罢工

• Pinyin: bà gōng
• Hanzi breakdown: 罢 = 罒 (net) + 能 (ability); 工 = pictograph of a carpenter's tool

Meaning

To go on strike; strike action. When workers collectively stop working to demand better conditions or pay.

Refers to organized labor action where employees refuse to work as a form of protest. Can be used as both a verb (to strike) and a noun (a strike). Often appears in news reports about labor disputes domestically and internationally.

Examples

1. 工人们因为工资问题集体罢工，工厂已经停产三天了。 The workers went on strike collectively over wage issues, and the factory has been shut down for three days.
2. 法国的铁路工人经常罢工，出行前最好确认一下火车是否正常运行。 French railway workers often go on strike — it's best to confirm whether trains are running normally before traveling.
3. 公司管理层和工会谈判失败后，员工宣布无限期罢工。 After negotiations between company management and the union failed, employees announced an indefinite strike.

Usage Guide

Context: news, labor, workplace

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 这次罢工持续了两个星期。(This strike lasted for two weeks.)
• 工人罢工是为了争取更好的福利待遇。(The workers went on strike to fight for better benefits.)

Don't Say

• 不要用'罢工'来形容一个人不想工作 (Don't use 罢工 to describe someone who just doesn't feel like working — it specifically refers to organized collective labor action)

Origin & History

Compound of 罢 (to stop, cease) + 工 (work), literally meaning 'to cease work.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal