Burned out
Meaning: Physically and emotionally exhausted from prolonged stress, overwork, or intense activity.
'Burned out' (or 'burnt out') describes the state of complete exhaustion that comes from pushing too hard for too long. It's not just tiredness — it's a deep depletion of energy, motivation, and enthusiasm. 'Burnout' became a major cultural conversation in America in the 2010s-2020s, especially around work-life balance.
Examples
- After working 60-hour weeks for three months straight, I was completely burned out. 连续三个月每周工作60小时后,我彻底筋疲力尽了。Después de trabajar 60 horas semanales durante tres meses seguidos, estaba completamente quemado.3ヶ月間週60時間働き続けた後、完全に燃え尽きた。3개월간 매주 60시간씩 일한 후, 완전히 번아웃이 왔어.
- She burned out from trying to balance school, work, and family. 她因为同时兼顾学业、工作和家庭而透支了。Se quemó intentando compaginar los estudios, el trabajo y la familia.彼女は学校と仕事と家庭を両立しようとして燃え尽きた。그녀는 학업, 직장, 가정을 모두 병행하려다 번아웃이 왔어.
- The burnout hit me hard — I couldn't even motivate myself to check email. 职业倦怠一下子袭来——我连查看邮件的动力都没了。El agotamiento me golpeó fuerte — no podía ni motivarme para mirar el correo electrónico.バーンアウトがどっと来て——メールを確認する気力すら出なかった。번아웃이 심하게 와서 — 이메일 확인할 의욕조차 없었어.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: work, stress, overwork, mental health
Tone: exhausted, depleted
✓ Do Say
- I'm burned out.我已经筋疲力尽了。Estoy quemado.I'm burned out.(燃え尽きた。)번아웃이 왔어.
- Burnout is real.职业倦怠是真实存在的。El burnout es real.Burnout is real.(バーンアウトは本当にある。)번아웃은 진짜야.
✗ Don't Say
- Burnout is now recognized clinically — don't dismiss it as laziness or lack of motivation职业倦怠(Burnout)现在已被临床认可——不要把它简单归结为懒惰或缺乏动力El burnout ahora está reconocido clínicamente — no lo desestimes como pereza o falta de motivaciónバーンアウトは現在、臨床的にも認められている——怠けやモチベーション不足と軽視してはいけない번아웃은 이제 임상적으로 인정된다 — 게으름이나 의욕 부족으로 치부하지 말 것
Origin & History
From the image of a fire that has consumed all its fuel — nothing left to burn. Psychologist Herbert Freudenberger coined 'burnout' as a clinical term in 1974. It became mainstream American vocabulary as work culture intensified.
Cultural Context
Era: 1970s clinical, 2010s mainstream
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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