五毛

wǔmáo

noun

Meanings

1 fifty cents (0.5 RMB)
2 a paltry sum of money
3 (derogatory slang) someone accused of being paid to post pro-government comments online

Characters

10 cents (1/10 yuan)

Examples

HSK 3

这本书才五毛钱。

Zhè běn shū cái wǔmáo qián.

This book costs only fifty cents.

HSK 5

在网上说别人是五毛，就是在骂人。

Zài wǎngshàng shuō biéren shì wǔmáo, jiùshì zài màrén.

Calling someone a "fifty-center" online is an insult.

Tips

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The slang sense, short for 五毛党 ("fifty-cent party"), takes its name from a rumoured fee of 0.5 yuan per post. It is an insult: calling someone 五毛 accuses them of being paid for their opinions, so avoid it in conversation.

Stroke Order

五 wǔ

毛 máo