Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== xiégàng qīngnián: 斜杠青年 - Slash Youth, Slasher, A Person with Multiple Careers ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** 斜杠青年, xiegang qingnian, slash youth, slasher, Chinese millennials, Gen Z in China, gig economy, multiple careers, portfolio career, side hustle China, modern Chinese slang * **Summary:** "斜杠青年" (xiégàng qīngnián) is a popular modern Chinese term for "Slash Youth," referring to young people who have multiple careers, passions, and identities simultaneously. These individuals reject the traditional single-career path, instead defining themselves with a series of roles separated by slashes (e.g., "Engineer / Photographer / Blogger"). The term captures a generational shift towards prioritizing personal fulfillment, diverse income streams, and a flexible lifestyle over the stability of a conventional 9-to-5 job in China. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** xié gàng qīng nián * **Part of Speech:** Noun * **HSK Level:** N/A * **Concise Definition:** A young person who pursues multiple professions and interests, often concurrently. * **In a Nutshell:** Imagine someone introducing themselves not just as a "doctor," but as a "doctor / musician / marathon runner." That's a "斜杠青年". The term, literally "slash youth," describes a modern lifestyle and identity built around having several different jobs or passions. It's not just about having a side job for extra cash; it's about defining your life and identity through a combination of talents and pursuits, rejecting the idea that you have to be just one thing. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **斜 (xié):** Slanted, oblique, or diagonal. Here, it specifically refers to the forward slash (/) punctuation mark. * **杠 (gàng):** A bar or pole. In this context, it combines with 斜 to mean the "slash" mark. * **青 (qīng):** Can mean green, blue, or black, but here it's part of the word 青年. * **年 (nián):** Year. * **青年 (qīngnián):** Together, these two characters mean "youth" or "young people." The characters literally combine to mean "Slash Youth." The term directly references the practice of listing one's different roles separated by a forward slash (/), which has become a symbol of this multi-faceted identity. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== The concept of "斜杠青年" exploded in China around 2016, largely inspired by Marci Alboher's book "One Person/Multiple Careers." It resonated deeply with Chinese millennials and Gen Z who were facing immense pressure from the "996" work culture (9 am to 9 pm, 6 days a week) and intense social competition known as [[内卷 (nèijuǎn)]]. Being a "斜杠青年" is seen as an aspirational path to escape the traditional, rigid career ladder. It stands in stark contrast to the older generation's ideal of the [[铁饭碗 (tiě fànwǎn)]] or "iron rice bowl"—a stable, secure job for life, typically with the government or a state-owned enterprise. This new ideal prioritizes personal fulfillment, flexibility, and self-realization over stability and conformity. A helpful Western comparison is the "portfolio career" or "side hustle," but with a crucial difference. While a "side hustle" often implies a secondary job primarily for extra income, **斜杠青年** is more about **identity**. The various "slashes" are seen as equally important expressions of one's talents and passions, not just a main job and a lesser one. It's a holistic statement about who you are, not just what you do for money. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== "斜杠青年" is a trendy and widely used term in both formal and informal contexts. * **On Social Media:** Young people often use this term in their bios on platforms like Weibo (微博) and Douyin (抖音) to showcase their diverse skills and identities (e.g., "设计师/vlog博主/咖啡师" - Designer/Vlogger/Barista). * **In News and Media:** Articles and documentaries frequently discuss the "斜杠青年 phenomenon" (斜杠青年现象) as a significant social trend, analyzing its causes and effects on the economy and society. * **In Conversation:** People might use it to describe an admirable friend or express their own career aspirations. It carries a very positive, modern, and ambitious connotation. It suggests someone is talented, proactive, and interesting. The term is almost always positive or neutral. It's a label many people are proud to adopt. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 他是我们公司最典型的**斜杠青年**，白天是程序员，晚上是乐队吉他手。 * Pinyin: Tā shì wǒmen gōngsī zuì diǎnxíng de **xiégàng qīngnián**, báitiān shì chéngxùyuán, wǎnshang shì yuèduì jítāshǒu. * English: He's the most typical **slash youth** in our company; he's a programmer by day and a band's guitarist by night. * Analysis: This is a classic use of the term to describe someone with two distinct, passion-driven roles. * **Example 2:** * 如今，越来越多的年轻人选择成为**斜杠青年**，追求更多元化的生活。 * Pinyin: Rújīn, yuèláiyuè duō de niánqīngrén xuǎnzé chéngwéi **xiégàng qīngnián**, zhuīqiú gèng duōyuánhuà de shēnghuó. * English: Nowadays, more and more young people are choosing to become **slash youths**, pursuing a more diversified life. * Analysis: This sentence treats "becoming a slash youth" as a conscious life choice or career path. * **Example 3:** * 我不想一辈子只做一份工作，我的目标是当一个**斜杠青年**。 * Pinyin: Wǒ bùxiǎng yībèizi zhǐ zuò yī fèn gōngzuò, wǒ de mùbiāo shì dāng yīgè **xiégàng qīngnián**. * English: I don't want to do just one job my whole life; my goal is to be a **slasher**. * Analysis: Here, the term is presented as a personal aspiration, directly contrasting with the idea of a single, lifelong job. * **Example 4:** * 成为一名**斜杠青年**需要很强的时间管理能力。 * Pinyin: Chéngwéi yī míng **xiégàng qīngnián** xūyào hěn qiáng de shíjiān guǎnlǐ nénglì. * English: Being a **slash youth** requires strong time management skills. * Analysis: This sentence discusses the practical challenges and requirements of adopting this lifestyle. * **Example 5:** * 她的名片上印着好几个头衔，真是一个不折不扣的**斜杠青年**。 * Pinyin: Tā de míngpiàn shàng yìnzhe hǎojǐ gè tóuxián, zhēnshi yīgè bùzhébùkòu de **xiégàng qīngnián**. * English: Her business card has several titles printed on it; she's a true **slash youth** through and through. * Analysis: The phrase 不折不扣 (bùzhébùkòu) means "out-and-out" or "100%," emphasizing how perfectly she fits the description. * **Example 6:** * **斜杠青年**这个概念对传统就业观造成了很大的冲击。 * Pinyin: **Xiégàng qīngnián** zhège gàiniàn duì chuántǒng jiùyè guān zàochéngle hěn dà de chōngjī. * English: The concept of the **slash youth** has had a huge impact on traditional views of employment. * Analysis: This sentence uses the term in a more abstract, sociological context to discuss its cultural impact. * **Example 7:** * 我妈妈不理解我为什么要做**斜杠青年**，她觉得我应该找个稳定的工作。 * Pinyin: Wǒ māma bù lǐjiě wǒ wèishéme yào zuò **xiégàng qīngnián**, tā juéde wǒ yīnggāi zhǎo gè wěndìng de gōngzuò. * English: My mom doesn't understand why I want to be a **slasher**; she thinks I should find a stable job. * Analysis: This highlights the generational gap in career values, contrasting the "slash youth" ideal with stability. * **Example 8:** * 互联网的发展为**斜杠青年**的出现提供了可能。 * Pinyin: Hùliánwǎng de fāzhǎn wèi **xiégàng qīngnián** de chūxiàn tígōngle kěnéng. * English: The development of the internet has made the emergence of the **slash youth** possible. * Analysis: This points to the technological and economic factors (like the gig economy) that enable this lifestyle. * **Example 9:** * 你也是**斜杠青年**吗？除了本职工作，你还有什么别的身份？ * Pinyin: Nǐ yěshì **xiégàng qīngnián** ma? Chúle běnzhí gōngzuò, nǐ háiyǒu shéme bié de shēnfèn? * English: Are you a **slash youth**, too? Besides your main job, what other identities do you have? * Analysis: A great conversational question. It shows how the term is used to inquire about someone's passions and lifestyle. * **Example 10:** * 虽然**斜杠青年**的生活听起来很自由，但收入可能不稳定。 * Pinyin: Suīrán **xiégàng qīngnián** de shēnghuó tīngqilai hěn zìyóu, dàn shōurù kěnéng bù wěndìng. * English: Although the life of a **slash youth** sounds very free, the income can be unstable. * Analysis: This sentence acknowledges the potential downsides, showing a balanced understanding of the concept. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **Not Just a "Side Hustle":** The most common mistake is to equate "斜杠青年" with having a "side hustle" ([[副业 (fùyè)]]). A `副业` is primarily about supplementary income. "斜杠青年" is about identity and personal fulfillment. All roles in a "slash" identity are ideally passion-driven and contribute to who the person is. You could have a boring main job and a `副业` driving for Didi, but that wouldn't make you a `斜杠青年`. * **Not the Same as "Unemployed" or "Underemployed":** Being a `斜杠青年` is an active, often ambitious choice. It's not a label for someone who can't find a single full-time job. It implies a high degree of skill, self-discipline, and proactive career management. * **Incorrect Usage:** * **Wrong:** 他丢了工作，现在只能打零工，成了一个斜杠青年。(Tā diūle gōngzuò, xiànzài zhǐ néng dǎ línggōng, chéngle yīgè xiégàng qīngnián.) -> He lost his job and now can only do odd jobs, becoming a slash youth. * **Why it's wrong:** This misinterprets the term as a negative consequence of unemployment. The term has a positive, aspirational connotation of choice and talent, not desperation. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * `[[副业]] (fùyè)` - Side hustle; a job taken on for extra income, which may or may not be related to one's passion. It's about the money, whereas `斜杠青年` is about identity. * `[[自由职业者]] (zìyóu zhíyèzhě)` - Freelancer. Many `斜杠青年` are freelancers in one or more of their roles, but this term focuses specifically on the mode of employment, not the multiplicity of identities. * `[[铁饭碗]] (tiě fànwǎn)` - Iron rice bowl. The traditional ideal of a secure, lifelong job that the `斜杠青年` movement directly opposes. * `[[996]]` - The "9am to 9pm, 6 days a week" work culture. The desire to escape this grueling schedule is a major driver for young people to become `斜杠青年`. * `[[内卷]] (nèijuǎn)` - Involution; a state of intense, zero-sum internal competition. The `斜杠青年` path is often seen as a way to opt out of the traditional `内卷` rat race by creating one's own unique value. * `[[躺平]] (tǎng píng)` - To lie flat; a passive response to societal pressures like `996` and `内卷` by doing the bare minimum. It can be seen as the opposite, more passive reaction to the same pressures that motivate the proactive `斜杠青年`. * `[[个人价值]] (gèrén jiàzhí)` - Personal value/worth. A core motivation for a `斜杠青年` is to achieve and express their `个人价值` in multiple dimensions. * `[[多元化]] (duōyuánhuà)` - Diversification. Describes the lifestyle, skill set, and income streams of a `斜杠青年`.