"I Got Cursed Just for Saying 'You Look Like an Only Child'"

Team Member Met at Volunteer Group
Gets Angry When Called 'Only Child'
Netizens Engage in Heated Debate

A story about a female member of a group getting very angry after being told she "seems like an only child" sparked a heated debate among netizens.

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On the 3rd, a post titled "Is saying someone seems like an only child really an insult?" was uploaded to an online community. The author, A, who is active in a volunteer group, said, "After finishing volunteer work with the members in the same team, we had a meal together and shared personal information," and added, "Someone suggested guessing whether each person had siblings based on first impressions, so we took turns guessing."

The problem arose when they guessed whether female member B had siblings. When A said to B, "You seem like an only child," B got extremely angry. B scolded A, saying, "You speak too bluntly to someone you just met. How do I look like an only child? I have a sister,"

A explained, "I grew up as an only child and sometimes felt lonely because I had no siblings. Still, my parents cherished me, so I was secretly very proud of being an only child," and honestly shared, "I was grateful, but I feel upset because the perception of only children in this group seems very negative." He then asked for opinions, "Is saying someone seems like an only child considered an insult in society?"

Netizens who read the story responded with comments such as, "I would have felt bad even if someone said I was an only child," "Isn't that saying someone doesn't understand the world?", "When people want to say someone is selfish indirectly, they ask if they are an only child," "I would have gotten angry if I were that woman," and "It’s not just that phrase that’s upsetting; there must have been a strange atmosphere from the start."

On the other hand, some netizens said, "If someone is an only child, they are an only child; if they have siblings, they have siblings. What's the problem with that?", "It's silly to argue over whether someone is an only child or not," "I don't think it's something to get angry about," and "Maybe it was used negatively in the past, but nowadays, since there are so many only children, it doesn't seem to have a bad meaning."