Americans Flood Xiaohongshu: A Fun Cross-Ocean Encounter

At the beginning of 2025, the most shocking piece of news for me wasn’t a soaring stock market or the latest celebrity gossip, but rather that a huge wave of American users suddenly appeared on Xiaohongshu (also known as RedNote) overnight.

Originally, this app was popular only in China, seen as a paradise for beauty tips and lifestyle sharing. Now, out of nowhere, it’s flooded by thousands of foreign users—an unmistakable scene of “TikTok refugees” migrating all at once. Seeing my feed filled with English comments, I almost thought I had opened the wrong app.

Why can Americans use Xiaohongshu?

“Can Americans use Xiaohongshu?” Of course they can! Although many people used to think Xiaohongshu mainly served Chinese users, it’s actually been available overseas for some time. When TikTok started facing potential bans in the U.S., many American users went searching for a new social media platform and stumbled upon this Chinese “treasure app.”

That’s how the question “Is Xiaohongshu available outside China?” was quickly answered: yes, as long as you find the international version in your app store, you can download and use it without a problem.

RedNote? Is that the “official English name” for Xiaohongshu?

Some people ask: “What is the English version of Xiaohongshu?” Currently, Xiaohongshu doesn’t have one single official name in the international market, but many folks simply call it “RedNote” for convenience.

If you search the “RedNote” tag on Xiaohongshu, you’ll see quite a few foreign users checking in with curiosity. People are still debating this name, but at least it sounds catchy and is easy for non-Chinese speakers to remember.

Could it get banned? Can the U.S. ban RedNote?

When American users began migrating en masse to Xiaohongshu, some inevitably asked: “Can the US ban RedNote?” After all, the fate of TikTok in the U.S. has been nerve-wracking enough. Add to that the question “Is Red Note owned by China?” and it’s understandable why some American users feel uneasy.

Indeed, Xiaohongshu is a Chinese company. Although there hasn’t been any obvious sign of a ban so far, the broader environment is full of uncertainties.

For the time being, however, since Xiaohongshu mainly focuses on lifestyle and shopping content—topics with relatively low political sensitivity—many American users are still enjoying it freely.

Is Xiaohongshu (RedNote) really like TikTok?

“Is Red Note like TikTok?” In some ways, they’re similar, but there are also significant differences. 

TikTok focuses on short videos, offering quick and explosive content, while Xiaohongshu leans more toward a mix of images and short videos. 

Users share beauty tips, outfits, food, and travel diaries; the community leans toward a refined vibe and user experience.

If TikTok is like a high-speed “short-video carnival,” Xiaohongshu is more like a slower “lifestyle festival,” where you can browse endlessly, falling into a cycle of discovering and sharing.

 

Why has Xiaohongshu suddenly become so popular?

When TikTok faced potential bans, American young people were like guests getting kicked out of a party, searching everywhere for a new “social hub.” 

By chance, they discovered Xiaohongshu, and promptly fell in love with its content ecosystem. That’s why you see all sorts of questions popping up:

• “Why is Xiaohongshu so popular?”
• “If I post an outfit here, will anyone like it?”
• “Is this a lifestyle-sharing platform? Can I talk about gaming or fitness?”

The answer is, of course you can! Beauty tips, fitness, gaming, gossip, travel—whatever you want to share, Xiaohongshu gives you a space. 

Plus, the atmosphere is relatively friendly, leading many American users to exclaim, “Wow, this place feels friendlier than our social platforms!”

Mutual “Reality Checks” Between Chinese and Americans

What’s amusing is the wave of American users suddenly flooding Xiaohongshu and the funny “reality checks” that arise between them and Chinese netizens:

• Chinese netizen: “I heard dishwashers in America earn $20 per hour?”
• American netizen: “Please tell me where that is, thanks.”
• Chinese netizen: “Your wages are so high—you must save a lot every year.”
• American netizen: “No way. Taxes, rent, insurance... it all adds up. Not much left after that.”
• American netizen: “I thought you Chinese had limited access to information, but it turns out you’re all over cat memes?”
• Chinese netizen: “We eat fries and fried chicken every day too, and we also go bald from working overtime…”

Discovering the other side isn’t what one imagined instantly dissolves many stereotypes. It’s hard not to sigh that the “information barrier” online might mostly be hearsay after all.

