内卷与躺平 Involution and Lying Flat

如果rúguǒ你nǐ想xiǎng了解liǎojiě今天jīntiān的de中国Zhōngguó年轻人niánqīngrén，有yǒu两liǎng个ge词cí你nǐ一定yídìng要yào认识rènshi：“内卷nèijuǎn”和hé“躺平tǎngpíng”。

If you want to understand young people in China today, there are two words you must know: neijuan (involution) and tangping (lying flat).

“内卷nèijuǎn”指zhǐ的de是shì一yì种zhǒng没有méiyǒu意义yìyì的de竞争jìngzhēng：大家dàjiā越来越yuèláiyuè努力nǔlì，得到dédào的de却què没有méiyǒu变biàn多duō。

"Involution" refers to a kind of meaningless competition: everyone works harder and harder, yet what they get does not increase.

比如bǐrú在zài有些yǒuxiē公司gōngsī，一yí个ge人rén主动zhǔdòng加班jiābān，其他人qítā rén也yě不得不bùdébù跟着gēnzhe加班jiābān，结果jiéguǒ所有人suǒyǒu rén都dōu更gèng累lèi，工资gōngzī却què一yì分fēn没méi涨zhǎng。

For example, in some companies one person volunteers to work overtime, so everyone else has no choice but to follow; in the end everyone is more exhausted, yet salaries haven't risen a cent.

“躺平tǎngpíng”是shì对duì内卷nèijuǎn的de回答huídá：既然jìrán努力nǔlì没有méiyǒu用yòng，那nà我wǒ就jiù降低jiàngdī欲望yùwàng，不bù买mǎi房fáng，不bù结婚jiéhūn，只zhǐ做zuò最zuì基本jīběn的de工作gōngzuò。

"Lying flat" is the answer to involution: since hard work is useless, I will lower my desires — no buying a house, no getting married, just doing the most basic work.

我wǒ表弟biǎodì就jiù是shì这样zhèyàng，他tā说shuō：“与其yǔqí在zài大dà城市chéngshì继续jìxù竞争jìngzhēng，不如bùrú回huí老家lǎojiā过guò安静ānjìng的de日子rìzi。”

My cousin is exactly like this. He says: "Rather than keep competing in a big city, I'd rather go back to my hometown and live a quiet life."

父母fùmǔ那nà一yí代dài批评pīpíng这zhè种zhǒng态度tàidu太tài消极xiāojí，可kě年轻人niánqīngrén觉得juéde，这zhè不是bú shì懒lǎn，而是érshì一yì种zhǒng清醒qīngxǐng。

Their parents' generation criticizes this attitude as too negative, but young people feel it is not laziness — it is a kind of clear-headedness.

有意思yǒu yìsi的de是shì，很多hěn duō说shuō要yào躺平tǎngpíng的de人rén，第二天dì-èr tiān还是háishi准时zhǔnshí去qù上班shàngbān了le。

The interesting thing is, many people who say they are going to lie flat still show up to work on time the next day.

也许yěxǔ躺平tǎngpíng更gèng像xiàng一yì种zhǒng情绪qíngxù，一yì种zhǒng在zài压力yālì下xià保护bǎohù自己zìjǐ的de方式fāngshì。

Perhaps lying flat is more like a mood — a way of protecting oneself under pressure.

完全wánquán躺平tǎngpíng的de人rén是shì少数shǎoshù，大部分dàbùfen人rén都dōu在zài内卷nèijuǎn和hé躺平tǎngpíng之间zhījiān，寻找xúnzhǎo自己zìjǐ能néng接受jiēshòu的de位置wèizhi。

Those who completely lie flat are a minority; most people are somewhere between involution and lying flat, searching for a position they can accept.

🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now — teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.

Key words 生词

内卷nèijuǎninvolution — competition where everyone works harder but no one gains

躺平tǎngpínglying flat — opting out of the rat race

欲望yùwàngdesire

清醒qīngxǐngclear-headed; sober

消极xiāojínegative; passive

竞争jìngzhēngcompetition; to compete

Grammar note 语法点

与其…不如…

'Rather than A, better B' — compares two options and prefers the second: 与其在大城市继续竞争，不如回老家。

与其在家等消息，不如自己去问清楚。— Rather than waiting at home for news, it's better to go ask and find out yourself.

不是…而是…

'Not A, but B' — corrects an assumption: 这不是懒，而是一种清醒。

他不去不是因为忙，而是因为不想去。— He isn't going not because he's busy, but because he doesn't want to.

Check yourself 小测验

1. According to the text, what does 'involution' (neijuan) describe?

2. What does the text observe about many people who say they will 'lie flat'?

3. What did the narrator's cousin decide to do?

内卷与躺平Nèijuǎn yǔ tǎngpíngInvolution and Lying Flat

Key words 生词

Grammar note 语法点

Check yourself 小测验

More HSK 5 reading practice