内耗
nèi hào
Internal friction — overthinking, self-doubt, and mental energy drain from excessive worry.
Origin
Became popular around 2022 as discussions about mental health increased among young Chinese people.
Examples
Stop 内耗 and just do it!
别再内耗了，做就对了。(Stop overthinking and just go for it.)
Related terms
红温
hóng wēn
Literally 'red temperature' — slang for losing emotional control, getting so angry, frustrated, agitated, or embarrassed that your face flushes red; the closest English equivalent is gaming's 'getting tilted.'
绝绝子
jué jué zǐ
Absolutely amazing / Absolutely terrible — an emphatic expression that can be positive or negative depending on context.
社死
shè sǐ
Social death — an extremely embarrassing moment that makes you want to disappear.
EMO/emo
emo
Feeling down, sad, or melancholic — used when experiencing a wave of negative emotions.