“Cat Tax” and “Homework Outsourcing”: Lighthearted Interactions Between Chinese and American Netizens

One of the funniest things on Xiaohongshu is the “cat tax” meme. A Chinese user might post: “Sure, I’d like to be friends, but you have to pay ‘cat tax’ first by posting a cat photo—that’s how we do it here.”

As a result, American users enthusiastically share pictures of their chubby orange cats, hairless cats, or even show off their dogs. The comment section instantly turns into a “cat appreciation party.”

There’s also a more practical side—Chinese students might shout, “My English homework is killing me; can anyone help?” And before you know it, an American college student jumps in to offer step-by-step tutoring.

You could say language exchange happens naturally in these everyday interactions. Compared to the cold discussions in politics, this kind of grassroots-level engagement feels much more heartwarming.

Over fifty years ago, an accidental encounter led to “Ping-Pong Diplomacy,” opening the door to Sino-American relations. Over fifty years later, yet another “accident” is bringing Chinese and American people together on the internet for a cultural exchange.

How Old Are Xiaohongshu Users? Can You Make Money on It?

Some American users are curious: “How old are Xiaohongshu users?” Early on, its main user base was young women between 18 and 30, but now the age range has broadened—people in their early 30s, even parents in their 40s or older, share their lives on the platform. With the influx of American users, the range is expanding even further.

As for “Can you earn money from Xiaohongshu?”—absolutely! Many beauty, fashion, and fitness influencers really do make money by posting product recommendations (aka “planting grass”) and selling goods on Xiaohongshu.

Now that U.S. users have arrived, there could be even more opportunities for cross-border collaborations. Who knows—maybe in the future, Chinese and American influencers will team up on videos or co-sell products, making the platform’s ecosystem even richer.

How Long Will This “Cultural Shock” in 2025 Last?

Will this wave of “TikTok refugees” remain popular indefinitely? It’s hard to say. But at the very least, it has provided a rare chance for grassroots cultural exchange between China and the U.S.

Many people used to think of the other side as a “mysterious, distant” group, but now they’re chatting about daily life on Xiaohongshu with ease. This so-called “internet fusion” is unfolding naturally through cat photos and outsourced homework.

When We Overcome Misunderstandings, the World Becomes More Interesting

On Xiaohongshu (RedNote), it doesn’t matter where you’re from—so long as you share a bit of your real life, you’ll get responses and find common ground. Perhaps it’s that “down-to-earth yet fun” atmosphere that attracts people from around the globe.

When Americans even ask “Can the US ban RedNote?”, we suddenly realize the internet has already connected us all. Those notions of the other side being “unreachable” or “closed off” might have just been misconceptions.

So, whether you’re an American “TikTok refugee” or a longtime Chinese Xiaohongshu user, why not keep tossing jokes and banter back and forth in the comments?

The world is so vast, and with the internet so accessible, let’s seize this special encounter and discover the spark in each other. After all, it’s only when we truly start talking that we find out what people are really like, instead of being bound by outdated stereotypes.

Take Cross-Cultural Exchange a Step Further

After seeing the fun interactions between Chinese and American netizens on Xiaohongshu, you might be wondering: could you bring your business or creative ideas to China, and truly transform this cross-cultural exchange into a business opportunity? We are a professional finance and tax service team, specializing in registering foreign-invested companies in China, and we also assist with domestic company registrations.

If you want to set up a company in China, expand your operations, and seize the opportunities in this vast market—we can help you manage every step of the process, ensuring everything is handled smoothly. That way, you can continue enjoying memes and sharing cat photos while genuinely taking root and growing in the Chinese market. If you’re interested, feel free to reach out to us anytime. Let’s work together to make “cross-cultural” more tangible and more exciting!