The Chinese Leftover Woman..

Leftover women in China speak their heart out “No house,

no car, no bride”

Background: Leftover women, 剩女 (shengnv), a buzzword in China used to describe single or unmarried women over the age of 25 (the age threshold of being a leftover woman keeps lowering. It used to 30, now 25. But sometimes you will find girls around 20 claiming they are leftover women). There are different hierarchies of leftover women. Single women between 25 and 27 are the “fighters” (剩斗士, sheng dou shi), meaning that they still have the courage and energy to keep looking for true love. Women between 28 and 31 are the “doomed to be left” (必剩客, bi sheng ke, pronounced the same as Pizzahut in China), meaning that their chances of being ever married is very low and they are oftentimes too busy working to land a husband. Women between 32 and 36 are “leftover fighting Buddha” (斗战剩佛), meaning that they survive the cruel professional world but still remain single. Women of 36 and older are “leftover goddess” (齐天大剩).

Leftover women are not only single, not usually “three-high women”, too, – highly-educated, highly-paid and highly independent. The music video below is a song by leftover women. Their key message? If you want to marry me, get a car and a house.

Lyrics:

 多情的阳光 洒落在你的脸庞 

 Warm sunshine falling on your face.  

看看周围的小伙 个个都挺娘

Looking around and you find tons of girly-men

女人的渴望就是要有车和房

What a woman wants is a man with car and house

嫁对人是最大的愿望

Marrying Mr. Right is the ultimate dream

问你有没有车问你有没有房

Do you have a car, do you have a house

我妈妈她也问你存折有几张

My mom will also inquire the size of your savings account

假如你没有车 假如你也没有房

If you have no car, nor a house

赶紧靠边别把路来挡

Hurry off and don’t stand in my way

我也有车 我也有房

I also have a car, I also have a house

还有人民币在银行

As well as RMB in the bank

你们要是还没有我强

If you are not even as successful as I am

别吃软饭我不是你的娘

Don’t think of living off me, I am not your mom

你没有车 你没有房

If you have no car, nor a house

别想把美女泡上床

Don’t expect to hook up with any hotties

装穷哥你不就开个破宝马

No need to pretend to be poor, you only drive a BMW

别装大款你把我来包养

Don’t pretend to be rich, I am not your mistress

你没有车 你没有房

If you have no car, nor a house

你还想结婚当新郎

How can you expect to be a groom

如果你生活都没奔小康

If you are not yet established

凭什么我和你去流浪

Why should I stay unsettled with you

你说我现实我承认也无妨

You say I am pragmatic, that I admit

骂我拜金我也不受伤

Call me a money worshipper, I don’t care

男人总得有个男人的模样

A man should be what a man is meant to be

没车没房 你别想找新娘

No car, no house, no bride!

Source: link