ETYMOLOGY
The concept went viral after the 2009 TV drama Dwelling Narrowness, where the relatable character Xiao Bei - an average-income but devoted boyfriend - resonated more with viewers than flashy rich rivals.
A 2013 Weibo hashtag #HowToSpotABudgetHubby# went mega-viral (500k+ posts) by listing criteria like 'can fix a leaky faucet' and 'remembers your menstrual cycle'. Lifestyle influencers soon flooded Chinese social media with listicles like '10 Reasons to Marry a Budget Hubby'.
Cultural context explaining its endurance:
China's 'leftover women' phenomenon pressured educated women to compromiseSkyrocketing home prices made 'starter husbands' a pragmatic choiceModern usage example:
'Why chase unicorns when a Budget Hubby gives you 80% spouse functionality at 50% cost?' - Douban relationship forum user