Tunjinshou Money-swallowing beast

China's State Council issued a document in late July, proposing a package of policies aiming to encourage couples to have a third child. However, many netizens were unimpressed, saying they really could not afford one more tunjinshou – “money-swallowing beast.”

The term reportedly originated from a viral short video in 2018 that compared parenting to raising a rare animal without a manual or instructions. You not only have to feed them but also teach them all sorts of skills – all of which cost a lot of money.

The term found widespread use in 2019 when an unnamed mother posted a 74,000 yuan (US$11,427) bill for her child's two-month summer vacation to social media. Activities included English classes, Math Olympiad training, Lego building and taekwondo, as well as a study tour overseas. While some netizens dismissed the post as an excuse for the woman to flaunt her wealth and that the parents are to blame for pushing their kids so hard, others said the bill was just more proof how expensive it is to raise a child. Many commented that education is the greatest expense for families as more sign up children for training classes in the hopes of giving them a leg-up in the face of increasingly fiercer competition.

In response to the trend, the central government issued a document on July 28 that aims to reduce workloads for students in and outside of school by restricting companies from holding tutoring classes on weekends or during holidays.