As the world celebrates the Lunar New Year of the Snake, a quirky trend called toxic snake gleeking, in which foreigners mimic the reptile in a playful manner, has taken TikTok by storm.
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The snake, the sixth animal in the Chinese zodiac’s 12-year cycle, is traditionally associated with intelligence, resilience, and love, despite often having a negative reputation in Western cultures.
However, amid the festive celebrations, foreign audiences have found their own playful way to join in, imitating the serpent’s “venomous spitting” by showcasing their ability to gleek.
Gleeking is the act of accidentally shooting saliva from under the tongue while eating, talking, or yawning, much like venomous snakes that can deliver a spray or a mist of venom.
The trend has gone viral on TikTok in recent weeks, racking up millions of views as viewers posted humorous videos showing the skill.
Some even turn it into a playful weapon, jokingly saying they would “spit” at people who annoyed them or prank their friends.