In the context of population aging, community-dwelling older adults commonly experience insufficient physical activity and difficulty maintaining regular exercise. Zero-time exercise (ZTEx) is lifestyle-based and fragmented, making it easier to integrate into daily life; however, qualitative evidence on older adults' lived experiences and perceptions of ZTEx remains limited.

To explore how community-dwelling older adults understand ZTEx and its practical characteristics in everyday life, and to provide experience-based evidence for health promotion in older populations.

A qualitative research design was adopted. From April to June 2025, 20 older adults from three communities in Nanchang City were selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected through non-participant observation and semi-structured interviews, and analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step method to identify and summarize themes.

Among the 20 participants, 10 were men (50%) and 10 were women (50%), with a mean age of 66.1±3.4 years. Four themes (adoption drivers, exercise patterns, health perceptions, and sustainability challenges) and 12 subthemes were identified. Participants generally perceived ZTEx as a lifestyle-oriented, low-threshold activity strategy, mainly used to maintain daily functional ability, enhance confidence in mobility, and promote self-health management. Continued practice was influenced by differences in understanding exercise intensity and safety, physical functional limitations, and insufficient professional guidance.

ZTEx demonstrates good acceptability and practical potential among community-dwelling older adults. However, sustained implementation still depends on further improvements in standardized guidance and community support conditions.

人口老龄化背景下，社区老年人普遍存在身体活动不足及运动坚持困难。零时间运动（ZTEx）具有生活化、碎片化特点，易融入老年人的日常生活，但关于其实际感知与体验的质性研究仍有待补充。

探讨南昌市社区老年人对ZTEx的理解方式及其在日常生活中的实践特征，为老年人健康促进提供经验依据。

采用质性研究方法，于2025年4—6月运用目的抽样法选取南昌市3个社区的20名老年人为研究对象。通过非参与式观察和半结构式访谈收集受访者资料，并采用Colaizzi 7步分析法分析资料并归纳主题。

20名老年人中男10名（50%）、女10名（50%），平均年龄（66.1±3.4）岁。本质性研究共提炼出4个主题（采纳动因、运动模式、健康感知和持续困境）及12个亚主题。受访者普遍将ZTEx视为生活化、低门槛的活动策略，主要用于维持日常活动能力、增强行动信心并促进自我健康管理；其持续实践受运动强度与安全性认知差异、身体功能限制及专业指导不足等因素影响。

ZTEx在社区老年人中具有良好的可接受性和实践潜力，但其持续实施仍有赖于科学化指导与社区支持条件的进一步完善。