China's Top New Words

The phrases mentioned in this article were popular both on the Internet and in real life. Five people shared their opinions on the list

Zhu Kaili, 29, employee of a telecom equipment company

Originally, tuhao was a negative phrase. Thanks to the enthusiasm and creativity of netizens, however, its connotations have become much broader. It's a popular subject for jokes. For instance, if a friend is having porridge and you are having steak, you will be jokingly called atuhao. When my workmates buy electric rice cookers worth 300 yuan ($49.47), but mine is worth 1,000 yuan ($164.9), I was called a tuhao. And we are OK with this. It is just fun.

Tuhao is not an insult but a neutral word, and to some degree it could even be considered a compliment. I would be glad if someone called me tuhao, because first of all, you have to be rich to be tuhao. And tuhao means paying attention to the quality of your life.

Huang Jiajia, 25, employee of a foreign trade company

The purchasing power of Chinese dama shook the gold market this year. They withstood the biggest intra-day increase in gold prices and also survived its sudden decline. Faced with the worsening situation of gold, they turned their hands to real estate. They flew to Jeju Island of South Korea, purchasing properties and giving the sluggish South Korean real estate market a shot in the arm.

In this regard, Chinese dama is more like a phenomenon, a mark of our time. They are not different from foreign dama in terms of irrational investment. Their blind purchasing behavior is actually a reflection of the conflict between the surging demand for more investment opportunities and the narrow space for private capital. Chinese dama are both lovely and annoying. They are actually our older generation, and we just wish not to be like them in the future.

Li Nan, 27, employee at a research institute

I think the reason the rubber duck was so popular was because it reminds us of our childhood memories. When I was little, my mom always put a small yellow rubber duck in the tub as company while giving me a bath. Today, people in this modern city forget those simple joys from the beginning of life. The huge Rubber Duck awakened us.

When the Rubber Duck came to Beijing, I took my one-year-old daughter to see it. It was indeed thrilling! When my daughter saw the huge duck, she was very excited. And I bought a miniature of the Rubber Duck for her as a gift.

Yang Rongrong, 32, a housewife

The new policy that allows families to have two children if one of the parents is an only child is great. Many qualified couples can have a second child if they want. But to have the right is one thing, while actually having a second child is quite another. I won't have a second child myself. To bring up a child asks for too much time and energy. I have a 3-year-old whom I adore so much, but I don't want to experience the pregnancy and baby-care process again. The financial burden brought by a second child is another reason.

Li Xin, 32, a human resources supervisor

A large number of young people are working hard, saving every penny to buy an apartment through a mortgage in big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Gong Aiai possesses more than 40 apartments in Beijing. This is appalling.

People can't help asking: How could she get so much money as a former deputy chief of the Shenmu Rural Commercial Bank? How did she do it under the strict house purchase limit in the big cities?

The truth was she forged a number of IDs. This reveals a big loophole in the management and regulation of house purchases and ID registration. What's more, she may not be the only one who has abused the privilege to acquire so much property. This is even more alarming.