班味
bān wèi
Office stench — the lingering aura of exhaustion and despair that clings to you after work. Not a literal smell, but the dead-eyed, soul-drained vibe.
Origin
The #1 buzzword of 2024. "去班味" (removing office stench) became a trend as young workers tried to reclaim their identity outside of work through hobbies, travel, and self-care.
Examples
I need a vacation to wash off this 班味.
下班后第一件事就是去班味。(The first thing after work is to remove the office stench.)
Related terms
内卷
nèi juǎn
Involution — excessive, often pointless competition where everyone works harder but nobody gains more.
打工人
dǎ gōng rén
Working people / wage slaves — a self-deprecating term workers use to describe themselves.
996
jiǔ jiǔ liù
Working 9am to 9pm, 6 days a week — describes the grueling work culture in Chinese tech companies.
卡点
kǎ diǎn
Arriving at exactly the last possible moment — being precisely on time with zero margin.