‘Rat People’: China’s Gen Z Takes ‘Lying Flat’ Lifestyle to New Level

The buzzword reflects a sense of widespread pessimism and resignation among China’s young adults, observers say.

A business area in Beijing on Sept. 15, 2021. Wang Zhao/AFP via Getty Images

News Analysis

As Beijing urges the younger generation to endure hardships, many Gen Zers are embracing a more relaxed lifestyle, identifying themselves as “rat people.” Some China analysts say that this phenomenon underscores a troubling sense of despair and hopelessness among the youth regarding their future amid China’s economic decline and bleak job prospects.