What does "内卷" mean?

指一种过度竞争、非理性加班、资源浪费的现象，好像在原地打转，却谁也不肯停下来。

ENRefers to a phenomenon of excessive competition, irrational overtime, and waste of resources, as if spinning in place, yet no one is willing to stop.

在竞争激烈的环境下，大家为了争取有限的资源而不断加大投入，最后却并没有增加相应的回报，这种现象就被称为‘内卷’。好比一群人围绕着同一个目标不停地打转，结果却都是疲惫不堪，尤其是在职场和教育中，内卷现象屡见不鲜，给人一种无奈又搞笑的感觉。

EN‘Involution’ refers to a phenomenon where everyone, in a super competitive environment, keeps piling on the effort to grab finite resources, but in the end, the returns are zero. It’s like a bunch of hamsters running in their wheels—exhausted but going nowhere, especially common in workplaces and schools. It’s hilariously frustrating!