The income gap in China is a topic of frequent discussion, and below are some relevant terms that can help you understand news reports as well as participate in discussions of your own.

Numerous reports of the Foxconn employees leaving their 宿舍 (su4she4 – dormitories) to 跳楼 (tiao4lou2 – jump [from a] building) has raised questions about the working conditions that could lead to 自杀 (zi4sha1 – suicide).  Factory workers aren’t the only people facing this 生活压力 (sheng1huo3ya1li4 – life stress), as the 贫富差距 pin2fu4 cha1ju4 – gap between poor and rich) grows 越来越大 (yue4lai2yue4da4 – getting larger and larger).  Almost everyone I ask talks about the stress of 养家 (yang3jia1 – providing for one’s family) and their fears of 养不起家 (yang3bu4qi3jia1 – being unable to provide for one’s family).  Younger people will work tirelessly at their jobs because they know they have to 养老 (yang2(3)lao3 – take care of [elderly] parents) and will need money.  The stress becomes taxing to the point where people 受不了 (shou4bu4liao3 – cannot take it) or 忍不住 (ren3bu2zhu4 – cannot endure it).  Even those among the 暴发户 (bao4fa1hu4 – new rich) know how fortunate they are to have escaped (if only temporarily) the drag of the rat race.