jiǎngjīn: 奖金 - Bonus, Award Money, Prize Money

• Keywords: jiangjin, 奖金, Chinese bonus, bonus in Chinese, award money China, prize money Chinese, Chinese salary bonus, what is jiangjin, nianzhongjiang, 年终奖, Chinese work culture, compensation in China.
• Summary: Learn the meaning of 奖金 (jiǎngjīn), a crucial Chinese word for “bonus” or “prize money.” This page breaks down its cultural significance, especially the famous Chinese year-end bonus (年终奖, niánzhōngjiǎng), and provides practical examples for how to use it in daily conversation. Understand the difference between `奖金` and salary (`工资`), scholarship (`奖学金`), and general rewards (`奖励`) to speak more accurately about money and achievement in Mandarin Chinese.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jiǎng jīn
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: Money given as a reward for good performance, achievement, or winning a competition.
• In a Nutshell: 奖金 (jiǎngjīn) is the extra cash you receive for doing a great job. Think of it as “reward money.” It's not your regular salary; it's the bonus your company gives you for hitting targets, the prize money you win in a contest, or any monetary award given to recognize a special contribution. It carries a strong positive feeling of acknowledgment and success.

• 奖 (jiǎng): This character means “to reward,” “prize,” or “award.” It signifies an act of encouragement or recognition for an accomplishment.
• 金 (jīn): This character means “gold” or, by extension, “money” or “metal.” It’s one of the most fundamental characters related to wealth and value.

When combined, 奖金 (jiǎngjīn) literally translates to “reward money,” which perfectly captures its meaning as a monetary bonus or prize.

In Chinese culture, 奖金 (jiǎngjīn) is more than just extra cash; it's a powerful symbol of recognition, capability, and success. While bonuses exist worldwide, the concept holds special weight in China, particularly in the form of the 年终奖 (niánzhōngjiǎng), or “year-end bonus.”

• Comparison to the Western “Christmas Bonus”: A Christmas bonus in the West is often seen as a nice, but not always guaranteed, holiday gift from a company. In China, the 年终奖 is a much more integral and expected part of the total annual compensation. It's often a significant lump sum, sometimes equivalent to several months' salary, distributed just before the Lunar New Year. For many families, this bonus is crucial for major expenses, savings, and the extensive gift-giving and travel associated with the holiday. It's a major topic of public discussion, comparison, and even anxiety every winter.
• Symbol of “Face” and Achievement: Receiving a large 奖金 is not just a financial gain; it's a source of 面子 (miànzi), or “face.” It validates one's hard work over the past year and signals value to one's employer and peers. It's a tangible measure of success that one can proudly share with family.

奖金 (jiǎngjīn) is a common word in various contexts, from the office to casual conversation.

• In the Workplace: This is the most common context. People discuss their `年终奖` (year-end bonus), `季度奖金` (jìdù jiǎngjīn, quarterly bonus), or `绩效奖金` (jìxiào jiǎngjīn, performance bonus). The amount of `奖金` is a key factor in job satisfaction.
• Competitions and Contests: When someone wins a competition, the prize money is called `奖金`. For example, `歌唱比赛的奖金` (gēchàng bǐsài de jiǎngjīn) means “the singing competition's prize money.”
• Lotteries and Games: Winnings from a lottery or game show are also referred to as `奖金`.
• Connotation: The word is overwhelmingly positive. Getting a `奖金` is always a good thing. The only negative context is when you *don't* get one you were expecting.

