Skip to main content
Dictionary
Store
Blog
World
Help
Advertise
Chat
System Status
Information Collection Notice
Trademark Concerns
reCAPTCHA Privacy
Terms of Service
reCAPTCHA Terms
Privacy Policy
Accessibility
Report a Bug
Data Request
Contact Us
Security
DMCA
© 1999–2026 Urban Dictionary ®
Mugs
Tees
Hoodies
Pro Customization
Create unique products with your own words and definitions
Preview
Personalize Your Design
Your Word
Your Definition
n./v. Describing a situation where a certain cultural pattern, situation, or set of actions have reached a certain altitude and plateaued, and cannot achieve any meaningful breakthrough, so all parties involved simply try to outcompete one another by making minute and meaningless micro-progresses deep into the "diminishing-returns" territory that causes the entire group to be worse off, similar to a prisoner's dilemma. The term comes from a Chinese word of the same pronunciation, where "nei" means "internal", as within one group, and "juan" means "to struggle". Some examples: Paying ridiculous amount of money for houses because everyone else's doing so. Working 60 hours per week because others are working 55. Taking fewer days off from work per year because there are some people who take 0 paid days off. etc.
Text fits
Save
Cancel