💼 Chinese Work & Study Vocabulary
School, office, job hunting, and the tech vocabulary you'll need in a country where everything from paying bills to ordering lunch happens on your phone.
Chinese Education & Workplace Culture
The Gaokao shapes everything
The 高考 (gāokǎo, college entrance exam) is the single most important event in a Chinese student's life. It determines university admission, which determines career trajectory in a way that has no Western equivalent. Students prepare for years. During the exam days, cities go quiet — construction stops, cars avoid school zones, and the entire society collectively holds its breath. Understanding how much weight 考试 (exam) carries in Chinese culture helps you understand why parents invest so heavily in education.
关系 (guānxi) in the workplace
关系 (guānxi) — literally “relationships” or “connections” — is a concept you'll hear constantly in Chinese professional life. It refers to the network of relationships and reciprocal obligations that lubricate business dealings. Building 关系 with colleagues and clients isn't scheming — it's the normal way things get done. Dinner after work, remembering birthdays, helping with small favors: these aren't optional extras. They're part of the job in a way that many Western professionals find unfamiliar.
School & Education
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 学校 | xuéxiào | school | — |
| 老师 | lǎoshī | teacher | Also used as a title: 王老师 (Teacher Wang). In Chinese culture, teachers are addressed by title + surname, never by first name alone. |
| 学生 | xuésheng | student | — |
| 同学 | tóngxué | classmate | Literally 'same-study.' Used to address fellow students even if they're not in your class. A generic friendly term among young people. |
| 书 | shū | book | — |
| 考试 | kǎoshì | exam; test | — |
| 成绩 | chéngjì | grade; score; results | Chinese education is intensely exam-focused. 成绩 matters enormously — it determines university placement, which determines career options. The pressure around this word is very real. |
| 作业 | zuòyè | homework; assignment | — |
| 学期 | xuéqī | semester; term | — |
| 毕业 | bìyè | to graduate | — |
Office & Workplace
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 公司 | gōngsī | company; corporation | — |
| 办公室 | bàngōngshì | office | Literally 'handle-work room.' 办公 (bàngōng) = to handle official business; 室 (shì) = room. |
| 同事 | tóngshì | colleague | Literally 'same-affair.' The Chinese workplace is more relationship-driven than Western ones, and 同事 often become close friends. The boundary between work and personal life is thinner. |
| 老板 | lǎobǎn | boss; business owner | — |
| 开会 | kāihuì | to hold a meeting | — |
| 报告 | bàogào | report; to report | — |
| 项目 | xiàngmù | project | — |
| 客户 | kèhù | client; customer (business) | — |
| 工资 | gōngzī | salary; wages | — |
| 加班 | jiābān | to work overtime | The 996 culture (9am-9pm, 6 days/week) is a real and controversial phenomenon in Chinese tech. 加班 is one of the most used — and most resented — words in Chinese offices. |
| 请假 | qǐngjià | to request leave; ask for time off | — |
Job Hunting
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 面试 | miànshì | job interview | Literally 'face-test.' Job interviews in China can be more personal than in the West — questions about age, marital status, and family plans are common and legal. |
| 简历 | jiǎnlì | resume; CV | — |
| 经验 | jīngyàn | experience | — |
| 招聘 | zhāopìn | to recruit; hiring | — |
| 应聘 | yìngpìn | to apply for a job | — |
Technology & Computers
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 电脑 | diànnǎo | computer | Literally 'electric brain.' A perfect example of how Chinese names tech — transparent and descriptive. |
| 手机 | shǒujī | cell phone | Literally 'hand machine.' China is a mobile-first society. 手机 isn't optional — you need it for payments, navigation, communication, and identity verification. |
| 上网 | shàngwǎng | to go online | Literally 'go up net.' 上 here means 'to access' — same pattern as 上班 (go to work) and 上学 (go to school). |
| 密码 | mìmǎ | password | Literally 'secret code.' You'll need this word constantly — Chinese apps require passwords for everything. |
| 软件 | ruǎnjiàn | software | Literally 'soft piece.' 硬件 (yìngjiàn) = hardware ('hard piece'). |
Work and study vocabulary spans HSK 1–5. Browse by level at HSK Vocabulary.