The Chinese Leftover Woman: New Buzzword, Different Levels
Leftover is an odd word that usually conjures images of half eaten protein and vegetables. In China, however, leftover women are a social phenomenon referring to those females over the age of twenty-five who are unmarried.
The age threshold for leftover women fluctuates at it was once 30, and sometimes girls at the age of 20 claim they too are, alas, leftover.
All “leftover women” are highly educated, highly paid and highly independent.
Even being a leftover has its distinct variations in meanings. Between the ages of 25 and 27, women are considered “fighters” (sheng dou shi) which means they are still romantic enough to keep looking for true love.
Women between the ages of 28 and 31, fall into a different rather unpleasant tier known as the “doomed to be left” (bi sheng ke). This category of woman is said to have little chance of ever catching a husband as their work keeps them too busy to almost not care.
For those women who fall within the age group of 32 and 36, there is even less hope of marriage as they remain single in the professional world and are “leftover fighting Buddha.” Last but not least in this hierarchy is the category of women 36 and older who are considered “leftover goddesses.”
All of the different levels of leftover women have joined together in a single mantra:
“No house, no car, no bride.”
Single men in China, are you listening?
(Link)
By MDeeDubroff on 22-03-2011
