Work and education are pillars of Chinese society. This lesson covers job titles, office vocabulary, the education system, workplace culture, and key grammar for discussing your career.
Estimated Time: 50–60 minutes
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 老师 | lǎoshī | teacher |
| 医生 | yīshēng | doctor |
| 工程师 | gōngchéngshī | engineer |
| 程序员 | chéngxùyuán | programmer |
| 设计师 | shèjìshī | designer |
| 经理 | jīnglǐ | manager |
| 老板 | lǎobǎn | boss/owner |
| 律师 | lǜshī | lawyer |
| 记者 | jìzhě | journalist |
| 服务员 | fúwùyuán | waiter/service worker |
| 司机 | sījī | driver |
| 自由职业者 | zìyóu zhíyè zhě | freelancer |
我是 + job title: 我是老师 (Wǒ shì lǎoshī) = I am a teacher.
我在 + place + 工作: 我在银行工作 (Wǒ zài yínháng gōngzuò) = I work at a bank.
我做 + field: 我做IT (Wǒ zuò IT) = I work in IT.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 公司 | gōngsī | company |
| 办公室 | bàngōngshì | office |
| 工资 | gōngzī | salary |
| 加班 | jiā bān | work overtime |
| 开会 | kāi huì | have a meeting |
| 出差 | chū chāi | business trip |
| 请假 | qǐng jià | request time off |
| 辞职 | cí zhí | resign |
| 面试 | miànshì | job interview |
| 简历 | jiǎnlì | resume/CV |
| 同事 | tóngshì | colleague |
💡 Cultural Insight: 加班 (overtime) culture is intense in China, especially in tech. The infamous "996" schedule means working 9am to 9pm, 6 days a week. While officially discouraged, it remains common at many companies. The opposite trend, "躺平" (tǎng píng, "lie flat"), represents younger workers rejecting overwork culture — a major generational conversation in modern China.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 幼儿园 | yòu'éryuán | kindergarten | Ages 3–6 |
| 小学 | xiǎoxué | primary/elementary school | 6 years |
| 初中 | chūzhōng | junior high/middle school | 3 years |
| 高中 | gāozhōng | senior high school | 3 years |
| 大学 | dàxué | university/college | 4 years |
| 研究生 | yánjiūshēng | graduate student | 2–3 years |
| 博士 | bóshì | PhD/doctorate | 3–5 years |
The 高考 (National College Entrance Examination) is China's make-or-break university entrance exam, taken by ~10 million students each June. It determines which university you can attend, which profoundly impacts career prospects. The pressure is immense — entire families mobilize around it. Cities reroute traffic near exam sites, and construction is halted to reduce noise. It's perhaps the highest-stakes exam in the world.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 学生 | xuéshēng | student |
| 老师 | lǎoshī | teacher |
| 课 | kè | class/lesson |
| 考试 | kǎoshì | exam |
| 作业 | zuòyè | homework |
| 毕业 | bì yè | graduate |
| 专业 | zhuānyè | major/specialty |
| 奖学金 | jiǎngxuéjīn | scholarship |
| 留学 | liú xué | study abroad |
A: 你做什么工作？(Nǐ zuò shénme gōngzuò?) — What do you do for work?
B: 我是程序员，在一家互联网公司工作。(Wǒ shì chéngxùyuán, zài yì jiā hùliánwǎng gōngsī gōngzuò.) — I'm a programmer, I work at an internet company.
A: 忙吗？(Máng ma?) — Busy?
B: 很忙！经常加班。你呢？(Hěn máng! Jīngcháng jiā bān. Nǐ ne?) — Very busy! I often work overtime. You?
A: 我是老师，在大学教英语。(Wǒ shì lǎoshī, zài dàxué jiāo yīngyǔ.) — I'm a teacher — I teach English at a university.
B: 老师好！寒暑假一定很开心吧！(Lǎoshī hǎo! Hánshǔjià yídìng hěn kāixīn ba!) — Teacher! The winter and summer breaks must be great!
1. How do you say "I work at a company" in Chinese?
2. What is the 高考 (gāokǎo)?
3. What does "996" refer to in Chinese work culture?
Stating your job: 我是 + title · 我在 + place + 工作 · 我做 + field.
Workplace: 公司 (company), 加班 (overtime), 开会 (meeting), 面试 (interview).
Education: 小学→初中→高中→大学. 高考 is the pivotal college entrance exam.
Culture: 996 overtime culture vs 躺平 (lie flat) resistance. The 高考 shapes lives.