大媽 [da ma]

Dama, literally means "big mama," referring mainly to married women between the age 40-60. They don't know about economy but they do know how and where to invest their money. When gold is cheap, they spend a lot of money buying gold. When the real estate market abroad is in recession, they go abroad and start to buy houses.

They were pushed to the forefront for the first time in 2013 when thousands of Chinese women began buying record amounts of gold. They were the driving force in the global gold market between April and June, when prices had slumped. The word "Dama" will probably be included in the Oxford English Dictionary and some foreign media have described Dama as China's secret weapon.

When critics began to question their purchasing power, there was an unusual story in the media. According to the monthly statement of online shopping in 2012, China's consumption comes mostly from people aged between 50-60 years old. The purchasing behavior of an individual from this group is eight times more than a young consumer.

Bitcoin is an online currency that can be exchanged into any real currency in the world. Its value has surged by 89 times, since it was released. Chinese "Dama" have made inroads into Bitcoins. According to a Chinese Bitcoin exchange Website, 40 percent of their VIP clients who buy and sell more than 10 million yuan Bitcoins per day are female Dama.

As well as making investments, Dama also love public square dancing, a form of spontaneous communal dancing, which takes place in parks or public squares, to keep fit. However, their neighbors are often disturbed by the loud music. Therefore, some people have taken extreme action to expel Dama from the public areas.