This date was chosen for the connection between single people and the number 1, which is repeated four times in the date 11/11.

The origin of the holiday is unclear, but the most popular variant claims that it was first celebrated in Nanjing University in 1993. The holiday has been popularized via the Internet and is now observed by youth across China.

Chinese Singles' Day is similar to South Korean Black Day. It is an opportunity for single young people to have parties with their single friends. It was originally only celebrated by young men, but now both genders participate in the events. On November 11, many schools and universities organize special events for singles. Blind date parties are popular among those who want to put an end to their single status.

Many singles eat a traditional breakfast consisting of four youtiao and one baozi that symbolize the date 11.11. Youtaio is a long deep-fried strip of dough that represents the number 1, and baozi is a steamed stuffed bun that represents the dot in the middle of the date.

Over the last few years, many companies have been using Singles' Day to target young consumers.