班味

bānwèi

noun

Meanings

1 the worn-down-by-work look; the visible 'office-drone' air about someone (tired eyes, bad skin, slumped posture, dead stare)

Characters

work shift / class

taste / smell / vibe

Examples

HSK 2

她虽然在上班,但一点班味都没有。

Tā suīrán zài shàngbān, dàn yìdiǎn bānwèi dōu méiyǒu.

She has a job but doesn't give off any 'office drone' energy at all.

HSK 5

放假两天,脸上的班味终于淡了。

Fàngjià liǎng tiān, liǎnshàng de bānwèi zhōngyú dànle.

Two days off and the worn-down-by-work look has finally faded.

HSK 7-9

一上班就沾染班味,洗都洗不掉。

Yí shàngbān jiù zhānrǎn bānwèi, xǐ dōu xǐ bu diào.

As soon as you start working, you pick up the 'office-grind' smell you can't wash off.

Tips

culture

Coined by Xiaohongshu users in spring 2024 to describe the almost physical aura that clings to people after too many months at a desk job: fluorescent-light skin, pilled-sweater slump, dead-inside stare. Continues the 打工人 tradition of naming office-life malaise with black humor. Named a 2024 Top 10 buzzword by 《咬文嚼字》.

usage

Pattern 味 'smell / vibe' used metaphorically: 学生味 (student vibe), 妈味 (auntie vibe), 老钱味 (old money vibe). Common verbs: 沾 (pick up), 去 (remove), 有/没有 (have / not have).

Stroke Order

班 bān

味 wèi