试用期

• Pinyin: shì yòng qī
• Hanzi breakdown: 试 = 言 + 式 (to try); 用 = to use/employ; 期 = 月 + 其 (a fixed period of time — month + phonetic marker)

Meaning

Probationary period; trial period. A designated period during which a new employee's suitability for a role is evaluated before permanent employment is confirmed.

In Chinese labour law, the maximum probationary period is set by the duration of the labour contract: three months for contracts under one year, six months for one-to-three-year contracts, and a maximum of six months for any contract. Common collocations: 试用期满 (upon expiry of the probationary period), 试用期考核 (probationary performance review), 通过试用期 (to pass the probationary period), 延长试用期 (to extend the probationary period). Also used for product trial periods.

Examples

1. 劳动合同法明确规定，同一用人单位与同一劳动者只能约定一次试用期，且试用期薪酬不得低于同岗位最低档工资的百分之八十。 China's Labor Contract Law clearly stipulates that the same employer and the same employee can agree on a probation period only once, and probation pay must not be lower than 80% of the lowest wage for the same position.
2. 他在试用期结束前便凭借出色的业绩和高度的职业素养赢得了管理层的认可，被提前转为正式员工并获得加薪。 Before his probation period ended, he won management's recognition with outstanding results and strong professionalism; he was converted to a regular employee early and received a raise.
3. 这家初创公司为新员工提供的不仅是有竞争力的薪酬，还承诺在试用期结束后向表现优异者授予一定数量的期权。 This startup offers new employees not only competitive pay, but also promises to grant a certain number of stock options to high performers after the probation period ends.

Usage Guide

Context: employment, HR, labour law, business

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 根据劳动合同的相关条款，新员工须完成为期三个月的试用期，期间公司有权依据其实际表现决定是否予以正式录用或解除劳动关系。(According to the relevant clauses of the labour contract, new employees must complete a three-month probationary period, during which the company has the right to decide whether to confirm their permanent employment or terminate the employment relationship based on their actual performance.)
• 在试用期结束时，人力资源部门将根据部门主管的综合评估意见，决定是否将员工正式转正、延长试用期，或终止合同。(At the end of the probationary period, the HR department will decide whether to confirm the employee's permanent status, extend the probationary period, or terminate the contract, based on the comprehensive assessment provided by the department head.)

Don't Say

• 试用期 for a product return window or money-back guarantee period — use 退换货期限 (return/exchange period) or 质保期 (warranty period); 试用期 in a consumer context specifically refers to the trial-use period before purchase, not a post-purchase guarantee

Origin & History

试用 (trial use/employment) + 期 (period, phase — 月 month + 其 phonetic)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal