內卷

Etymology
, from its Latin roots. This sense was coined in Agricultural Involution: The Processes of Ecological Change in Indonesia (1963) by, as an antonym of , where Geertz observed Javanese and Balinese rice farmers failed to transit from labor-intensive farming to capital-intensive farming, but rather developing intensive competition that does not increase productivity.

Verb

 * 1)  to stop developing or progressing despite intense inner competition
 * 2)  to be in a state of increased competition for limited resources, requiring great effort to stay ahead
 * 3)  to study harder or work longer as a result of intense competition among peers