HSK 3 · Article · 250 characters · Listen: mandarinthewild.com/library/read/what-does-996-mean-in-china

“996”是什么意思？

What does 996 mean in China?

Name: ________________ Date: ________

在zài中国zhōngguó的de网上wǎngshàng，你nǐ常常chángcháng会huì看到kàndào三sān个gè数字shùzì：996。它tā不是búshì电话号码diànhuà-hàomǎ。它tā说shuō的de是shì一种yìzhǒng工作gōngzuò时间shíjiān：早上zǎoshang九jiǔ点diǎn上班shàngbān，晚上wǎnshang九jiǔ点diǎn下班xiàbān，一yí个gè星期xīngqī工作gōngzuò六liù天tiān。

这样zhèyàng，一yí个gè星期xīngqī要yào工作gōngzuò七十多qīshíduō个gè小时xiǎoshí。可是kěshì中国zhōngguó的de法律fǎlǜ说shuō，一yí个gè人rén一yì天tiān最zuì多duō工作gōngzuò八bā个gè小时xiǎoshí，一yí个gè星期xīngqī一般yìbān最zuì多duō工作gōngzuò四十四sìshísì个gè小时xiǎoshí。

为什么wèishénme大家dàjiā都dōu知道zhīdào996？二零一九年èrlíngyījiǔnián，很hěn多duō做zuò电脑diànnǎo工作gōngzuò的de年轻人niánqīngrén在zài网上wǎngshàng说shuō，他们tāmen不想bùxiǎng再zài996了le。这zhè件jiàn事shì很hěn快kuài就jiù让ràng全国quánguó的de人rén都dōu知道zhīdào了le。

二零二一年èrlíng’èryīnián，国家guójiā也yě说shuō得de很hěn清楚qīngchu：公司gōngsī让ràng人rén996，是shì不bú对duì的de，也yě是shì不bù合法héfǎ的de。

现在xiànzài，网上wǎngshàng还有háiyǒu一个yígè新xīn的de说法shuōfǎ：965。它tā的de意思yìsi是shì早上zǎoshang九jiǔ点diǎn上班shàngbān，下午xiàwǔ五wǔ点diǎn下班xiàbān，一yí个gè星期xīngqī工作gōngzuò五wǔ天tiān。很hěn多duō年轻人niánqīngrén找zhǎo工作gōngzuò的de时候shíhou，会huì先xiān问wèn一yí句jù：“你们nǐmen是shì996，还是háishi965？”

你nǐ呢ne？你nǐ一yì天tiān工作gōngzuò几jǐ个gè小时xiǎoshí？

Key words

WordPinyinMeaning
网上wǎngshàngonline; on the internet
这样zhèyànglike this; this way
意思yìsimeaning; idea
常常chángchángoften; frequently
国家guójiācountry; nation; state
清楚qīngchuclear; distinct
先xiānfirst; in advance
句jùclassifier for phrases and lines of speech or verse
数字shùzìnumber; digit; figure
法律fǎlǜlaw
说法shuōfǎversion; account; view
合法héfǎlegal; lawful; legitimate

English (for the teacher)

On the Chinese internet you often see three digits: 996. It isn’t a phone number. It describes a working schedule: start at nine in the morning, finish at nine at night, six days a week.

That makes more than seventy hours a week. But Chinese law says a person can’t work more than eight hours a day, and generally no more than forty-four hours a week.

Why does everyone know 996? In 2019, many young people doing computer work said online that they didn’t want to do 996 any more. Word of it quickly spread across the whole country.

In 2021, the state made it clear too: a company that makes people work 996 is in the wrong, and breaking the law.

Now there’s a new expression online too: 965. It means starting at nine in the morning, finishing at five in the afternoon, five days a week. When many young people look for a job, they ask one question first: “Are you 996, or 965?”

And you? How many hours a day do you work?