Meaning:

    “房” means “house,” and “虫” means “bugs.” The term refers to people who buy apartments as an investment rather than accommondation. Unlike specialized real estate agents, these people don’t charge commissions but try to earn money by buying cheap and selling expensive. These people are blamed for helping drive up the housing prices on the Chinese mainland.

    Example:

    A: 小李年纪轻轻怎么不工作？

    Xiǎolǐ niánjì qīngqīng zěnme bù gōngzuò?

    Why doesn’t Xiaoli work? He’s still so young.

    B: 他是房虫，前几年已经赚了大钱，实现了财务自由，所以现在不需要工作了。

    Tā shì fángchóng, qián jǐnián yǐjīng zhuàn le dàqián, shíxiàn le cáiwù zìyóu, suǒyǐ xiànzài bù xūyào gōngzuò le。

    He is a “house bug” (house investor) and has made a lot of money speculating in the housing market. Now he is financially free and doesn’t need a job.