‘行尸走肉’ (xíng shī zǒu ròu) literally means ‘a walking corpse and moving flesh’ — a vivid, four-character idiom that paints a person who is physically alive but emotionally, mentally, or spiritually vacant. Each character contributes to the image: 行 (to move/walk), 尸 (corpse), 走 (to walk/move about), and 肉 (flesh). Together, they emphasize mechanical, lifeless motion without will, awareness, or purpose.

This expression is strongly negative and often used in literary, critical, or introspective contexts — for example, describing someone trapped in a soul-crushing routine, recovering from trauma, or living without passion or values. It conveys profound emptiness, not mere tiredness or sadness. Though it contains words related to the body (尸, 肉), it is not about physical health or animals; rather, it’s a metaphorical commentary on human vitality and inner life.