Word spread, including to 21-year-old Carrie Huang. Two weeks ago, Ms. Huang set up a circle at the prestigious Renmin University of China, where she studies finance. “My friends and I, we all felt that we do that — we underestimate ourselves,” she said in an interview. “It has to do with our education and background. Our parents tell us, ‘You are girls, get yourself a stable life and don’t have too much ambition.”’

Many young Chinese women, especially in cities, are highly educated and beginning to overtake men in some college subjects — Ms. Huang said there were 16 women and 7 men in her finance class — but deep cultural messages hold them back.

“We fear we aren’t good enough. We lack confidence,” Ms. Huang said, adding that many women in China prioritize their boyfriends’ or husbands’ goals. “What we need is the courage to try different things,” she said. “It’s about discovering what you want to do. Parents have wishes for us, and it’s hard to change.”

At their weekly meetings, Ms. Huang said, she and her half-dozen “circlers,” some of whom are male, plan to raise specific questions. “We want to talk about ‘strong women’ and how men see them — as aggressive or bossy?”

Not everyone likes the Chinese translation of the book’s impactful English title. Some snickered that it was similar to the message found in men’s public urinals to “please take a step forward.”

Ms. Huang says it doesn’t quite catch the psychological nature of Ms. Sandberg’s message. “It makes it sound like it’s about overcoming external obstacles, taking a step forward,” she said. “But actually, this book is about overcoming your inner obstacles.”

Either way, experienced Chinese feminists have welcomed it.

“I think her message is definitely an empowering one, calling for more women to get to the deal table,” said Feng Yuan, an activist for gender rights and equality.