jiǔ jiǔ liù gōng zuò zhì: 996工作制 - The "996" Work System

• Keywords: 996 work schedule, 996 China, 996 gōngzuòzhì, what is 996, Chinese work culture, tech industry China, overtime in China, work-life balance China, Jack Ma 996, 加班 (jiābān), 内卷 (nèijuǎn).
• Summary: The 996工作制 (jiǔ jiǔ liù gōng zuò zhì) is a controversial and unofficially enforced work schedule in China, requiring employees to work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., 6 days a week. Heavily associated with China's tech industry, the “996 work schedule” has sparked widespread public debate about Chinese work culture, labor laws, and the lack of work-life balance. It is a critical term for understanding modern Chinese society, professional life, and the intense competition, or “内卷 (nèijuǎn),” faced by its workforce.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jiǔ jiǔ liù gōng zuò zhì
• Part of Speech: Noun Phrase
• HSK Level: N/A
• Concise Definition: A work system requiring employees to work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., 6 days per week.
• In a Nutshell: “996工作制” isn't just a schedule; it's a cultural symbol of extreme “hustle culture” in modern China. It represents a grueling 72-hour workweek that became infamous in the tech sector. While praised by some business leaders as a necessary sacrifice for success, it is widely condemned by the public as exploitative, detrimental to health, and a key driver of burnout and the social phenomenon of “lying flat” (躺平, tǎng píng).

• 9 (jiǔ): The number nine, representing 9 a.m.
• 9 (jiǔ): The number nine, representing 9 p.m.
• 6 (liù): The number six, representing 6 days a week.
• 工 (gōng): Work, labor. Often seen in a word like `工人 (gōngrén)` - worker.
• 作 (zuò): To do, to make.
• 制 (zhì): System, institution. As in `制度 (zhìdù)` - system.

The characters combine very literally. `工作 (gōngzuò)` is the common word for “work” or “job”. Adding `制 (zhì)` turns it into a “system”. So, `996工作制` translates directly to the “9-9-6 Work System”.

The 996工作制 is a cornerstone for understanding the pressures of modern urban life in China. It emerged from the hyper-competitive tech industry in the 2010s, where startups and established giants alike adopted these grueling hours to outpace rivals. The phenomenon sparked a massive online protest in 2019 on the code-hosting platform GitHub, called “996.ICU”. The name implied that following a 996 schedule would land you in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). This movement brought international attention to the issue and highlighted a growing resistance among Chinese youth. A key cultural concept invoked to sometimes justify 996 is `奋斗 (fèndòu)`, or “striving/struggling,” a value deeply embedded in the narrative of China's economic miracle. Proponents, like Alibaba's Jack Ma who famously called 996 a “huge blessing” (福报, fúbào), argued it was the price of success. However, critics argue this co-opts a positive value to justify illegal and exploitative labor practices.

• Comparison to the West: While Western industries like finance, law, or video game development have “crunch time,” 996 is different. “Crunch” is typically a temporary, project-based period of intense overtime. 996工作制, in the companies that practice it, is often the *permanent, expected, and unofficial standard*, not a temporary phase. It is a systemic expectation rather than a short-term sprint.

This term is used widely in conversations about work, careers, and social issues.

• Job Searching: Young professionals will actively ask about a company's work culture to see if it's a “996 company.” A company advertising that they are “not 996” is a major selling point.
• Social Media: On platforms like Weibo and Zhihu, `996工作制` is a common hashtag and topic for complaining about work, sharing memes about burnout, and discussing labor rights.
• News and Formal Discussion: News outlets and official government statements use the term to discuss labor law enforcement and the need to protect workers' rights.
• Connotation: The term is almost universally negative among the general public and employees. It carries a heavy feeling of exploitation, exhaustion, and sacrifice of personal life. The only “positive” spin, now largely discredited, came from a few tech tycoons.

