Humor as the Politeness Strategy in Rednote posts among the Digital Refugees

This study explores how digital refugees—users who moved from TikTok to RedNote—use humor to adapt to a new platform and sociocultural environment. RedNote has its own unique communication style, including local memes, pinyin-based slang, and visual jokes. For newcomers, humor becomes a useful way to reduce pressure, show politeness, and build social connections. Based on 30 authentic posts, this research applies discourse analysis to examine various types of humor, such as “cat tax” memes, playful usernames, dark humor, and self-mockery. The findings reveal that humor helps users express their identity, integrate into online communities, and navigate cultural differences. Humor is not only a form of entertainment, but also a social tool that supports learning and a sense of belonging.