"Afraid of being laughed at"

 "Afraid of being poor but not afraid of dying; afraid of being laughed at but not afraid of being poor."

Being afraid of poverty but not of death is a common trait among Hong Kong people. In reality, it's not that they are genuinely afraid of being poor;  actually they are more concerned about losing face and being laughed at. So, to put it more accurately: "Afraid of being poor but not afraid of dying; afraid of being laughed at but not afraid of being poor." In fact, being poor isn't that frightening; the world won't let you starve. People are just afraid of being ridiculed and having others know they are poor. This is a result of  shame education in China since Confucius.

When people have money, they tend to show off, fearing that others won't realize they are wealthy. That's the core of the issue. When they have money, they love to flaunt it; when they are broke, the pain doubles. If you don’t show off when you have money, life will be easier later on.

This is just a small aspect, but if you dig deeper, it could impact the bigger picture.

If a person can forge ahead without fear of death, their chances of success are significantly higher. If they are also unafraid of poverty, understanding that being poor won’t lead to death, they will become even braver. However, they may not realize that the fear of losing face is one of the most crucial elements underneath it all.

A person who is neither afraid of death nor poverty, and certainly not afraid of being laughed at, possesses a strength that can propel them forward and help them achieve great things.