“直过民族”
“直过民族”是对生活在中国境内，在新中国成立前仍处于原始社会或奴隶社会，新中国成立后跨越几种社会形态，直接过渡到社会主义社会的少数民族的统称。“直过民族”是中国56个民族中的特殊成员，他们几乎“一夜之间”跨越了其他民族上千年的历程。
“直过民族”在不断跨越的进程中，其原始落后的面貌得到了巨大的改变，社会发展水平大幅度提高，生产方式、文化习俗、生活观念等也经历了激烈的碰撞和变革。同时，“直过民族”的历史局限性导致其在一定程度上对直接过渡和改革开放还不适应，这种不适应性在全面建成小康社会的过程中正逐渐得到缓解，但仍然是制约“直过民族”脱贫攻坚的最大因素。
"Ethnic Groups with Cross-Stage Development"
"Ethnic groups with cross-stage development" refer to the minority ethnic groups that remained in a primitive or slave society before 1949 and developed directly into a socialist society after the establishment of the People's Republic. Almost overnight, they crossed many historic stages and traveled a journey that might have taken other ethnic groups centuries.
During their leapfrog development, these ethnic groups have seen a significant transformation in their primitive conditions, significant enhancements to their social development, and dramatic changes in their working conditions, culture, customs and values. But their historic limitations have also prevented them from adapting to the direct transformation and to reform and opening up. This is the biggest obstacle to their poverty elimination, despite some progress during China's nationwide advance toward moderate prosperity.