Hello everyone, this is Angela from BLCU. There is a word commonly used in social media in recent 1 or 2 years, 社恐(shèkǒng), social anxiety. Although Human beings are social creatures, I think most of us are suffering from some different degree of social anxiety. And of course covid doesn’t help with this too.

I suffer from a bit of social anxiety. That’s one of the reasons I choose to be an online Chinese teacher. I feel safe online than face to face communication.

Social anxiety is 社交恐惧(shèjiāo kǒngjù) in Chinese. 社交(shèjiāo) means social contact. 恐惧(kǒngjù) means fear or anxiety. 社交恐惧(shèjiāokǒngjù) or in short 社恐(shèkǒng).
Wǒ yǒu shèjiāo kǒngjù.
我有社交恐惧。I suffer from social anxiety.

Wǒ bù xǐhuan hěn duō rén.
我不喜欢很多人。
I don’t like crowds. 
I like hanging out with my friends. But I can’t handle strangers.
Strangers 陌生人 (mòshēngrén)
Wǒ xǐhuan hé péngyou zàiyìqǐ, dànshì bù xǐhuan hé mòshēngrén jiāoliú.
我喜欢和朋友在一起，但是不喜欢和陌生人交流。

I was very introverted when I was a child. Introverted is 内向(nèixiàng). 
Wǒ shì gè tèbié nèixiàng de rén, wǒ yǒu yánzhòng de shèkǒng.
我是个特别内向的人，我有严重的社恐。
I am a very introverted person. I suffer from severe social anxiety.
Introverted 内向(nèixiàng)
extroverted 外向(wàixiàng)
Nǐ shì gè wàixiàng de rén ma?
你是个外向的人吗？

I am not a social butterfly. Social butterfly in Chinese is 交际花(jiāojìhuā). But 交际花(jiāojìhuā) doesn't sound like a positive word. And we have a new word for people who is particularly sociable.  社牛(shèniú) 
社牛(shèniú) is not a social cow. 牛(niú) means awesome in oral Chinese. So 社牛(shèniú) is someone who is awesome in social activities.

How about you? 
Nǐ shì shèkǒng háishì shèniú?
你是社恐还是社牛？