[ CHINESE INTERNET CULTURE ][ GEN Z BRAINROT ]
The visible weariness, dullness, and loss of personal vitality that a demanding office job leaves stamped on someone's face and demeanor even outside of work hours — literally "office [job] smell," a look people claim they can spot at a glance.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
"You could see the banwei on him the second he walked in — total corporate zombie energy."
LORE & ORIGIN
Recent Chinese internet slang describing the specific tired, deflated affect associated with corporate office work, contrasted against how the same person looked before entering the workforce or while on vacation — part of the same broader wave of anti-hustle workplace commentary as neijuan and tangping.
FIRST SEEN
2023
PEAK POPULARITY
2026 (Chinese Internet Canon)
CURRENT STATUS
Mainstream Gen Alpha Slang
Related To:Neijuan
EQUIVALENT CONCEPTS IN OTHER LANGUAGES
AURA IMPACT ⓘ
+1 AURA
TREND STATUS
↑ HIGH RISING FAST · HIGH
CULTURE CATEGORY
[ CHINESE INTERNET CULTURE ][ GEN Z BRAINROT ]
RELATED TERMS
MENTIONS OVER TIME
2023202420252026
RELATED SEARCHES
TOP PLATFORMS
TikTok
68%
YouTube
15%
Twitter / X
9%
Reddit
5%
Others
3%
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