In Guangdong, party officials have instructed the rank and file not to use “boss” or “big guy” (dai lao or lao ban in Cantonese) when addressing supervisors, saying that such terms disturb the party’s “internal democracy.”

Xinhua linked the directive to part of a campaign advanced by President Xi Jinping, who has taken aim at what he calls “four forms of decadence” among Chinese party officials, among them formalism, too much bureaucracy, hedonism and extravagance.

What the connection might be between terms like “dude” or “pal” and fighting decadence is isn’t exactly clear.