“Cutting leeks” – a direct translation that refers to the agricultural act of harvesting Chinese chives (leek‑like plants), which grow back quickly after being cut.
In everyday Chinese,
“割韭菜” is a metaphor for
exploiting or fleecing a large group of inexperienced, easily influenced people – often in finance, business, or social contexts. The “leeks” are the ordinary, naive participants who are “harvested” repeatedly by those in power.
- The “leeks” are seen as numerous, easily misled, and resilient – they keep coming back even after being “cut” multiple times.
- The “cutters” are insiders, big players, or scammers who use information asymmetry, hype, or market manipulation to profit at the expense of the masses.
Common Scenarios
- Stock market – Retail investors are lured into buying overpriced stocks or cryptocurrencies, then big players sell off (“pump and dump”), causing prices to crash. The small investors are the “leeks.”
- Consumer scams – Overpriced products, fake discounts, or pyramid schemes that target ordinary people.
- Online gaming / live‑streaming – Fans are repeatedly coaxed into spending money on virtual gifts or loot boxes with little real value.