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OneDotDot Chinese · Vocabulary
Labor Law Vocabulary in Chinese
勞動法詞彙劳动法词汇
Essential labor law vocabulary in Chinese, covering employment basics, wages and hours, termination and severance, and leave and disputes — the terms that come up most often in employment contracts, HR policies, and workplace disputes. Tap the speaker icon to hear anything read aloud.
Why Does Labor Law Vocabulary Diverge So Much Between Taiwan and China?
More than in contract or IP vocabulary, where usually one flagship term splits, labor law has several genuine word-choice divergences below — minimum wage, layoff, severance, and pension all use different words, not just different scripts. That’s because both sides built their welfare-state vocabulary independently after 1949, each tied to its own social insurance system: Taiwan’s 勞保劳保 (labor insurance) and China’s 社會保險社会保险 (social insurance) grew up as separate systems, so the terms describing them never had a shared origin to converge from.
Employment Basics Vocabulary
勞動基本詞彙劳动基本词汇
- 定期契約固定期限合同fixed-term contract
New employees all must sign a labor contract.
Taiwan says 勞動契約劳动契约 or the more casual 勞動合約劳动合约 in everyday speech; mainland China standardized on 勞動合同劳动合同 — the term used in China’s Labor Contract Law. A genuine word split, following the same pattern as 合約合约 vs. 合同合同 for “contract” generally.
- 雇主責任雇主责任employer liability
Employers must provide a safe working environment.
- 全職員工全职员工full-time employee
- 兼職員工兼职员工part-time employee
This company has two hundred employees.
- 試用期滿试用期满end of probation
New employees’ probation period is three months.
- 違反工作規則违反規章制度violating workplace rules
The company must post its workplace rules.
Taiwan’s 工作規則工作规则 is a specific document employers above a certain size must file with labor authorities. China’s broader 規章制度规章制度 covers internal company policy generally, with fewer formal filing requirements.
Wages & Hours Vocabulary
薪資與工時詞彙薪资与工时词汇
- 調整基本工資调整最低工资to adjust the minimum wage
The government decided to adjust the minimum wage.
Taiwan calls it 基本工資基本工资 (“basic wage”); China calls it 最低工資最低工资 (“lowest wage”) — same concept, genuinely different name.
- 加班費計算加班费计算overtime pay calculation
Working overtime on weekends earns overtime pay.
- 正常工時正常工时normal working hours
Weekly working hours cannot exceed forty hours.
- 月薪月薪monthly salary
His salary is higher than his colleagues’.
- 責任制員工不定時工作制員工exempt employee
Managerial employees are usually subject to the exempt work system.
Taiwan’s 責任制责任制 (“responsibility system”) exempts certain roles from standard hour limits and overtime pay. China’s 不定時工作制不定时工作制 is a similarly exempt category, but requires separate government approval for each position that uses it.
- 加班申請加班申请overtime request
I need to work overtime late today.
Termination & Severance Vocabulary
資遣與退休詞彙裁员与退休词汇
- 資遣通知裁减通知layoff notice
The company decided to lay off some employees due to poor performance.
Taiwan’s 資遣资遣 (zīqiǎn) specifically means a no-fault layoff with statutory severance attached. China more commonly uses 裁員裁员 / 裁減裁减 (“to cut staff”) or 辭退辞退 (“to dismiss”) depending on context — there’s no single one-to-one equivalent.
- 資遣費計算经济补偿金计算severance pay calculation
Severance pay is calculated based on years of service.
- 退休金制度養老金制度pension system
The company contributes to the pension every month.
- 離職證明离职证明proof of separation
He’s leaving the company next month.
- 開除員工开除员工to dismiss an employee
He was fired for a serious violation.
Leave & Disputes Vocabulary
休假與爭議詞彙休假与争议词汇
- 特休天數年假天数number of annual leave days
I still have five days of annual leave left this year.
特休特休 is short for 特別休假特别休假 — Taiwan’s term for statutory paid annual leave. Mainland China simply calls it 年假年假 (“year leave”).
- 陪產假陪产假paternity leave
She is currently on maternity leave.
- 勞資爭議調解劳动争议调解labor dispute mediation
This labor dispute was ultimately resolved through mediation.
Taiwan frames it as 勞資爭議劳资争议 (“labor-management dispute”), naming both sides of the conflict. China uses 勞動爭議劳动争议 (“labor dispute”), naming just the subject matter.
- 病假證明病假证明sick leave certificate
She took sick leave and didn’t come to work today.
- 發動罷工发动罢工to launch a strike
The workers decided to launch a strike.
- 加入工會加入工会to join a union
This factory has its own labor union.
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