HSK Level 3

工资

gōng zī

wage; salary

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Example Sentences

我的工资很高。

wǒ de gōng zī hěn gāo.

My salary is very high.

他每个月的工资是多少?

tā měi ge yuè de gōng zī shì duō shǎo?

How much is his monthly salary?

我需要加薪,因为我的工资太低了。

wǒ xū yào jiā xīn, yīn wèi wǒ de gōng zī tài dī le.

I need a raise because my salary is too low.

Synonyms

薪水 (xīn shuǐ)

salary

月薪 (yuè xīn)

monthly salary

Antonyms

收入 (shōurù)

income

薪水 (xīnshuǐ)

salary

Etymology & Components

The Chinese word 工资 (gōngzī) for "salary" or "wages" is composed of two characters: 工 (gōng) and 资 (zī). The character 工 originally meant "work" or "labor," and it is often used in words related to work, such as 工作 (gōngzuò) "work" and 工厂 (gōngchǎng) "factory." The character 资 originally meant "wealth" or "resources," and it is often used in words related to money, such as 资金 (zījīn) "funds" and 资产 (zìchǎn) "assets."When combined, the characters 工 and 资 form the word 工资, which literally means "work money" or "money for work." This term is used to refer to the compensation that is paid to workers for their labor. In modern Chinese, 工资 is a common word that is used in a variety of contexts, including job advertisements, pay stubs, and financial discussions.