先挣它一个亿

First, let's make 100 million
Pronounced xiān zhèng tā yī gè yì in Mandarin
2016 classic 微博 ★★★★★ consumerism

What Does 先挣它一个亿 Mean?

The jaw-dropping gap between his 'small' and everyone else's reality turned it into instant comedy gold. Now used ironically whenever someone names an absurdly ambitious target while pretending it's no big deal. Think 'I'll just casually conquer the universe first.'

Origin Story

Billionaire Wang Jianlin's 2016 advice to young entrepreneurs: 'Set a small goal first — for example, make 100 million yuan.' The phrase became the template for all absurdly humble claims about enormous amounts. The framing of 100 million as a 'small goal' captured China's wealth gap in one sentence.

Cultural Context

In 2016, China's wealth inequality was a hot-button issue as a new billionaire class emerged alongside millions of young people struggling with stagnant wages and skyrocketing urban living costs. Wang Jianlin's offhand remark crystallized public frustration and became a sardonic shorthand for the yawning gap between the ultra-rich and ordinary workers dreaming of financial stability. The term originated and spread primarily on Weibo.

Similar Expressions in English

Like 'just casually make a billion' — ironic use of modesty framing for enormous figures. Similar to Jeff Bezos giving advice about 'small businesses' while running Amazon.

How Is It Used?

先挣它一个亿,然后再考虑买房的事。
First let's make 100 million, then we can think about buying an apartment.
定个小目标,先挣它一个亿吧!
Set yourself a modest little goal — first, let's rake in 100 million yuan!

Chinese Explanation (中文解释)

王健林在采访中提出的"小目标",指先赚一个亿,成为嘲讽贫富差距的流行梗。

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