Meaning:
Literally meaning “lying down,” this term is used by Chinese netizens to refer to the attitude of some young people who willingly and peacefully accept whatever comes their way and do not try to work hard, make a fortune and strive for a better future. The term became a buzzword after an online post describing the ideal “lying down” way of life immediately drew criticism from others. A Tsinghua University teacher named Li Fengliang, for example, criticized that young people with such an attitude are not honoring what their parents have invested to bring them up.
Example:
A: 你弟弟现在应该年薪百万了吧？
Nǐ dìdi xiànzài yīnggāi niánxīn bǎiwàn le ba？
Is your younger brother earning an annual salary of a million yuan now?
B: 他辞职了，他告别了互联网大厂的工作躺平了。
Tā cízhí le，tā gàobié le hùliánwǎng dàchǎng de gōngzuò tǎngpíng le。
He quit his job. He bid farewell to the top Internet firm he used to work for and is now living a leisurely life.