No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_CostOfRevenueAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
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- Definition

Represents the advertising revenues contract term.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	yy_AdvertisingRevenuesContractTerm
Namespace Prefix:	yy_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the amount of refund to be provided to student who withdraws fund after the trial period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	yy_AmountOfRefundToBeProvidedToStudentWhoWithdrawsFundAfterTrialPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	yy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the rate of business tax imposed on revenues prior to the Pilot Program's being applied.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	yy_BusinessTaxRatePriorToPilotProgramBeingApplied
Namespace Prefix:	yy_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the period of estimated user relationship to recognize revenues.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	yy_EstimatedUserRelationshipPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	yy_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the period of initial course term.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	yy_InitialCourseTerm
Namespace Prefix:	yy_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the maximum period over which each virtual item is made available to the user.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	yy_MaximumPeriodOverWhichEachVirtualItemIsMadeAvailableToUsers
Namespace Prefix:	yy_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of arrangements into which virtual items may be sold individually or bundled.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	yy_NumberOfArrangementIntoWhichVirtualItemsSoldIndividuallyOrBundled
Namespace Prefix:	yy_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of trial class of the purchased course.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	yy_NumberOfTrialClassOfPurchasedCourse
Namespace Prefix:	yy_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the number of types of third party developed online games.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	yy_NumberOfTypesOfThirdPartyDevelopedOnlineGames
Namespace Prefix:	yy_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the period over which amount billed to the third party advertising agencies and direct advertisers are due for payment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	yy_PaymentsAccrualPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	yy_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the period of revenue-sharing contracts.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	yy_PeriodOfRevenueSharingContracts
Namespace Prefix:	yy_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the tax rate of surcharges on business taxes and VAT.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	yy_SurchargesRateOnBusinessTaxAndValueAddedTax
Namespace Prefix:	yy_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the percentage of tax rate on advertising service income subjected to cultural development fee.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	yy_TaxRateOnAdvertisingServiceIncome
Namespace Prefix:	yy_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the rate at which value-added tax is levied on revenue of the entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	yy_ValueAddedTaxRate
Namespace Prefix:	yy_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=yy_InternetValueAddedServicesRevenueMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=yy_OnlineGameRevenueMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=yy_ThirdPartyDevelopedOnlineGamesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=yy_OnlineMusicAndEntertainmentRevenueMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=yy_AdvertisingRevenuesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=yy_OnlineEducationRevenuesMember
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Principal accounting policies (Revenue Recognition and Cost of Revenues - Narrative) (Details) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended			24 Months Ended
	Jun. 01, 2014	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015
Cost of revenues
Tax rate on service income from provision of advertising services in the PRC (as a percent)		3.00%
Surcharges on business taxes and VAT (as a percent)		12.00%	12.00%	12.00%
Minimum [Member]
Cost of revenues
VAT (as a percent)		6.00%
Maximum [Member]
Cost of revenues
VAT (as a percent)		17.00%
IVAS revenue [Member]
Cost of revenues
Business taxes prior to the Pilot Program's being applied (as a percent)	3.00%
Online games revenue [Member]
Cost of revenues
VAT (as a percent)	6.00%
Third party developed online games [Member]
Revenue recognition [Line Items]
Number of types of third party developed online games		2
Third party developed online games [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Revenue recognition [Line Items]
Period of revenue-sharing contracts		1 year
Estimated user relationship period		1 month
Third party developed online games [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Revenue recognition [Line Items]
Period of revenue-sharing contracts		2 years
Estimated user relationship period		6 months
Online music and entertainment revenue [Member]
Revenue recognition [Line Items]
Maximum period over which each virtual item is made available to the user		1 year
Number of arrangements into which virtual items may be sold individually or bundled		1
Advertising revenues [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Revenue recognition [Line Items]
Advertising revenues contract term		1 month
Advertising revenues [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Revenue recognition [Line Items]
Advertising revenues contract term		3 months
Period over which payments are due		6 months
Online Education Revenues [Member]
Revenue recognition [Line Items]
Number of trial class of the purchased course		1
Amount of refund to be provided to student who withdraws fund after the trial period		$ 0
Initial course term					6 months
Online Education Revenues [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Revenue recognition [Line Items]
Advertising revenues contract term		1 month
Online Education Revenues [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Revenue recognition [Line Items]
Advertising revenues contract term		3 months