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

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.

牛/牛逼

niú / niú bī

Awesome / badass — strong praise for something impressive or someone skilled.