “我翻墙” (wǒ fānqiáng).
  • Incorrect: 我使用一个虚拟专用网络来访问谷歌。(Technically correct, but nobody says this).
  • Correct: 我翻墙上谷歌。(I 'scale the wall' to get on Google).
• Mistake 2: Confusing the Tool (VPN) with the Action (翻墙).
  • “VPN” is the noun (the tool), “翻墙” is the verb phrase (the action). You use a VPN *to* 翻墙.
  • Correct: 我用我的VPN来翻墙。(Wǒ yòng wǒ de VPN lái fānqiáng.) - I use my VPN to scale the wall.
• Mistake 3: Discussing the Topic Carelessly.
  • English speakers are used to freedom of speech and might not realize the sensitivity. Bragging about or discussing VPNs and “翻墙” openly in public, with strangers, or on monitored platforms like WeChat is unwise. It's a “know your audience” topic.
• Conceptual Nuance: Access vs. Privacy.
  • A common misunderstanding for Westerners is assuming the main motivation for VPN use in China is privacy, as it is often marketed in the West. While privacy is a benefit, the overwhelming, primary driver is access. People use it to get to the blocked “外网 (wàiwǎng),” not primarily to hide their activity on the domestic “内网 (nèiwǎng).”

• 翻墙 (fānqiáng) - The verb/slang for using a VPN; “to scale the wall.”
• 防火长城 (fánghuǒ chángchéng) - The Great Firewall of China (GFW), the system of censorship the VPN is designed to bypass.
• 科学上网 (kēxué shàngwǎng) - A popular, tongue-in-cheek euphemism for using a VPN, meaning “scientific internet access.”
• 梯子 (tīzi) - A common slang word for a VPN, literally “ladder.”
• 外网 (wàiwǎng) - The “outer network,” meaning the unrestricted, global internet.
• 内网 (nèiwǎng) - The “inner network,” meaning the domestic, censored Chinese internet.
• 代理 (dàilǐ) - “Proxy,” a similar but often less secure technology for bypassing the firewall.
• 节点 (jiédiǎn) - “Node,” the technical term for a VPN server in a specific location.
• 油管 (Yóuguǎn) - Slang for YouTube.
• 谷歌 (Gǔgē) - The Chinese name for Google.