Neijuan, a Chinese term meaning involution, describes systems that intensify in complexity and effort without corresponding gains in output or efficiency, affecting education, labor markets, and personal wellbeing. Developed as a sociological concept by American anthropologist Alexander Goldenweiser in 1937 and later popularized by Clifford Geertz, the term has become internet slang in mainland China since 2020 to describe competitive cultures where people struggle to maintain advantage amid diminishing returns.