Meaning:

“隐形” means “invisible,” “贫困” means “poverty-stricken,” and “人口” means “population.” This term, which suddenly caught on this week, refers to those who live a quality life and spend a lot of money on food, clothing, gym, spas, commuting, housing and other daily expenses, which leaves them little or no money on their bank accounts. Many Chinese netizens, especially young people, readily identify themselves as a member of the “invisible poverty-stricken population.” This in fact reflects the prevalence of consumerism and changing attitudes towards spending in China. The younger generation, especially those born after the 1980s, are willing to spend money on quality life and even borrow to spend.

Example:

A: 你又买新包包了？日子过得很滋润啊。

Nǐ yòu mǎi xīn bāobāo le？Rìzi guò de hěn zīrùn a。

You’ve bought another new bag? You do have a lot of extra money to spend.

B: 我是隐形贫困人口，每个月都数着手指盼发工资的那天。

Wǒ shì yǐnxíng pínkùn rénkǒu，měigèyuè dōu shù zhe shǒuzhǐ pàn fā gōngzī de nàtiān。

I’m one of those “invisibly poor” people. Every month I count the days before the paycheck arrives.