摆烂

擺爛

bǎilàn

verb

Meanings

1 to give up and let things go bad
2 to let it rot
3 to stop trying

Characters

to put; to place

Literally 'put out rotten' — leaving a bad situation to get worse without caring

Examples

考试太难了，我直接摆烂。

Kǎoshì tài nán le, wǒ zhíjiē bǎilàn.

The exam was too hard; I just gave up.

别摆烂了，还有机会的。

Bié bǎilàn le, hái yǒu jīhuì de.

Don't give up; there's still a chance.

这学期我彻底摆烂了。

Zhè xuéqī wǒ chèdǐ bǎilàn le.

I completely stopped trying this semester.

Tips

culture

摆烂 originated from NBA basketball culture (tanking — intentionally losing to get better draft picks) and became mainstream Chinese slang around 2022. Unlike 躺平 (a philosophical choice), 摆烂 is more about surrendering out of frustration or laziness.

usage

More negative than 躺平. 躺平 is a deliberate lifestyle choice; 摆烂 implies giving up and letting things deteriorate.

Stroke Order

摆 bǎi

烂 làn