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. ====== lízhí: 离职 - To Resign, To Leave a Job ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** lízhí, 离职, how to say quit a job in Chinese, resign in Chinese, leave a company in Chinese, Chinese vocabulary for work, HSK 5 vocabulary, 辞职 vs 离职, employment in China, Chinese business vocabulary. * **Summary:** Learn the essential Chinese term **离职 (lízhí)**, which means "to leave a job" or "to resign." This page provides a deep dive for English-speaking learners, covering its core meaning, cultural significance in the Chinese workplace, and practical usage. We'll clarify the crucial difference between **离职 (lízhí)** and **辞职 (cízhí)**, offer over 10 real-world example sentences, and explore related concepts like job-hopping (跳槽) and the "iron rice bowl" (铁饭碗). This is a must-know HSK 5 word for anyone discussing careers or employment in China. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** lízhí * **Part of Speech:** Verb * **HSK Level:** HSK 5 * **Concise Definition:** To leave or be separated from one's post or job. * **In a Nutshell:** **离职 (lízhí)** is the standard, slightly formal term for the state or process of leaving a job. It's a neutral word that doesn't specify the reason for departure—it could be a resignation, a layoff, or the end of a contract. Think of it as the official status change from "employed" to "formerly employed" at a particular company. It's the term you'll see on HR forms, resumes, and in formal announcements. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **离 (lí):** This character means "to leave," "to be away from," or "to separate." Pictorially, it can be imagined as a bird (隹) leaving its perch or nest, signifying departure. * **职 (zhí):** This character means "post," "duty," "job," or "profession." It's composed of the "ear" radical (耳) on the left, suggesting listening to orders or duties. * When combined, **离职 (lízhí)** literally means "to leave (离) one's job/post (职)." The meaning is direct and transparent. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== * In traditional Chinese culture, job stability was highly prized, epitomized by the concept of the **铁饭碗 (tiě fànwǎn)**, or "iron rice bowl"—a secure job for life, typically in a state-owned enterprise. In this context, leaving a job was a major, often negative, event. * However, modern China has seen a dramatic shift. Among younger, urban professionals, **跳槽 (tiàocáo)**, or "job-hopping," is now common in the pursuit of better salaries, titles, and career development. * **Comparison to Western Culture:** While "quitting a job" in the West is an individualistic decision, the process of **离职 (lízhí)** in China is often handled with a greater emphasis on maintaining harmony and good **关系 (guānxi)**. Resignations are typically less confrontational. The goal is to leave on good terms, ensuring that you don't "burn bridges," as professional circles can be surprisingly small. The act of **离职 (lízhí)** is treated as a formal procedure, a neutral event marking a transition, rather than a dramatic personal break. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== * **Formal & HR Contexts:** This is the primary domain for **离职 (lízhí)**. It's the official term used in: * Resignation letters (离职信 lízhí xìn) * Exit interviews (离职面谈 lízhí miàntán) * Proof of employment termination (离职证明 lízhí zhèngmíng) * Resumes/CVs (简历 jiǎnlì) when listing past work experiences. * **Everyday Conversation:** While it's perfectly correct, in casual conversation about deciding to quit, you might hear the more active term **辞职 (cízhí)**. However, when reporting the fact that someone is no longer with a company, **离职 (lízhí)** is very common. For example, "I heard Xiao Wang left the company" would use **离职**. * **Connotation:** **离职 (lízhí)** is neutral. It is a statement of fact that someone is no longer working at a place. It carries no inherent judgment about whether the departure was positive or negative. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 他因为找到了更好的机会，上个月就**离职**了。 * Pinyin: Tā yīnwèi zhǎodào le gèng hǎo de jīhuì, shàng ge yuè jiù **lízhí** le. * English: He left his job last month because he found a better opportunity. * Analysis: A neutral, factual statement about why someone is no longer at their job. This is a very common way to use the term. * **Example 2:** * 你**离职**以后有什么打算？ * Pinyin: Nǐ **lízhí** yǐhòu yǒu shénme dǎsuàn? * English: What are your plans after you leave your job? * Analysis: Here, **离职** refers to the event of leaving the job. This is a common question for someone who has recently resigned. * **Example 3:** * 我正在办理**离职**手续，大概需要一周时间。 * Pinyin: Wǒ zhèngzài bànlǐ **lízhí** shǒuxù, dàgài xūyào yī zhōu shíjiān. * English: I'm currently going through the departure procedures, it will probably take about a week. * Analysis: This shows **离职** used in a compound noun, **离职手续 (lízhí shǒuxù)**, meaning "departure procedures" or "off-boarding process." * **Example 4:** * 公司网站上发布了关于 CEO **离职**的公告。 * Pinyin: Gōngsī wǎngzhàn shàng fābù le guānyú CEO **lízhí** de gōnggào. * English: The company website posted an announcement regarding the CEO's departure. * Analysis: This demonstrates the formal, official use of **离职**, especially in corporate communications. * **Example 5:** * 在**离职**申请上，我写的原因是“个人发展”。 * Pinyin: Zài **lízhí** shēnqǐng shàng, wǒ xiě de yuányīn shì “gèrén fāzhǎn”. * English: On the resignation application, the reason I wrote was "personal development." * Analysis: **离职申请 (lízhí shēnqǐng)** is the formal application to leave one's job. * **Example 6:** * 听说财务部有三个人要集体**离职**。 * Pinyin: Tīngshuō cáiwùbù yǒu sān ge rén yào jítǐ **lízhí**. * English: I heard that three people from the finance department are going to resign as a group. * Analysis: Highlights that **离职** can be used for a group of people leaving simultaneously. * **Example 7:** * 我从上一家公司**离职**已经快一年了。 * Pinyin: Wǒ cóng shàng yī jiā gōngsī **lízhí** yǐjīng kuài yī nián le. * English: It's been almost a year since I left my previous company. * Analysis: Used to describe a past event and the time that has elapsed since. * **Example 8:** * **离职**证明是找下一份工作的重要文件。 * Pinyin: **Lízhí** zhèngmíng shì zhǎo xià yī fèn gōngzuò de zhòngyào wénjiàn. * English: The certificate of departure is an important document for finding your next job. * Analysis: **离职证明 (lízhí zhèngmíng)** is a specific HR document new employers in China often require. * **Example 9:** * 尽管待遇不错，他还是因为工作压力太大而决定**离职**。 * Pinyin: Jǐnguǎn dàiyù bùcuò, tā háishì yīnwèi gōngzuò yālì tài dà ér juédìng **lízhí**. * English: Despite the good salary, he still decided to leave the job because the work pressure was too high. * Analysis: Shows how a reason is often paired with the decision to **离职**. * **Example 10:** * 面试官问我为什么在上一家公司只待了半年就**离职**了。 * Pinyin: Miànshìguān wèn wǒ wèishénme zài shàng yī jiā gōngsī zhǐ dāi le bàn nián jiù **lízhí** le. * English: The interviewer asked me why I left my last company after staying for only half a year. * Analysis: A very practical example from the context of a job interview (**面试 miànshì**). ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **`离职 (lízhí)` vs. `辞职 (cízhí)`: The Most Common Point of Confusion** * **辞职 (cízhí - to resign):** This emphasizes the *active decision and action* of an employee to quit. It's what you say when you announce your intention. * Correct: 我明天要去跟老板**辞职**。(Wǒ míngtiān yào qù gēn lǎobǎn **cízhí**.) - I'm going to **resign** to my boss tomorrow. * **离职 (lízhí - to leave a job):** This describes the *process or resulting state* of having left. It's a more neutral, formal, and factual term. * Correct: 他已经**离职**一个月了。(Tā yǐjīng **lízhí** yī ge yuè le.) - He has **been gone from the job** for a month. * **Mistake:** Saying "我要离职 (Wǒ yào lízhí)" when you mean "I want to quit." While people will understand, the more precise and common phrase for this intention is "我要辞职 (Wǒ yào cízhí)." * **`离职 (lízhí)` vs. `退休 (tuìxiū)`** * **退休 (tuìxiū)** specifically means "to retire" from one's career, usually upon reaching the legal retirement age. A 30-year-old cannot **退休**; they can only **离职**. * **`离职 (lízhí)` vs. `开除 (kāichú)` or `被炒鱿鱼 (bèi chǎo yóuyú)`** * **开除 (kāichú)** means "to fire" or "to expel" and is extremely strong and negative, implying the employee was at fault. * **被炒鱿鱼 (bèi chǎo yóuyú - literally "to be stir-fried squid")** is a common slang term for "to be fired." * **离职 (lízhí)** is a neutral umbrella term. A person who was fired has, as a final result, **离职**-ed from the company, but **离职** itself doesn't imply being fired. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[辞职]] (cízhí) - To resign. The active verb for when an employee decides to quit. * [[跳槽]] (tiàocáo) - To job-hop. The action of switching from one company to another, often for a better position. * [[退休]] (tuìxiū) - To retire. To end one's career due to age. * [[开除]] (kāichú) - To fire; to dismiss. A formal and very negative term for termination due to fault. * [[失业]] (shīyè) - To be unemployed. The state of being jobless. * [[下岗]] (xiàgǎng) - To be laid off. Has strong historical ties to the 1990s layoffs from state-owned enterprises. * [[手续]] (shǒuxù) - Procedures; formalities (e.g., **离职手续** - departure procedures). * [[简历]] (jiǎnlì) - Résumé; CV. The document where you list your dates of employment and departure (**离职**). * [[铁饭碗]] (tiě fànwǎn) - "Iron rice bowl." A metaphor for a stable, secure, life-long job. * [[关系]] (guānxi) - Relationships; connections. The social network that is important to maintain even when leaving a job.