By Eryk Michael Smith. AI-generated illustration image.
KAOHSIUNG — The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has threatened military action against Taiwan for decades, but it is arguably only during the lifetime of Generation Z that war planners in Beijing have developed the means to plausibly carry it out.
For a group of local Gen Z users on the social media platform Threads, however, the possibility of invasion isn’t a reason to freak out or offer statements of overt defiance. Instead, it has produced a distinct style of digital humor: wordplay that reframes PLA action as just another inconvenience.
Posts on Threads lean heavily on deadpan satire. One of the most common formats draws on a Mandarin double meaning. The phrase “打來” (dǎ lái) can mean both “to call” and, depending on context, “to attack.” Users have turned this into a recurring joke structure that treats a Chinese attack as an unwanted phone call.
Da lai: call or attack
In one widely shared example:
如果中國打來，我們不會接
“If China ‘calls,’ we won’t answer.”
Variations follow, suggesting the “call” would simply be ignored:
打過來了。沒接到。再打一次的話，我就當沒看見。
“They ‘called.’ I didn’t pick up. If they try again, I’ll ignore it.”
Others parody automated phone menus:
解放軍打來請按1，要談判請按2，要直接登陸請聽完這段音樂後掛斷。
“To ‘invade,’ press 1. To negotiate, press 2. To land directly, please hang up after this music.”
Some users even bring in everyday apps:
如果解放軍打過來，Whoscall會跳出來顯示『疑似強迫推銷』嗎？
“If the PLA calls, will Whoscall label it ‘suspected aggressive sales’?”
Other lines keep the same tone:
我這邊訊號不好，你改天再侵略。
“I have bad reception – try invading another day.”
如果解放軍打過來，我就轉接語音信箱。
“If the PLA calls, I’ll forward it to voicemail.”
Food delivery also makes frequent appearances:
打過來？一律按掉。除非你有外送。
“I’m hanging up. Unless you’re delivering food.”
解放軍打過來的時候，拜託不要佔用慢車道，外送員還要送餐。
“When the PLA attacks, please don’t block the slow lane; the delivery guys still have orders to drop off.”
War as an inconvenience
A recurring theme is that invasion would simply interrupt daily life. The tone remains consistent: dry, minimal, and detached – in keeping with typical Gen Z online culture in Taiwan.
可以不要選上班時間嗎
“Can they not do it during work hours?”
打來之前先通知一下，我要回台北
“Give me a heads-up before attacking; I need to get back to Taipei.”
真的打來我先請假
“If they actually attack, I’m taking leave first.”
要打可以，但高鐵不要停
“Attack if you want, but don’t stop the High Speed Rail.”
停電可以，冷氣要有
“Power outage is fine, but I still need AC.”
阿共打過來的時候，小七咖啡還有買一送一嗎？這場戰爭比較重要。
“If China attacks, will 7-Eleven still have buy-one-get-one-free coffee? That’s the war I care about.”
Some edge closer to social commentary, mixing pressure from exams and expectations with the idea of war:
先不要打！我剛報名國考，至少讓我先考不上再死。
“Don’t attack yet – I just signed up for the civil service exam. Let me fail first so I can die without regrets!”
