US Duolingo users have started learning Mandarin en masse, as the date for the US ban of the popular social video platform TikTok has neared.
Why has the ban of a global app led to a massive interest in learning a new language? Mostly because of the viral trend for replacing TikTok with another app: Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote.
RedNote’s surging success doesn’t mean that the app’s US popularity will last much longer than the current news cycle, however. It takes a long time for a new social media platform to reach anywhere near the heights that TikTok earned for itself.
Duolingo Weighs in on the Latest Social Platform Kerfuffle
Duolingo’s status as the most well-known US language teaching app makes it a great yardstick for our nation’s shifting cultural interests.
Now, a new post from Duolingo highlights the sharp uptick in US TikTok users in figuring out Mandarin, the biggest branch of East Asian languages and the one language with the most native speakers worldwide.
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According to the post, new Mandarin learners have jumped up by about 216% year-over-year.
Learning Mandarin out of spite? You’re not alone.
We’ve seen a ~216% growth in new Chinese (Mandarin) learners in the US compared to this time last year. https://t.co/9hzwBxfTgD pic.twitter.com/qWM9f5oFYA
— Duolingo (@duolingo) January 15, 2025
How many users will actually stick with the language, however, is a tougher question to answer. As anyone who’s tried Duolingo can tell you, keeping a streak going is a challenge.
The RedNote Hype Cycle Has Kicked Off
Part of the reason why RedNote is such a hit: The enjoyable irony behind a second, far more Chinese app gaining attention from Americans right after the US government has gotten rid of the previous one, whack-a-mole style.
Still, there’s one benefit: The whole ordeal has definitely boosted awareness in the US of the variety of government censorship concerns that often bubble under the news-coverage surface for both China and the United States.
Red Note is doing what they feared Tik Tok would. pic.twitter.com/FhhBRR4HWl
— Jessica (Ka) Burbank (@JessicaLBurbank) January 16, 2025
The conversation has surfaced plenty of xenophobia as well, both from those who think China is inherently evil and those who opt for a “benevolent xenophobia” and decide that China must be inherently good.
Can RedNote Go the Distance?
Although the Chinese app has been positioned as a TikTok-style platform — it even made our list of potential TikTok alternatives — some informed reports are calling it more of a cross between Instagram and Pinterest.
Whatever the case, it’s not clear that the rapid rise of this app can be sustained. Competitors like Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts are well-established, and are backed by tech giants Meta and Google, respectively. Meanwhile, RedNote is designed for Chinese users first, making it a tough sell.
Consider the success story of another primary-color-themed social media upstart: Bluesky has been growing steadily since gaining prominence way back in 2023, and despite the continual struggles of its main competitor, it still has a long way to go. In contrast, RedNote’s US presence is still a blip on the radar.
