精神内耗

精神內耗

jīngshén nèihào

noun

Meanings

1 mental self-depletion from overthinking; internal emotional burnout
2 the exhausting drain of constant rumination and self-doubt

Characters

consume / drain

Examples

HSK 7-9

最近精神内耗特别严重,想辞职。

Zuìjìn jīngshén nèihào tèbié yánzhòng, xiǎng cízhí.

I've been mentally overdrained lately, I want to quit my job.

HSK 7-9

二舅治好了我的精神内耗。

Èr jiù zhì hǎole wǒ de jīngshén nèihào.

Second Uncle cured my overthinking spiral.

HSK 7-9

精神内耗的人常常睡不好。

Jīngshén nèihào de rén chángcháng shuì bùhǎo.

People stuck in mental self-depletion often can't sleep well.

Tips

culture

Became the phrase of summer 2022 after the viral Bilibili video 《回村三天，二舅治好了我的精神内耗》 by @衣戈猜想, about the uploader's disabled uncle whose quiet perseverance made his urban exhaustion feel trivial. 内耗 is originally an engineering/economics term for 'internal energy loss.' Named a 2022 Top 10 buzzword by 《咬文嚼字》.

register

Very common on 小红书/Weibo in mental-health contexts. Synonyms: 自我消耗, emo-ing. Antidote phrases include 钝感力 'dullness as a power' and 松弛感 'composed energy.'

Stroke Order

精 jīng

神 shén

内 nèi

耗 hào