📂 Internet Slang

Involution (内卷) — Chinglish Slang

📌 Quick Overview | 词条速览

Slang Name:Involution

Chinese:内卷

Type:Internet Slang / Chinglish Slang

🔎 Full Meaning | 完整释义

English:
A social phenomenon meaning excessive internal competition in a group, where people pay more efforts but get lower or no returns, leading to meaningless internal consumption and pressure for everyone.

中文:
社会现象,指群体内部的过度竞争,人们付出更多努力却收获更低甚至毫无回报,最终引发无意义的内耗与全员压力📈

📜 Origin & Background | 词源与文化背景

Originated from American anthropologist Clifford Geertz's agricultural research, introduced to China and became popular in 2020, widely used to describe over-competition in education, workplace and daily life of Chinese society.
源自美国人类学家克利福德·格尔茨的农业研究,2020年引入中国并爆红,广泛用于形容中国社会教育、职场、日常生活中的过度竞争。

📖 Example Sentences | 双语实用例句

📌 Example 1
A: "The competition in our company is too fierce, it's serious involution." B: "Everyone works overtime for no reason, it's meaningless internal consumption."

A:"我们公司竞争太激烈了,严重内卷。" B:"大家无意义加班,纯属无意义内耗。"
📌 Example 2
A: "Education involution makes students and parents very anxious." B: "Children have to take extra classes even if they are very young."

A:"教育内卷让学生和家长都很焦虑。" B:"孩子很小就不得不上补习班。"
📌 Example 3
A: "I hate the involution atmosphere in the workplace." B: "Involution makes everyone tired but no one gets benefits."

A:"我讨厌职场的内卷氛围。" B:"内卷让所有人疲惫,却没人受益。"
📌 Example 4
A: "Involution leads to people working harder but living worse." B: "It's a vicious cycle of social competition."

A:"内卷导致人们更努力,生活却更差。" B:"这是社会竞争的恶性循环。"
📌 Example 5
A: "How to get rid of the involution in the industry?" B: "Refuse meaningless competition and focus on your own progress."

A:"如何摆脱行业里的内卷?" B:"拒绝无意义竞争,专注自身进步。"
📌 Example 6
A: "The whole society is caught in the whirlpool of involution now." B: "Young people are the most affected group by involution."

A:"现在整个社会都陷入了内卷的漩涡。" B:"年轻人是受内卷影响最大的群体。"
📌 Example 7
A: "Involution makes people lose the joy of life and only focus on competition." B: "We should learn to refuse excessive involution properly."

A:"内卷让人们失去生活乐趣,只专注竞争。" B:"我们要学会适当拒绝过度内卷。"
📌 Example 8
A: "My major has serious involution, it's hard to find a job." B: "Too many graduates compete for limited job positions."

A:"我的专业内卷严重,找工作很难。" B:"太多毕业生竞争有限的岗位。"
📌 Example 9
A: "Involution is a hot topic discussed by Chinese young people every day." B: "It reflects the survival pressure of contemporary youth."

A:"内卷是中国年轻人每天讨论的热门话题。" B:"这反映了当代青年的生存压力。"
📌 Example 10
A: "We should stop involution and pursue healthy competition." B: "Healthy competition can promote mutual progress of everyone."

A:"我们要停止内卷,追求良性竞争。" B:"良性竞争才能促进大家共同进步。"
📌 Example 11
A: "Involution in the workplace makes employees work overtime every day." B: "It's a waste of time and energy for both employees and companies."

A:"职场内卷让员工天天加班。" B:"这对员工和公司都是时间和精力的浪费。"
📌 Example 12
A: "Many people choose lying flat to resist the social involution." B: "Lying flat is a passive way to fight against meaningless involution."

A:"很多人选择躺平来抵制社会内卷。" B:"躺平是对抗无意义内卷的被动方式。"

🔗 Related Chinglish Slang

✍️ By Chinglish Lab Team · 📅 May 11, 2026
#Chinglish #InternetSlang #ChineseEnglish

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