白领

• Pinyin: bái lǐng
• Hanzi breakdown: 白 = pictograph of the sun rising; 领 = 页 (head) + 令 (command), meaning collar/neck

Meaning

White-collar worker; office worker. Professional employees who typically work in offices rather than manual labor.

Borrowed from English 'white collar,' referring to professionals in corporate, administrative, or clerical positions. Often associated with urban lifestyles, higher education, and middle-class status. Contrasts with 蓝领 (blue-collar workers).

Examples

1. 大城市的白领压力很大，加班已经成了常态。 White-collar workers in big cities are under a lot of pressure — overtime has become the norm.
2. 她是一名典型的白领，每天西装革履地去上班。 She is a typical white-collar worker, going to work in a suit and leather shoes every day.
3. 很多白领开始追求工作和生活的平衡。 Many white-collar workers have started pursuing work-life balance.

Usage Guide

Context: work, social

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 白领阶层越来越重视身体健康。(The white-collar class is paying more and more attention to physical health.)
• 他从蓝领转行做了白领。(He switched from being a blue-collar worker to a white-collar worker.)

Don't Say

• 不要把所有坐办公室的人都叫白领 (Don't call everyone who sits in an office a white-collar worker — the term specifically implies professional or managerial positions)

Origin & History

Calque from English 'white collar,' referring to the white dress shirts traditionally worn by office workers.

Cultural Context

Generation: Working age

Social background: Middle class