• Example 1:
  • 我们公司今年发了很大一笔奖金。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī jīnnián fāle hěn dà yī bǐ jiǎngjīn.
  • English: Our company gave out a very big bonus this year.
  • Analysis: A straightforward sentence expressing satisfaction. `发 (fā)` is the standard verb for “to issue” or “give out” salaries and bonuses. `一笔 (yī bǐ)` is a measure word for a sum of money.
• Example 2:
  • 你的年终奖金有多少？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ de niánzhōng jiǎngjīn yǒu duōshǎo?
  • English: How much is your year-end bonus?
  • Analysis: A very common, though sometimes sensitive, question asked among friends or colleagues around the Lunar New Year.
• Example 3:
  • 如果我们能完成这个项目，老板会给我们额外的奖金。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ wǒmen néng wánchéng zhège xiàngmù, lǎobǎn huì gěi wǒmen éwài de jiǎngjīn.
  • English: If we can finish this project, the boss will give us an extra bonus.
  • Analysis: This shows `奖金` used as an incentive. `额外 (éwài)` means “extra” or “additional.”
• Example 4:
  • 他把比赛赢得的奖金全都捐了出去。
  • Pinyin: Tā bǎ bǐsài yíng dé de jiǎngjīn quándōu juānle chūqù.
  • English: He donated all the prize money he won from the competition.
  • Analysis: This example demonstrates the use of `奖金` for prize money from a competition (`比赛`). The `把 (bǎ)` structure is used to emphasize the disposal of the object (`奖金`).
• Example 5:
  • 由于公司业绩不好，我们今年的奖金可能要泡汤了。
  • Pinyin: Yóuyú gōngsī yèjì bù hǎo, wǒmen jīnnián de jiǎngjīn kěnéng yào pàotāng le.
  • English: Because the company's performance was bad, our bonus this year might be a wash.
  • Analysis: A negative example. `泡汤了 (pàotāng le)` is a fantastic idiom that literally means “to soak in soup,” but figuratively means “to fall through” or “to come to nothing.”
• Example 6:
  • 这份工作的基本工资不高，但是奖金很可观。
  • Pinyin: Zhè fèn gōngzuò de jīběn gōngzī bù gāo, dànshì jiǎngjīn hěn kěguān.
  • English: The base salary for this job isn't high, but the bonus is substantial.
  • Analysis: This directly contrasts salary (`工资`) with bonus (`奖金`). `可观 (kěguān)` means “considerable” or “substantial.”
• Example 7:
  • 销售部门的奖金是根据他们的业绩来计算的。
  • Pinyin: Xiāoshòu bùmén de jiǎngjīn shì gēnjù tāmen de yèjì lái jìsuàn de.
  • English: The sales department's bonus is calculated based on their performance.
  • Analysis: This sentence explains how a bonus is determined. `根据 (gēnjù)` means “based on,” and `业绩 (yèjì)` means “(business) performance.”
• Example 8:
  • 我打算用这笔奖金去欧洲旅行。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ dǎsuàn yòng zhè bǐ jiǎngjīn qù Ōuzhōu lǚxíng.
  • English: I plan to use this bonus money to travel to Europe.
  • Analysis: A simple sentence showing a common way people think about using their bonus money.
• Example 9:
  • 除了奖金，公司还奖励了她一次免费培训的机会。
  • Pinyin: Chúle jiǎngjīn, gōngsī hái jiǎnglìle tā yī cì miǎnfèi péixùn de jīhuì.
  • English: Besides the bonus, the company also rewarded her with a free training opportunity.
  • Analysis: This sentence clearly distinguishes `奖金` (money) from a more general reward, `奖励 (jiǎnglì)`, which in this case is a non-monetary opportunity.
• Example 10:
  • 这次活动设有一等奖，奖金为一万元。
  • Pinyin: Zhè cì huódòng shè yǒu yī děng jiǎng, jiǎngjīn wéi yī wàn yuán.
  • English: This event has a first prize, with award money of 10,000 yuan.
  • Analysis: This shows `奖金` used in a formal announcement for a prize. `为 (wéi)` is a formal way to say “is” or “amounts to.”

• 奖金 (jiǎngjīn) vs. 工资 (gōngzī) / 薪水 (xīnshuǐ):
  • This is the most critical distinction. 工资 (gōngzī) and 薪水 (xīnshuǐ) both mean “salary” or “wages”—the fixed, regular payment you get for your job. 奖金 (jiǎngjīn) is the *variable, additional* money you get for good performance.
  • Correct: 我的工资是每月八千块，另外还有奖金。(Wǒ de gōngzī shì měi yuè bāqiān kuài, lìngwài hái yǒu jiǎngjīn.) - My salary is 8,000 RMB per month, and there's also a bonus.
  • Incorrect: 我每月都拿很多奖金。 (If you mean your regular salary is high.) You should say: 我的工资很高。 (Wǒ de gōngzī hěn gāo.)
• 奖金 (jiǎngjīn) vs. 奖学金 (jiǎngxuéjīn):
  • While they both contain `奖` (award), their usage is completely different. 奖学金 (jiǎngxuéjīn) is exclusively for a “scholarship” (award + study + money).
  • Correct: 他因为成绩好，获得了奖学金。(Tā yīnwèi chéngjì hǎo, huòdéle jiǎngxuéjīn.) - He received a scholarship because his grades were good.
  • Incorrect: 他获得了大学的奖金。 (This would imply the university gave him a work bonus, not a scholarship.)
• 奖金 (jiǎngjīn) vs. 奖励 (jiǎnglì):
  • 奖金 (jiǎngjīn) is always money. 奖励 (jiǎnglì) is a broader term for “reward” or “award” and can be a verb (“to reward”) or a noun. The reward could be money, but it could also be a gift, a certificate, praise, or a promotion.
  • Example: 公司的奖励是一笔奖金和一张奖状。(Gōngsī de jiǎnglì shì yī bǐ jiǎngjīn hé yī zhāng jiǎngzhuàng.) - The company's reward was a sum of bonus money and an award certificate.

• 年终奖 (niánzhōngjiǎng) - Year-end bonus. The most culturally significant type of `奖金`.
• 工资 (gōngzī) - Salary/wages. Your regular, fixed pay. The opposite of a variable bonus.
• 薪水 (xīnshuǐ) - A common synonym for `工资`, often used in spoken Chinese.
• 奖励 (jiǎnglì) - A reward or award (noun); to reward (verb). A broader, more general term than `奖金`.
• 奖品 (jiǎngpǐn) - A prize or award that is a physical object, not money.
• 奖状 (jiǎngzhuàng) - An award certificate. A non-monetary form of recognition.
• 奖学金 (jiǎngxuéjīn) - Scholarship. Specifically, money awarded for academic study.
• 提成 (tíchéng) - Commission. A percentage of a sale or business deal given to the employee. It's a specific type of performance-based bonus.
• 红包 (hóngbāo) - Red envelope. Money given as a gift, typically during holidays, weddings, or to children. While a company might give a New Year `红包`, it's culturally seen as a gift, whereas `奖金` is earned.