dǎgōng: 打工 - To Work a Part-Time/Temporary Job, To Work for Others

• Keywords: dǎgōng, dagong, 打工, work in China, part-time job Chinese, temporary work Chinese, working for a boss, working for others, Chinese migrant worker, learn Chinese work vocabulary
• Summary: Discover the true meaning of 打工 (dǎgōng), a fundamental term in modern Chinese society. More than just “to work,” dǎgōng describes the act of working for an employer, often in a temporary, manual, or non-career-track position. This page explores its deep cultural connection to China's migrant workers (农民工), its use by students for part-time jobs, and its nuanced, often humble, connotation in everyday conversation. Learn how to use dǎgōng correctly to sound like a native speaker.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): dǎgōng
• Part of Speech: Verb (specifically, a verb-object phrase that functions as a verb)
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To work for an employer, typically in a manual, temporary, or hourly-wage job.
• In a Nutshell: While the general term for “work” is `工作 (gōngzuò)`, 打工 (dǎgōng) paints a more specific picture. It emphasizes that you are a wage-earner, an employee working *for* someone else (the `老板`, boss). It often carries a sense of labor that is less prestigious than a professional career and is strongly associated with students earning extra money or migrant workers building the cities. Think less “I have a career” and more “I'm working a job to make a living.”

• 打 (dǎ): The literal meaning is “to hit” or “to strike.” However, in many common Chinese phrases, it functions as a versatile verb meaning “to engage in,” “to do,” or “to make.” Think of `打电话 (dǎ diànhuà)` - to make a phone call, or `打车 (dǎ chē)` - to hail a taxi. Here, it signifies the action of *doing* work.
• 工 (gōng): This character means “work,” “labor,” “skill,” or “craft.” Its shape is said to originate from a picture of a carpenter's square, a tool representing skilled labor.

Together, 打工 (dǎgōng) literally means “to do work.” This combination frames employment as a tangible action performed for someone else in exchange for wages, rather than a professional identity or a long-term career path.

The term 打工 is deeply woven into the fabric of China's economic miracle. Since the “Reform and Opening Up” (改革开放, gǎigé kāifàng) in the 1980s, tens of millions of people have left their rural hometowns for economic opportunities in burgeoning cities. These individuals are known as 农民工 (nóngmín gōng), or migrant workers. For them, leaving home to find employment in factories, on construction sites, or in service industries is the very definition of 打工. The term captures their journey, their sacrifices, and their role as the engine of China's development. A common phrase is 打工仔 (dǎgōngzǎi), which refers to a young male laborer. It's not necessarily derogatory, but it clearly defines a person's social and economic status. To compare this to a Western concept, think of the difference between saying “I work at a law firm” and “I'm working a summer job bussing tables.” Both are work, but they imply different levels of prestige, permanence, and identity. 打工 leans heavily towards the feeling of the second phrase. While an office worker might humbly say they 打工, implying they are just a cog in the machine, the term is almost never used for high-status professionals like doctors, lawyers, or high-level executives. It starkly contrasts with 做生意 (zuò shēngyi), “to do business,” which implies being your own boss and having autonomy.

打工 is an extremely common and versatile term used in various informal contexts.

• Students and Part-Time Jobs: This is a primary use. A university student working at a coffee shop or as a tutor is 打工.
• General Employment (Humble/Informal): When asked what they do, a young professional might say “我给一家公司打工” (Wǒ gěi yī jiā gōngsī dǎgōng), meaning “I work for a company.” This is a humble, down-to-earth way to describe their job, even if it's a white-collar position. It emphasizes their status as an employee rather than an owner.
• Migrant Labor: This remains the core, powerful context. News reports, social discussions, and personal stories about migrant workers will almost always use 打工.
• Connotation: The connotation is generally neutral to slightly self-deprecating. Saying “我只是个打工的” (Wǒ zhǐshì ge dǎgōng de) means “I'm just a wage-earner/employee,” often used to express a lack of power or to show humility. It's almost never used in formal resumes or business contracts, where `工作 (gōngzuò)` is preferred.

