班味 directly translates to “work smell” or “office stench”. It’s a metaphor used to describe the sense of exhaustion, monotony, and mental and emotional fatigue that comes with an office job. The longer you work, the more potent the smell, and it haunts you outside of work. It originated from a viral post on Weibo that read, “只要上过一天班你就脏了， ‘班味儿’ 这辈子都洗不掉” or:
“Once you have worked a day, you are already dirty. You can never wash off that ‘smell of work’ in this lifetime”.
Interpretations and Usage
At first, it was a very literal term, with people associating certain smells with the workplace atmosphere, such as bitter black coffee, sweat, cigarette smoke, and office air. Now, its interpretation has been extended to include a variety of aspects of office life: the visible exhaustion on a person’s face, repetitive and boring tasks, the stress of workplace hierarchies, etc. The term is reflective of the frustrations the younger generations have with modern office life and their struggles to adapt to it, wanting to find ways to “wash off” the work smell. It’s not that it is a new phenomenon, but newer generations, with a greater sense of individuality and freedom, are the ones willing to critique it and seek to strengthen the barrier between work and personal time.
Online, it has been turned into a variety of memes. It’s something office workers can relate to and even laugh at because of its accuracy, complaining about commuting, long work hours, difficult colleagues, etc. However, it is more than that because bringing light to the negative aspects of corporate work is inherently a cultural critique of it. It’s giving a voice to the common worker low on the corporate ladder. Making light of it helps connect these people together, making them feel understood and, in a way, giving them back some of the agency they had lost. It also goes against traditional cultural norms that prioritize the satisfaction of hard work and sacrifice over mental health. For example, the idiom “吃苦”, literally “eating bitterness”, means to suffer without complaint. Its American equivalent would be “no pain, no gain”. With this ideology, “work smell” is not something to fix; it is something to embrace; it’s proof of your dedication. Wanting a balance between work and personal life and bringing things like burnout and mental health into the conversation is progressive.
Other internet keywords and trends have risen alongside 班味. One example is “gross work outfits” or 上班恶心穿搭. The term originated from a post on Douyin, where a user told the story of how her boss scolded her for her “gross” outfits that she had worn because of cold weather. That post went viral, and other people began sharing the “gross” attire they wore to work. It almost became a competition to create the worst outfit. It reflects another criticism of office culture by looking at formal dress codes. Some even justify it by arguing that they want to wear more casual clothes to work so their favorite clothes do not get the “work smell” on them.
Socioeconomic Issues and Reform
The rising dissatisfaction with the workplace is tied to the economic hardships rampant in contemporary China. The rapid urbanization and economic development since the 80s have culminated into a high youth unemployment rate as opportunities are limited and the number of college graduates continues to rise. Underemployment is now a problem; many might be in monotonous office jobs that don’t even fully take advantage of their skillsets. The stress of navigating an increasingly competitive job market and landing a stable job adds to the sense of exhaustion. Jobs are less fulfilling and more a means of living. As these problems persist, ideologies like 躺平, “lying flat”, have arisen among the youth. It’s a little more extreme than just bringing awareness to and pushing against corporate culture, it’s flat out rejecting it. Those participating in “lying flat” minimize their professional commitments and prioritize their mental health. It has an American derivative called “quiet quitting”, which is doing the bare minimum required at work.
While 班味 is a Chinese internet keyword, it’s clear that it’s reflective of a broader global societal trend. Historically speaking, caring about mental health is a very recent thing, and older generations alive today are even resistant to it. It took until 2019 for the World Health Organization (WHO) to recognize burnout as an occupational phenomenon. There have been some initiatives to improve the well-being of employees, like the implementation of four-day workweeks, which has become more popular as of late. However, the traditional “996” (9 a.m. to 9 p.m., 6 days a week) work schedule remains prevalent in China. There is only the hope that as younger generations become aware and point out these societal problems, they will be the ones to implement changes to fix them. The internet has played a crucial role regarding awareness, making people aware that they are not alone and that there is a larger issue at hand. In this sense, 班味 calls for a future with work balanced with individuality, well-being, and freedom, where you can wash off the work smell at the end of the day.
