Dictionary

duanju en · NOUN

Etymology

Borrowed from Chinese 短剧 (duǎnjù).

Meanings

1. (countable, uncommon, uncountable) A Chinese microdrama.
   • They began during the pandemic in China, where they're known as "duanju", or "short drama". As per CNBC, the micro drama market in China reached almost $7 billion in 2024. [2026 February 13, Faye James, “What's a micro drama? Everything to know about short vertical dramas including where to watch them”, in Hello!, archived from the original on 31 Mar 2026:
   • Duanjus – Chinese for micro-dramas – began their life on social media before transforming the national audiovisual market in China. Chinese companies are now working with foreign production companies to export the form, buoyed by a slew of new streaming apps such as ReelShort, ShortTV, DramaPops and FlexTV. 2025 April 4, Nadia Khomami, “Clickbait titles and cliffhangers: the mini TV serials capturing phone audiences”, in The Guardian, →ISSN, archived from the original on 05 Jun 2025:

Forms