Strawberry generation (; or ) is a
Chinese-language
Chinese (, especially when referring to written Chinese) is a group of languages spoken natively by the ethnic Han Chinese majority and many minority ethnic groups in Greater China. About 1.3 billion people (or approximately 16% of the wor ...
neologism
A neologism Greek νέο- ''néo''(="new") and λόγος /''lógos'' meaning "speech, utterance"] is a relatively recent or isolated term, word, or phrase that may be in the process of entering common use, but that has not been fully accepted int ...
used in
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northe ...
for
Taiwanese people
Taiwanese people may be generally considered the people of Taiwan who share a common culture, ancestry and speak Taiwanese Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka or indigenous Taiwanese languages as a mother tongue. Taiwanese people may also refer to the i ...
born from 1990s onwards who "bruise easily" like strawberries – meaning they cannot withstand
social pressure
Peer pressure is the direct or indirect influence on peers, i.e., members of social groups with similar interests, experiences, or social statuses. Members of a peer group are more likely to influence a person's beliefs, values, and behavior. A g ...
or
work hard like their parents' generation; the term refers to people who are insubordinate,
spoiled,
selfish,
arrogant, and
sluggish in work.
The term arises from the perception that members of this generation have grown up being
overprotected by their parents and in an environment of stability, in a similar manner to how strawberries are grown in protected
greenhouse
A greenhouse (also called a glasshouse, or, if with sufficient heating, a hothouse) is a structure with walls and roof made chiefly of transparent material, such as glass, in which plants requiring regulated climatic conditions are grown.These ...
s and command a higher price compared to other fruits. The term gained prominence in the
Taiwanese press, as it could be a way to designate a rising
demographic
Demography () is the statistical study of populations, especially human beings.
Demographic analysis examines and measures the dimensions and dynamics of populations; it can cover whole societies or groups defined by criteria such as edu ...
or
psychographic
Psychographics is a qualitative methodology used to describe traits of humans on psychological attributes. Psychographics have been applied to the study of personality, values, opinions, attitudes, interests, and lifestyles. Two approaches t ...
in terms of
consumer behavior
Consumer behavior is the study of individuals, groups, or organizations and all the activities associated with the purchase, use and disposal of goods and services. Consumer behaviour consists of how the consumer's emotions, attitudes, and ...
.
Ironic usage

In an
ironic
Irony (), in its broadest sense, is the juxtaposition of what on the surface appears to be the case and what is actually the case or to be expected; it is an important rhetorical device and literary technique.
Irony can be categorized into ...
reference to the term, a 2008 student-led political movement in Taiwan started the
Wild Strawberries Movement. This movement was in response to the visit of
China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (
ARATS) chairman
Chen Yunlin
Chen Yunlin (; born December 1941) was the chairman of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), the body responsible for negotiations with Taiwan in the People's Republic of China in 2008–2013.
Early life
Chen was born ...
to the island.
Police actions on protests aimed at Chen suppressed the display of
Taiwan's national flag and the playing of Taiwanese songs. This prompted a group of 400 students in
Taipei
Taipei (), officially Taipei City, is the capital and a special municipality of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Located in Northern Taiwan, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about southwest of the ...
,
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northe ...
, to begin a
sit-in
A sit-in or sit-down is a form of direct action that involves one or more people occupying an area for a protest, often to promote political, social, or economic change. The protestors gather conspicuously in a space or building, refusing to m ...
in front of the
Executive Yuan
The Executive Yuan () is the executive branch of the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Its leader is the Premier, who is appointed by the President of the Republic of China, and requires confirmation by the Legislative Yuan.
Unde ...
in protest of Taiwan's Parade and Assembly Law ().
See also
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9X Generation
Thế hệ 9X (literally "9X Generation", often referred to simply as 9X) is a Vietnamese term for people born during the 1990s. The usage of 9X was used to refer to both Vietnamese people and people of varying Asian cultures born during the 1990 ...
*
Buddha-like mindset
Buddha-like (), or fo xi using its Chinese pronunciation, is a buzzword used in China to describe young people who reject the rat race of the contemporary workaholic Chinese society in favour of a tranquil, apathetic life. The term is a neologis ...
*
Helicopter parent
A helicopter parent (also called a cosseting parent or simply a cosseter) is a parent who pays extremely close attention to a child's or children's experiences and problems, particularly at educational institutions. Helicopter parents are so named ...
*
Hothousing
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Kiasi
* ''
Kyoiku mama''
*
N-po generation N-po generation (Hangul: N포세대; Hanja: N抛世代; RR: ''N-posedae'', "Numerous giving-up generation") is a new term for the generation of people who have given up on numerous things in South Korea. It first began as Sampo generation, and wa ...
*
Satori generation
is a Japanese language neologism used to describe young Japanese who have seemingly achieved the Buddhist enlightened state free from material desires but who have in reality given up ambition and hope due to macro-economic trends. The term was ...
*
Snowflake (slang)
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Tang ping
''Tang ping'' () is a lifestyle and social protest movement in China beginning in April 2021. It is a rejection of societal pressures to overwork, such as in the 996 working hour system, which is often regarded as a rat race with ever dimini ...
References
External links
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Chinese words and phrases
Cultural generations
Economy of Taiwan
Demographics of Taiwan
Neologisms
Taiwanese culture
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