颓废

• Pinyin: tuí fèi
• Hanzi breakdown: 颓 = 页 (head/page) + 禿 (bald) — something falling apart at the top; 废 = 广 (shelter) + 发 (hair, phonetic component)

Meaning

Decadent; dejected; demoralized; nihilistic. A state of physical and spiritual decline, resignation, or self-indulgent despondency.

Describes a psychological and behavioural state of giving up on self-improvement — sleeping late, lacking ambition, wallowing in sensory pleasures, or feeling nihilistic. Can be used self-deprecatingly in casual speech. In literary/cultural contexts refers to Decadent-style art that celebrates decay and excess. Differs from 消沉 (low spirits) by implying a more wilful or habitual nature.

Examples

1. 毕业后长期找不到工作，他陷入了一段颓废的状态。 Unable to find work for a long time after graduation, he fell into a prolonged state of despondency.
2. 整天窝在家里刷手机、不运动，这种颓废的生活方式迟早会出问题。 Spending all day slouched at home scrolling on your phone and not exercising — this decadent lifestyle will cause problems sooner or later.
3. 那首歌弥漫着一股颓废的气息，却意外地引起了很多年轻人的共鸣。 That song was suffused with a decadent atmosphere, yet it unexpectedly resonated deeply with many young people.

Usage Guide

Context: personal, cultural, literary

Tone: self-critical or descriptive

Do Say

• 我最近状态不好，有点颓废，需要调整一下。(I haven't been in a great state lately — a bit despondent — I need to reset.)
• 他沉迷于颓废的生活，对前途毫不在意。(He's sunk into a decadent lifestyle and doesn't care at all about his future.)

Don't Say

• 把暂时的放松休息叫做'颓废' (Resting is not 颓废 — the word implies prolonged resignation or wilful self-neglect, not healthy downtime)

Origin & History

Compound of 颓 (crumbling, declining) + 废 (abandoned, neglected). Together paint a picture of something crumbling into disuse — a powerful image for moral or spiritual decay.

Cultural Context

Generation: Youth and middle-aged

Social background: Universal