• Example 1:
  • 他大学时在咖啡店打工赚取生活费。
  • Pinyin: Tā dàxué shí zài kāfēi diàn dǎgōng zhuànqǔ shēnghuófèi.
  • English: He worked a part-time job at a coffee shop during college to earn living expenses.
  • Analysis: This is a classic example of using 打工 for a student's part-time job. It's temporary and meant to earn money, not build a career.
• Example 2:
  • 很多年轻人离开家乡去大城市打工。
  • Pinyin: Hěn duō niánqīngrén líkāi jiāxiāng qù dà chéngshì dǎgōng.
  • English: Many young people leave their hometowns to work in big cities.
  • Analysis: This sentence directly references the phenomenon of migrant labor, the core cultural meaning of 打工.
• Example 3:
  • A: 你是老板吗？ (Nǐ shì lǎobǎn ma?) - Are you the boss?
  • B: 不是，我只是个打工的。 (Búshì, wǒ zhǐshì ge dǎgōng de.)
  • English: B: No, I'm just an employee / a working stiff.
  • Analysis: Here, “打工的” (dǎgōng de) is used as a noun to mean “one who works for others.” It's a very common, self-deprecating response that clearly contrasts with being a boss (`老板`).
• Example 4:
  • 为别人打工太累了，我想自己开个店。
  • Pinyin: Wèi biérén dǎgōng tài lèi le, wǒ xiǎng zìjǐ kāi ge diàn.
  • English: Working for others is too tiring, I want to open my own shop.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the desire for autonomy and the perception that 打工 means working for someone else's dream, not your own.
• Example 5:
  • 她毕业后的第一份工就是在一家外企打工。
  • Pinyin: Tā bìyè hòu de dì yī fèn gōng jiùshì zài yī jiā wàiqǐ dǎgōng.
  • English: Her first job after graduation was working for a foreign-owned enterprise.
  • Analysis: Even for a white-collar job in a `外企` (foreign company), 打工 can be used informally to describe the experience of being an employee.
• Example 6:
  • 我爸爸在外地打工，一年才回家一次。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bàba zài wàidì dǎgōng, yī nián cái huí jiā yī cì.
  • English: My dad works in another city and only comes home once a year.
  • Analysis: This sentence poignantly captures the social cost and family separation often associated with migrant work.
• Example 7:
  • 你暑假有什么计划？要去打工吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ shǔjià yǒu shéme jìhuà? Yào qù dǎgōng ma?
  • English: What are your plans for summer vacation? Are you going to get a job?
  • Analysis: A very common question among students. The implied job is a temporary summer job.
• Example 8:
  • 虽然打工很辛苦，但是他每个月都会给家里寄钱。
  • Pinyin: Suīrán dǎgōng hěn xīnkǔ, dànshì tā měi ge yuè dōu huì gěi jiālǐ jì qián.
  • English: Although the work is very hard, he sends money home every month.
  • Analysis: This connects the action of 打工 with the hardship (`辛苦`) and the motivation (supporting family).
• Example 9:
  • 他不想一辈子打工，所以一直在学习新技能。
  • Pinyin: Tā bùxiǎng yībèizi dǎgōng, suǒyǐ yīzhí zài xuéxí xīn jìnéng.
  • English: He doesn't want to be a wage-earner his whole life, so he's constantly learning new skills.
  • Analysis: This shows 打工 as a state one might want to escape from by moving up in the world.
• Example 10:
  • 与其给别人打工，不如自己创业。
  • Pinyin: Yǔqí gěi biérén dǎgōng, bùrú zìjǐ chuàngyè.
  • English: Rather than work for others, it's better to start your own business.
  • Analysis: This is a common saying that contrasts 打工 (working for others) directly with `创业` (chuàngyè - entrepreneurship).

• Don't use `打工` for prestigious professions. A common mistake for learners is to over-generalize `打工`. You would not say a doctor, university professor, or a high-level manager is “打工”. It would sound odd and slightly insulting, as it diminishes their professional status. For these roles, you should use `工作 (gōngzuò)`.
  • Incorrect: `我的医生在医院打工。` (Wǒde yīshēng zài yīyuàn dǎgōng.)
  • Correct: `我的医生在医院工作。` (Wǒde yīshēng zài yīyuàn gōngzuò.)
• `打工` vs. `工作 (gōngzuò)`: This is the most important distinction.
  • 工作 (gōngzuò): A general, neutral term. It can be a noun (“job”) or a verb (“to work”). It fits almost any context, formal or informal. “What is your job?” is “你做什么工作？” (Nǐ zuò shénme gōngzuò?).
  • 打工 (dǎgōng): A verb phrase only. It carries the specific connotations discussed above (working for others, temporary, manual, humble). You cannot ask “What is your dǎgōng?”
  • Incorrect: `你做什么打工？`
  • Correct: `你在哪里打工？` (Where do you work?) - This is acceptable and common.

• 工作 (gōngzuò) - The general, neutral term for “work” or “job.” 打工 is a specific type of 工作.
• 上班 (shàngbān) - “To go to work”; specifically refers to commuting to a job with regular hours, like an office job. More formal than 打工.
• 老板 (lǎobǎn) - “Boss.” The person you 打工 for.
• 工资 (gōngzī) - “Wages, salary.” The payment you receive for your 打工.
• 农民工 (nóngmín gōng) - “Migrant worker.” The demographic group most strongly associated with the cultural phenomenon of 打工.
• 兼职 (jiānzhí) - “Part-time job.” This is a more formal noun/verb for the kind of work a student does. 打工 is the colloquial way to refer to it.
• 加班 (jiābān) - “To work overtime.” A frequent and often unwelcome reality for many people who 打工.
• 辞职 (cízhí) - “To resign, to quit a job.” The formal term for when you stop 打工 at a particular company.
• 做生意 (zuò shēngyi) - “To do business, to be an entrepreneur.” This is often seen as the aspirational alternative to a life of 打工.
• 辛苦 (xīnkǔ) - “Hard, arduous, toilsome.” An adjective often used to describe the experience of 打工.