职工

• Pinyin: zhí gōng
• Hanzi breakdown: 职 = 耳 (ear) + 戈 (halberd), simplified from 職; 工 = pictograph of a carpenter's square

Meaning

Staff; worker; employee. A formal term for workers or employees, especially in state-owned enterprises or large organisations.

A somewhat formal and collective term for employees or workers, commonly used in official, institutional, and governmental contexts. Often associated with state-owned enterprises and public institutions. Carries a more formal register than 员工 (employee) or 工人 (worker). Frequently appears in phrases like 职工大会 (staff meeting) and 职工福利 (employee benefits).

Examples

1. 这家工厂有三百多名职工。 This factory has more than three hundred employees.
2. 公司给职工安排了体检。 The company arranged health check-ups for the staff.
3. 所有职工都可以参加这次活动。 All employees can participate in this event.

Usage Guide

Context: workplace, official, institutional

Tone: formal

Do Say

• 公司职工总数超过了一千人。(The total number of company employees exceeds one thousand.)
• 职工们对新政策表示欢迎。(The staff welcomed the new policy.)

Don't Say

• 我是这家咖啡店的职工。(For small businesses or casual workplaces, use 员工 or 工作人员 — 职工 sounds too formal and institutional)

Origin & History

职 (position, duty) + 工 (work, worker). Together they refer to people who hold work positions, i.e., 'staff' or 'employees.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Working and professional class