Contracts and appraisals, pay rises and redundancies, and what a job comes with.
Pay comes in several words, and the syllable 薪 runs through the formal ones: 薪资 in an advertisement, 底薪 for the basic part, 加薪 and 降薪 when it goes up or down. Many terms are compressed from longer phrases — 五险一金 packs five kinds of social insurance and a housing fund into four syllables — and some are pictures: 跳槽, to change jobs, is “to jump to another trough”.
The words
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Verb (13)
考核to assess; to appraise; appraisalVerb5
公司每季度都要考核员工的工作。The company appraises its employees' work every quarter.
跳槽to change jobsVerb5
他工作了两年就跳槽到了一家外企。After two years in the job he moved to a foreign company.
Literally “to jump to another trough”, like a horse finding better feed.
加薪to raise pay; pay riseVerb5
她打算下周找经理谈加薪的事。She plans to see the manager next week about a pay rise.
In conversation more often 涨工资.
裁员to cut staff; to make redundantVerb5
因为订单减少，工厂不得不裁员。Because orders fell, the factory had to cut jobs.
解雇to dismiss; to fireVerb5
他因为经常迟到被公司解雇了。He was dismissed for being late again and again.
Formal; in conversation 开除 or 炒鱿鱼.
实习to do an internship; work placementVerb4
暑假他在一家报社实习了两个月。In the summer holidays he did a two-month placement at a newspaper.
转正to become a permanent employee (after probation)Verb5
她表现很好，三个月后就转正了。She did very well and was taken on permanently after three months.
晋升to be promoted; promotionVerb5
在这家公司，晋升主要看工作表现。In this company, promotion depends mainly on how well you do your job.
Formal; in conversation 升职.
雇佣to employ; to hireVerb5
这家农场每年秋天雇佣一些临时工。This farm takes on a few temporary workers every autumn.
Also written 雇用.
居家办公to work from homeVerb5
她每周有两天居家办公。She works from home two days a week.
罢工to go on strike; strikeVerb5
因为司机罢工，今天很多公交车停运了。Because the drivers are on strike, many buses are not running today.
降薪to cut pay; pay cutVerb5
为了不裁员，公司决定给管理层降薪。To avoid redundancies, the company decided to cut the managers' pay.
调动to transfer (to another post)Verb5
她申请调动到上海分公司。She has applied for a transfer to the Shanghai branch.
The first syllable is diào, to move; tiáo is to adjust.
This list belongs to Work and careers — seven lists and 279 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Practise this list
Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.