Thread by @InsiderAsia

The typical Chinese millennial makes $22,000 a year but has no student debt, grew up in an economic boom, and has learned how to outhustle everyone else.

Meet some of them here. 👇

insider.com/meet-the-typic…

While millennials in the US are known for enduring financial crises, those in China grew up during a period of economic reform.

China's millennials — those born between 1981 and 1996 — started working while the country's GDP per capita soared. 💸

insider.com/meet-the-typic…

Millennials in China are expected to own an apartment, get a high-paying job, and find a spouse by the time they hit 30.

⏰ The country's major tech companies celebrate working six days a week, 12 hours a day, as part of a "hustle culture."

insider.com/meet-the-typic…

🏠 The pressure to grab property in China is high because it practically makes or breaks your chances of getting married.

Chinese men are expected to purchase homes before they can tie the knot.

insider.com/meet-the-typic…

Though nearly a quarter of Chinese millennials have bachelor's degrees, they don't usually take student loans.

In fact, student debt is virtually nonexistent in China because education is so cheap, and most get their college paid for by their parents. 📚

insider.com/meet-the-typic…

The job market in China is inundated by the high volume of graduates every year.

China's total unemployment rate fell to 5% in May, but it can still be difficult for millennials to find high-level jobs. 💼

insider.com/meet-the-typic…

The average annual salary of a millennial in China is about $21,804, about $1,200 less a year than their older counterparts.

Millennials in China are savers: Even those who make less than average tend to save more than half of each paycheck. 🏦

insider.com/meet-the-typic…

For the typical Chinese millennial, the definition of success is best summed up in one word: 孨.

Pronounced "zhuan," this term was coined in 2012 to refer to three essential pillars of success: house (房子), car (车子), and wife (妻子).

insider.com/meet-the-typic…

💍 Though Chinese millennials might be on dating sites, the average marriage age of a Shanghai resident has been inching up.

In 2020, China hit the lowest marriage rate in two decades, with women in particular being less willing to settle.

insider.com/meet-the-typic…

Delaying marriage and childbirth isn't the only way Chinese millennials are reshaping their country.

This year, a new trend emerged: Some Chinese millennials are choosing to reject the rat race and "lie flat."

insider.com/meet-the-typic…

Even in the face of COVID-19, the climate crisis, and a fraught international landscape, Chen Hai Ying believes Chinese millennials can build a life that's better than their parents'.

insider.com/meet-the-typic…