Objective: To explore the inter-individual stable trait associations and intra-individual longitudinal dynamic predictive relationships of short-video addiction with meaning in life and inhibitory control among higher vocational college students, so as to provide evidence for the prevention of short-video addiction among higher vocational college students. Methods: On February 27, 2026, a convenient sampling method was used to collect 603 students for conducting three-wave questionnaire surveys [March 4th (T1), April 29th (T2), and June 24th (T3),2026] in a higher vocational college in Shanghai. The Short-version of Problematic Short Video Use Scale-9, the Chinese-version of Meaning in Life Questionnaire, and the Chinese-version of Multidimensional Self-control Scale were adopted. Pearson correlation analysis was used for exploring the correlation of short-video addiction with meaning in life and inhibitory control among higher vocational college students. Mplus 8.6 software was used to perform random-intercept cross-lagged panel analysis. Results: The scores of short-video addiction, meaning in life, and inhibitory control across T1- T3 were (21.53±8.24, 22.95±8.47, 23.51±8.64) (19.22±4.55, 18.56±4.38, 18.18±4.60) (12.79±3.48, 12.66±3.34, 12.85± 3.51 ), respectively. At the inter individual stable trait level, short-video addiction was significantly negatively correlated with meaning in life ( r =-0.40) and inhibitory control ( r =-0.41), and meaning in life was significantly positively correlated with inhibitory control ( r =0.55) (all P <0.05). At the intra-individual fluctuation level, a negative cross-lagged effect existed between short-video addiction and inhibitory control:short-video addiction negatively predicted inhibitory control from T1→T2 and T2→T3 ( β = -0.16 , -0.23), and inhibitory control negatively predicted short-video addiction from T1→T2 and T2→T3 ( β =-0.17, -0.15); meaning in life negatively predicted inhibitory control only during the T2→T3 period ( β =-0.16) (all P <0.05). Conclusions There is an negative intra-individual bidirectional predictive relationship between short-video addiction and inhibitory control among higher vocational college students. Stable associations are found among short-video addiction, meaning in life and inhibitory control at the inter-individual level, while meaning in life shows no significant longitudinal predictive effect on short-video addiction.