躺平
tǎng píng
In English
lying flat / quiet quitting, life edition
What does 躺平 mean?
躺平 (tǎng píng) means lying flat / quiet quitting, life edition in work Chinese slang. Opting out of the grind — refusing to overwork, over-compete, or chase society's expectations. A quiet protest against 内卷. Literally, it means "lie flat".
Opposite / pairs with
Character breakdown
to lie down
flat; level
Hear it explained
A 30-second take on 躺平 — what it means, where it came from, and how to use it.
If the rat race is 内卷, then the rebellion is 躺平, tǎng píng — lying flat. You stop competing, stop overworking, and simply opt out. 卷不动了，我选择躺平. Not lazy, exactly. More like a peaceful protest, performed horizontally.
Example
卷不动了，我选择躺平。
Juǎn bù dòng le, wǒ xuǎnzé tǎng píng.
I can't keep grinding — I'm choosing to lie flat.
What 躺平 goes with
Where 躺平 comes from
A 2021 viral post "躺平即是正义" (Lying flat is justice) argued doing the bare minimum is a valid choice. It became a generational rallying cry.
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