退休

• Pinyin: tuì xiū
• Hanzi breakdown: 退 = 辶 (walk) + 艮 (boundary, phonetic); 休 = 亻 (person) + 木 (tree) — a person resting against a tree

Meaning

To retire; retirement. Refers to stopping work permanently, typically due to reaching retirement age.

Specifically refers to ceasing employment at the end of one's working career. Can be used as both a verb (to retire) and an attributive modifier (退休生活, retirement life; 退休金, pension).

Examples

1. 我爸爸明年就要退休了。 My dad is going to retire next year.
2. 退休以后，她每天去公园散步。 After retiring, she takes a walk in the park every day.
3. 他虽然退休了，但还是很忙。 Although he has retired, he is still very busy.

Usage Guide

Context: work, family, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 她退休以后开始学画画。(She started learning to paint after retiring.)
• 他是一位退休教师。(He is a retired teacher.)

Don't Say

• 我今天太累了，想退休。(Don't use 退休 to mean taking a break — it specifically means permanent retirement from a career. Use 休息 for rest.)

Origin & History

退 means 'to withdraw' and 休 means 'to rest'. Together they describe withdrawing from work to rest — retirement.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal