"Budget wife" is the female counterpart of "budget husband," a concept introduced at least four years ago. The 2009 publication of the book Me and My Budget Husband popularized the term, and its 2012 transformation¹ into a TV drama series fueled the term's further spread.

 

经济适用女（budget wife）是经济适用男（budget husband）的对照版，经济适用男这一概念至少出现在四年前。2009年，一本名为《我和我的经济适用男》的书让这个说法得到普及，而2012年这本书改编的电视剧让这个词被更多人熟知。

 

The word "budget husband" originates from the word "budget housing", government subsidized public housing for low-income households. As the name implies, budget husbands' economic power trails that of "diamond husbands" -- intelligent, educated, rich, and well-mannered men from respectable families. Nonetheless, a budget husband is the new ideal among Chinese female white-collar workers.

 

“经济适用男”一词来源于“经济适用房”，即政府为低收入家庭出资提供的公共性住房。由名字可以看出，经济适用男的经济实力不如那些“钻石男”，即来自上流家庭、聪明、有学识、有钱且有修养的男子。不过，经济适用男据说是中国女性白领们新近的理想对象。

 

One of the main characteristics of a budget husband is that he be "normal." Not ugly but not too handsome; neither poor nor rich. In short: mediocre².

 

经济适用男一个主要的特点是“普通”。不丑但也不会太帅，不穷也不算有钱。简而言之就是，平凡。

 

But this mediocrity promises stability. Budget husbands are reliable, both financially and emotionally. They will loyally stay at home and take care of the house; they will not go out to bars or have extramarital affairs. (Source: .theatlantic.com)

 

不过，这种平凡却能保证稳定。经济适用男们不管从经济上还是情感上都比较可靠。他们会乖乖待在家，照看家里，不会出去泡吧，也不会有婚外恋。

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