Who Is Xiaopang? The Viral Chinese Dog Who Loves Roast Duck On TikTok Explained

A Chinese dog named Xiaopang has taken over the Western internet. He apparently loves roast duck but his owner won't stop framing him and then snitching on him for "stealing."

Xiaopang, also written Xiao Pang or 小胖 in Mandarin, has been popping up in viral videos across TikTok, Instagram and Twitter / X over the past few months. However, Xiaopang's owner doesn't actually post to any of the aforementioned platforms. Xiaopang's virality started on China's Douiyin, spreading to the American netizens who (of course) also want him to get a fair trial.

So, who is Xiaopang the Chinese dog? Where do the original videos come from and why has he gone viral? Let's explain.

Who Is Xiaopang The Dog?

Xiaopang is an orange dog from Chinese social media whose owner routinely tricks him into stealing food. His owner gives him food and then exclaims that he stole it. He then corners Xiaopang and confronts him for his "crime," causing Xiaopang to growl, bear his teeth and defend himself.

Xiaopang videos are surprisingly wholesome, akin to many viral animals and pets. Xiaopang's virality lies in the internet's need to defend his (what should be obvious) honor, displayed in viral posts about him.

What Does 'Xiaopang' Mean In Chinese?

The Chinese word "小胖" (xiǎopàng) translates to the word "chubby" in English. So, technically, Xiaopang the dog's real name is Chubby. Alternatively, "xiǎo pàng" with a space roughly translates to "little fatty," so, that could also be the dog's moniker.

What's Xiaopang The Dog's Actual Account?

Xiaopang's actual account is on China's TikTok alternative Douyin. On there, the dog and his owner have over 525,000 followers and 11 million likes across 238 videos. They started posting content sometime in 2023.

Xiaopang does not have a TikTok or Instagram account despite multiple accounts that seemingly belong to the owner. However, without these repost accounts, people outside of China might have never seen Xiaopang.

Where Is Xiaopang The Dog From?

Xiaopang and his owner live in China's Shandong province, according to their Douyin bio. The Shandong province is just south of China's capital Beijing.

What's The 'Xiaopang Roast Duck' Meme?

There are multiple videos about Xiaopang stealing roast duck and "mother" catching him. Roast duck seems to be one of Xiaopang's favorite human snacks and the recurring motif has earned meme attention, most notably in a viral X post shared earlier this week.

In turn, memes using the keywords "Xiaopang," "roast duck" and "mother" are popping up on social media. It's vaguely similar to the "cats can have a little salami" meme, evident in memes that have already combined the two.

Is Xiaopang In Distress?

Viral discourse has ensued about whether Xiaopang is in distress or not. Some internet users have alleged that Xiaopang's expressions, like bearing teeth and growling, could infer animal cruelty.

However, the allegations have seemingly been debunked after videos revealed that Xiaopang's owner trained his dog to bear his teeth and growl on command. It seems that Xiaopang is just a good actor and that his owner is a good owner after all.

Why Is Xiaopang Viral?

Xiaopang and his owner's antics combine multiple elements from recent meme history that produce proven virality.

For one, Xiaopang is a dog, and a cute and silly one at that. So, with the "framing and snitching" bit as the backbone and the excellent dog acting as the flesh, Xiaopang was always destined to be a viral (and international) sensation.

The x-factor in the Xiaopang meme is China. Whether it's Chinese Panda Reaction Images, the emotional Chinese Beaver or the similarly named Xiao Xiao, there's a proven track record of Chinese content seeping out of the internet hermit kingdom and going viral on the global internet. Western internet users are inherently fascinated by what's going on in China — a country that has so many creative people and meme makers who are shut off from everyone else.

Xiaopang is just another viral Chinese meme that adds to the growing collective consciousness that China is a meme-making equal and that incredible things are happening there — and they're all happening without the West's influence.

For the full history of Xiaopang the Chinese Dog, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's entry for even more information.