躺平

What does 躺平 mean?

躺平 describes deliberately refusing to chase ever-higher goals — no house, no promotion grind, no pressure — and living a low-desire, low-effort life. It can be a joke ("I'm lying flat this weekend") or a sincere statement about rejecting society's expectations. It is often mentioned as the opposite reaction to 内卷.

Where does 躺平 come from?

A 2021 Baidu Tieba post titled "躺平即是正义" ("Lying flat is justice") described the author living cheaply without a steady job. It went viral and the term became a symbol of young people's response to work pressure and high living costs.

How to use 躺平

• 卷不动了，我决定躺平。
  Juǎn bú dòng le, wǒ juédìng tǎng píng.
  I can't keep up with the competition anymore — I'm going to lie flat.
• 这个周末我只想躺平。
  Zhège zhōumò wǒ zhǐ xiǎng tǎng píng.
  All I want to do this weekend is lie flat.