Neijuan and Its Impact on Chinese Daily Life

In today’s China, one buzzword echoes across campuses, offices, and dinner tables: neijuan — literally meaning 'involution.' But what does it really mean? Imagine running on a treadmill that keeps speeding up — you're working harder, but going nowhere. That's neijuan in a nutshell.

Originally an anthropological term, neijuan has morphed into a social metaphor describing the relentless competition where people invest excessive effort for minimal gain. From students pulling all-nighters to white-collar workers answering emails at midnight, neijuan reflects a culture of overwork masked as ambition.

A 2023 survey by Peking University revealed that 68% of urban professionals feel trapped in a cycle of unproductive competition. Meanwhile, education statistics show Chinese high schoolers average 10.3 hours of study per day — nearly double the global average.

The Neijuan Effect: By the Numbers

But here's the twist: despite longer hours, productivity growth has slowed to 3.2% annually — down from 6.7% a decade ago (World Bank, 2023). Neijuan isn’t driving progress; it’s draining it.

This phenomenon hits hardest in tech hubs like Shenzhen and Hangzhou, where 'internal卷' (internal jargon for intra-company neijuan) pushes employees to volunteer for extra projects just to stay relevant. One Alibaba engineer joked, 'If I don’t reply to DingTalk messages within 5 minutes, my boss thinks I’m slacking — even if it’s 2 a.m.'

Young people are pushing back. Enter 'tang ping' — 'lying flat' — a quiet rebellion embracing minimalism and work-life balance. A 2024 Douyin trend showed videos with #躺平 amassing over 2.1 billion views, signaling a cultural shift.

Yet escaping neijuan isn’t easy. Social expectations, housing pressures, and FOMO (fear of missing out) keep many locked in the grind. As one Beijing college grad put it: 'I know I’m exhausted, but if I stop, someone else will take my spot.'

So what’s the way forward? Experts suggest systemic fixes: stronger labor protections, mental health support, and redefining success beyond hustle culture. Some companies, like ByteDance, have piloted 'no-meeting Wednesdays' and flexible hours — small steps toward sanity.

In the end, neijuan isn’t just about work. It’s about identity, worth, and survival in a hyper-competitive society. Recognizing it is the first step. Resisting it? That takes courage.