The characters combine to create a stark, sequential meaning: (未富) Not yet rich, (先老) but first, old. The order is critical. It's not just about being old and not rich; it's about the process of aging happening *before* the process of becoming wealthy is complete.
“未富先老” is a defining phrase for understanding modern China's anxieties and policy challenges. It encapsulates the long-term consequences of the 独生子女政策 (dúshēng zǐnǚ zhèngcè) - One-Child Policy, which was in effect from roughly 1979 to 2015. While the policy successfully curbed population growth, it created a demographic cliff. The Western development path is often described as “先富后老 (xiān fù hòu lǎo)“—getting rich first, then getting old. Countries like the United States, Germany, and Japan became wealthy industrial powers with relatively young populations. They had many decades to build robust pension systems, healthcare, and social security programs before a large percentage of their population retired. China is facing the reverse. It has a rapidly shrinking workforce that must support a ballooning elderly population. This creates the infamous “4-2-1 Family Structure” (四二一家庭 (sì èr yī jiātíng)), where a single child is potentially responsible for supporting two parents and four grandparents. This term highlights a deep-seated cultural anxiety about societal stability, the sustainability of the social safety net (养老金 (yǎnglǎo jīn) - pensions), and the pressure on the younger generation.
This term has moved from academic and governmental reports into the mainstream. It is used widely in different contexts.
The connotation is almost universally negative and carries a sense of urgency and concern. It is a description of a serious problem, whether on a national or personal level.