ETYMOLOGY
The evolution of 'Bōli Xīn' mirrors the culture wars raging in Chinese cyberspace. Emerging from a 2008 Taiwanese variety show as a term for emotionally fragile lovers, it transformed into a cultural weapon during esports controversies.
The pivotal moment came in 2014's League of Legends Pro League when fans mass-reported commentators for mild jokes about their favorite team. Netizens mocked these fans as 'esports spectators with glass hearts' - a phrase that went viral within hours.
In 2016, meme creators supercharged the term's popularity by combining shattering glass visuals with crying scenes from hit drama Ode to Joy. This turned 玻璃心 into shorthand for:
Viewers who report 'unpleasant' streaming commentsNovel readers demanding trigger warnings for fictional contentUltra-nationalists screaming 'hurt Chinese feelings' in global news forumsThe 2021 Genshin Impact character redesign controversy showcased its global reach. When developers modified outfits to meet China's content regulations, overseas players flooded Reddit with posts accusing the company of 'surrendering to glass-hearted censors' - proving how Chinese internet slang can shape international discourse.
Sample usage:'Can't handle trash talk? Did your glass heart shatter during ranked?' (Twitch-like stream comment)'Real life has no block button. Maybe glass heart owners should log off.' (Quora-style answer with 50k+ upvotes)