Meaning:
“发” means to “grow,” and “福” means “happiness, fortune.” However, this term is the nightmare for middle-aged people. A common euphemistic term that means “growing fat, especially around the midriff,” this term is often used to describe people in their 40s and 50s, who grow fat for lack of exercise and a slower metabolism that comes with aging.
Example:
A: 最近你好像有点发福。
Zuìjìn nǐ hǎoxiàng yǒudiǎn fāfú。
You have grown a little plump around your midriff lately.
B: 是啊，天天加班，都没时间去运动。
Shì a, tiāntiān jiābān, dōu méi shíjiān qù yùndòng。
I have. I’m doing a lot of overtime and have no time to exercise.
A: 一定要注意啊，发福不仅影响形象，还存在健康隐患。
Yīdìng yào zhùyì a, fāfú bùjǐn yǐngxiǎng xíngxiàng, hái cúnzài jiànkāng yǐnhuàn。
You’d better do something about it. Putting on weight does not only harm your appearance, but also can pose health hazards.
(Edited by Stephanie Yang)