Attitude & Lifestyle2021informal

躺平

tǎng píng

Lying flat — rejecting the rat race, choosing to do the bare minimum instead of overworking.

Origin & Background

Coined in a 2021 viral post by a factory worker who quit his job and traveled on minimal savings, rejecting societal pressure to overachieve.

Examples

I'm done competing — I'm just going to 躺平.

年轻人选择躺平。(Young people are choosing to lie flat.)

Related Slang

摆烂

bǎi làn

Let it rot — giving up entirely on trying, embracing failure or mediocrity.

干饭人

gān fàn rén

Eating machine / foodie warrior — someone who eats with great enthusiasm and passion.

佛系

fó xì

Buddha-like — having a zen, whatever-happens-happens attitude toward life. Not caring about outcomes.

第三空间

dì sān kōng jiān

Third space — a place that's neither home nor work where you can relax (cafes, libraries, parks).