县城婆罗门

Meaning:

The term “县城” translates as “county,” denoting an administrative region smaller than a city; while “婆罗门” represents “Brahmin,” the highest caste in India comprising priests and scholars. Chinese netizens coined this term to refer to the elite class — the affluent and influential — in counties. Unlike urban counterparts who can ascend the social hierarchy through talent, diligence, and luck, those in counties face limited opportunities for high-paying jobs and entrepreneurship. Therefore, they more or less rely on familial relations that confer advantages in competitions.

Example:

A: 五一你去哪儿了？

Wǔyī nǐ qù nǎr le？

Where did you travel to during the May Day holiday?

B: 回老家参加了一个中学同学的婚礼。她嫁的那一家是县城婆罗门，婚礼场面相当豪华，伴手礼是爱马仕丝巾。

Huí lǎojiā cānjiā le yīge zhōngxué tóngxué de hūnlǐ。Tā jiàde nà yījiā shì xiànchéng póluómén，hūnlǐ chǎngmiàn xiàngdāng háohuá，bànshǒulǐ shì àimǎshì sījīn。

I returned to my hometown for a middle school friend’s wedding. She married into a prominent and wealthy county family, and the ceremony was lavish, featuring Hermes silk scarves as mementos for all attendees.