“蟻族”指的是成千上萬剛畢業不久的大學生，他們為了尋求自我發展的機會來到大城市過著聚居的生活；然而，高昂的生活成本及飛漲的房價卻讓他們掙扎在社會的邊緣。針對中國80后這一群體，作家廉思寫了一本書，“蟻族”一詞便由此而來。

The term "ant tribe" was coined by Lian Si, the author of a book about China's post-80s generation, to refer to recent graduates who crowd into slums in the country's big cities in search of work. The high cost of living and skyrocketing rents have left them struggling on the margins of society.

由社會科學文獻出版社發布的《中國人才藍皮書》透露，據調查，在中國各大城市生活著100多萬這樣的“蟻民”。

According to a survey in the Blue Book about the country's talents, which was released by the Social Sciences Academy Press, more than 1 million such 'ants' live in the big cities of China.

北京地區這類大學畢業生人數最多，有10萬人以上；與北京情況類似的城市還有廣州、西安、重慶、太原、鄭州、南京等。

Beijing has the largest number with more than 100,000, and numbers not far short of this can be found in Guangzhou, Xi'an, Chongqing, Taiyuan, Zhengzhou and Nanjing.

在“蟻族”聚居的破舊房屋周圍，通常密布著小飯館、網吧、發廊和診所。

The areas around the shabby houses inhabited by the "ant tribe" are usually crowded with tiny restaurants, Internet bars, hair salons and clinics.

“蟻民們”沒有穩定的工作，他們的月平均收入在2000元（約合301.07美元）以下。

The "ants" often don't have stable jobs and their average salary is below 2,000 yuan (US$301.07) per month.

廉思表示，“這個群體與螞蟻很相像。他們聚居在狹窄的空間里，有著高智商，很勤奮，但不為人知，收入也很低。”

"They have all the characteristics of ants," Lian said. "They live in colonies in cramped spaces; they're intelligent, hardworking, yet anonymous and underpaid."

(China.org.cn November 26, 2010)