250 (number)

250 (two hundred [and] fifty) is the natural number following 249 and preceding 251.

As a Mandarin slang term, 250 (二百五 pinyin èrbǎiwǔ) is an insult meaning "stupid person" or "simpleton". The expression is based on bàndiàozi (半弔子 or 半吊子). In ancient China, copper coins were grouped by stringing them together through the square holes in the center; originally 1000 was a unit of currency called a diao. Ban diao zi literally means half a diao (500 coins). Since modest Chinese scholars may call themselves ban diao zi to humbly deprecate their own expertise, ban diao zi is not necessarily a pejorative term. On the other hand, Er bai wu (250) is half of a ban diao zi and it is an insult.

Two hundred [and] fifty is also:

• SMTP status code for mail action completed.
• In the Holy Bible, the number of men rebelling against Moses, who were swallowed up by a fire. (Numbers 26:10).
• .250 Savage, rifle cartridge