"Passive Digital Nomadism" – A Study on Social Media Platform Migration and Chinese Language Acquisition Among Overseas Users: From TikTok to REDNote

Abstract

This study focuses on the implicit Chinese language acquisition that occurs among overseas users who—due to external policy factors—are passively driven from mainstream short-video platforms such as TikTok to REDNote, a platform primarily featuring Chinese-language content. Drawing upon multiple perspectives, including digital migration, implicit acquisition, sociocultural theory, and cross-cultural communication, this study reveals three main findings: first, the multimodal, highly cohesive community ecology of REDNote provides overseas users with a low-anxiety, authentic, and high-frequency environment for Chinese-language input; second, interactive features such as comments, live streaming, and private messaging prompt user output and peer feedback, thereby reinforcing internalization of language and cultural identity; third, the fragmented, lifestyle-oriented Chinese content unconsciously permeates rich cultural symbols, accelerating cross-cultural understanding. Based on these findings, this article suggests proactively incorporating authentic platform-based materials in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, promoting task-based teaching strategies and cross-cultural practice, and advocating in-depth collaborations between educational institutions and social media platforms to stimulate more potential learners’ enthusiasm for the Chinese language. This research not only expands the theoretical agenda that integrates passive platform switching with implicit learning, but also provides operational insights for sustainable innovation in international Chinese education in the context of new media and globalization.