每日英语：Consumer Lifestyles: China’s Middle Class

The overriding and dominant theme of the Chinese middle class is its almost manic desire to achieve status, to aspire to what it perceives to be a better life. To live in some comfort and space, to own consumer items ( be it a smartphone or luxury handbag) that is branded for success, to eat and drink at its leisure and to travel and see the world. To achieve this the Chinese middle class is willing to study and work hard, save to both protect themselves, their families and lifestyles for the future and invest in their children’s future to ensure their continuing future success and status.

 overriding：高于一切的，最重要的，践踏，压垮，不顾　　　　 manic：狂躁的，狂热的　　　　aspire to：追求，渴望，迫切地希望

 smartphone：智能手机　　　　luxury：奢侈的，奢华，享受　　　brand：商标，牌子，烙印，铭记　　　

invest in：投资于，寄希望于

The current middle class has largely emerged from the blue collar generation of the 1950s-1970s which did enjoy at least basic regular wages and a high level of subsidy in terms of food, housing and utilities (hence few families had trouble paying their bills). Significant rural-urban migration has driven rapid growth of the middle classes. A third of the middle class grew up outside of the cities they now live and concentrate in which supports the theory that urbanisation is a major driver of the creation and growth of China’s middle class.

emerge：浮现，摆脱，暴露，出现　　　　subsidy：补贴，津贴，补助金　　　　rural-urban migration：城乡迁移

urbanisation：城市化

Property ownership is a major cornerstone of the foundation of the Chinese middle class. The rise of the Chinese middle class is almost synonymous with opening up of china’s property market to private buying and selling in the late 1990s.

cornerstone：基础，奠基石　　　　Property ownership：财产所有权，产权制度　　　　synonymous：同义的

Essentially China’s middle class lives on its smartphone! Ownership is almost universal which is not surprising given that the middle class has been the group to most readily adopt and use the internet. Brand has become very important in technology in China in the last few years with Apple in particular doing very well. Technology items, particularly smartphones, are external shows of status – objects others can see and appreciate – communicating aspiration and success.

Essentially：本质上，本来，基本上　　　　external：外部的，表面的，外观　　　　aspiration：渴望，抱负，呼气

What is crucial to take away from this data is the overall love and desirability of luxury brands (it is after all highly unlikely that 46% of respondents had actually purchased a Chanel product in the last year!), the fact that the European brands are dominant in this market, and that whether they have actually purchased or not, only a minority of respondents are willing to say they have made no luxury purchases!

crucial：至关紧要的，决定性的　　　　

It does appear that the Chinese middle class has arrived, is still growing and developing. Its future growth will not be a repeat of the last decade as China’s economy slows, its demographics fundamentally shift and its urbanisation patterns change.

demographics：人口统计资料

Ultimately the growth in both middle class numbers and spend will come from tier 2 as wealth filters down in China and social movement occurs. We are not there yet, and it will take some time, but the common dream of the central government and brands and retailers that China’s consumer base should start to look more diamond-shaped (a few rich, a few poor and most people in the middle) rather than pyramidal, get a little closer.

retailers：零售商，传播的人　　　　diamond-shaped：菱形的，钻石形的