雇员

• Pinyin: gù yuán
• Hanzi breakdown: 雇 = 户 + 隹 — to hire; 员 = 口 (opening) + 贝 (cowrie/value) — person in a position, member of a group

Meaning

An employee; a person who is hired and paid to work for an employer. A formal term used in legal, HR, and business contexts to define the employed party in a labor relationship.

雇员 is the formal counterpart of 员工 (the more common everyday term for employee). In legal and contractual contexts, 雇员 is preferred because it precisely defines the relationship between 雇主 (employer) and 雇员 (employee). It appears frequently in labor law, insurance, and tax documents.

Examples

1. 劳动法明确规定，雇员的基本权益受法律保护，不得被任意剥夺。 Labor law clearly stipulates that employees’ basic rights are protected by law and may not be arbitrarily taken away.
2. 公司为所有雇员购买了工伤保险，以防范职业风险。 The company bought workplace injury insurance for all employees to guard against occupational risks.
3. 雇员与雇主之间的劳动关系应当以书面合同的形式加以确认。 The employment relationship between an employee and an employer should be confirmed in the form of a written contract.

Usage Guide

Context: law, HR, business, labor relations, insurance, tax

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 根据相关法规，雇主不得无故解除与雇员之间的劳动合同，否则需依法承担赔偿责任。(According to relevant regulations, an employer may not terminate the labor contract with an employee without cause, otherwise they must bear compensation liability as required by law.)
• 新入职的雇员在试用期内享有与正式员工同等的劳动保护权利。(Newly hired employees during the probationary period are entitled to the same labor protection rights as regular employees.)

Don't Say

• 在日常口语中以'雇员'代替'员工' — 雇员 is a formal legal term; in casual or internal company communication use 员工 instead

Origin & History

雇 (to hire) + 员 (member; person in a role). Together: a person who has been hired — an employee.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Professional and formal contexts