In China, 假期 is not just personal time off; it's a major, often collective, social event. The concept is dominated by several state-mandated public holidays that the entire country observes simultaneously. The most significant of these are the Spring Festival (春节, Chūnjié) and National Day (国庆节, Guóqìngjié). These holidays often form week-long breaks known as “Golden Weeks” (黄金周, huángjīnzhōu). During these periods, hundreds of millions of people travel, creating the world's largest annual human migration, particularly during the Spring Festival travel rush (春运, chūnyùn). A unique and often confusing concept for Westerners is 调休 (tiáoxiū), or “adjusted rest.” To create a longer consecutive 假期 like a Golden Week, the government may designate a preceding or following weekend day as an official workday. So, you might get a 7-day holiday, but you have to “pay for it” by working on a Saturday or Sunday. This reflects a collective mindset where the benefit of a long, uninterrupted break for the nation is prioritized over the individual's typical weekend rhythm. This contrasts sharply with the Western concept of vacation, which is usually more individualized and doesn't involve “making up” workdays on a national scale.
假期 (jiàqī) is a high-frequency word used in both formal and informal contexts.
The connotation of 假期 is almost always positive and filled with anticipation. It represents a well-deserved break from the pressures of work and study.