• Example 1:
  • 我不想去那家公司，因为我听说他们是996工作制。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bù xiǎng qù nà jiā gōngsī, yīnwèi wǒ tīngshuō tāmen shì jiǔ jiǔ liù gōng zuò zhì.
  • English: I don't want to go to that company because I heard they have a 996 work system.
  • Analysis: A common way for job seekers to express their concerns about a potential employer's work-life balance.
• Example 2:
  • 很多年轻人受不了996工作制，所以选择了“躺平”。
  • Pinyin: Hěn duō niánqīngrén shòu bu liǎo jiǔ jiǔ liù gōng zuò zhì, suǒyǐ xuǎnzé le “tǎng píng”.
  • English: Many young people can't stand the 996 work system, so they have chosen to “lie flat.”
  • Analysis: This sentence connects 996 directly to its social counter-movement, `躺平 (tǎng píng)`, showing a cause-and-effect relationship.
• Example 3:
  • 你们公司需要加班吗？是996工作制吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐmen gōngsī xūyào jiābān ma? Shì jiǔ jiǔ liù gōng zuò zhì ma?
  • English: Does your company require overtime? Is it a 996 system?
  • Analysis: A direct question one might ask a friend or during a job interview to understand the work expectations.
• Example 4:
  • 长期实行996工作制对员工的身心健康有很大危害。
  • Pinyin: Chángqī shíxíng jiǔ jiǔ liù gōng zuò zhì duì yuángōng de shēnxīn jiànkāng yǒu hěn dà wēihài.
  • English: Implementing the 996 work system long-term is very harmful to employees' physical and mental health.
  • Analysis: This is a more formal sentence, typical of a news report or a critical article about the practice.
• Example 5:
  • 找到一个不搞996工作制的工作太难了。
  • Pinyin: Zhǎodào yīge bù gǎo jiǔ jiǔ liù gōng zuò zhì de gōngzuò tài nán le.
  • English: It's so hard to find a job that doesn't practice the 996 work system.
  • Analysis: Expresses the frustration and feeling of inevitability that many job seekers feel in competitive sectors.
• Example 6:
  • 他因为996工作制，几乎没有时间陪家人。
  • Pinyin: Tā yīnwèi jiǔ jiǔ liù gōng zuò zhì, jīhū méiyǒu shíjiān péi jiārén.
  • English: Because of the 996 work system, he has almost no time to spend with his family.
  • Analysis: Highlights the personal, social cost of this work schedule.
• Example 7:
  • 政府已经明确表示，996工作制是违法的。
  • Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ yǐjīng míngquè biǎoshì, jiǔ jiǔ liù gōng zuò zhì shì wéifǎ de.
  • English: The government has already clearly stated that the 996 work system is illegal.
  • Analysis: This reflects the official legal stance, even if enforcement remains a challenge.
• Example 8:
  • 我们公司福利很好，保证双休，坚决抵制996工作制。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī fúlì hěn hǎo, bǎozhèng shuāngxiū, jiānjué dǐzhì jiǔ jiǔ liù gōng zuò zhì.
  • English: Our company has great benefits, guarantees two-day weekends, and resolutely opposes the 996 work system.
  • Analysis: A sentence a company's HR might use to attract talent, positioning themselves as a positive alternative.
• Example 9:
  • 别跟我提什么福报，我可不想过996工作制的生活。
  • Pinyin: Bié gēn wǒ tí shénme fúbào, wǒ kě bù xiǎng guò jiǔ jiǔ liù gōng zuò zhì de shēnghuó.
  • English: Don't talk to me about “blessings,” I really don't want to live a 996 work system life.
  • Analysis: This shows a sarcastic and defiant attitude, referencing Jack Ma's infamous “blessing” (福报, fúbào) comment.
• Example 10:
  • 和996工作制比起来，我们公司的“大小周”已经算很人性化了。
  • Pinyin: Hé jiǔ jiǔ liù gōng zuò zhì bǐ qǐlái, wǒmen gōngsī de “dàxiǎo zhōu” yǐjīng suàn hěn rénxìnghuà le.
  • English: Compared to the 996 work system, our company's “big/small week” system is already considered very humane.
  • Analysis: This sentence provides a comparison, showing that there are other, slightly less intense (but still demanding) overtime systems.

• It's Not Legally Sanctioned: A major pitfall for foreigners is assuming 996 is the legal or standard workweek everywhere in China. It is not. China's labor law stipulates an 8-hour day and a 40-hour week. The `996工作制` is an *unofficial but enforced norm* in specific industries and is technically illegal. It persists due to lax enforcement and intense market competition.
• Not the Same as General Overtime: Do not use `996工作制` to describe any instance of working late. The correct general term for overtime is `加班 (jiābān)`. `996工作制` refers to a specific, relentless, and systemic schedule (9am-9pm, 6 days/week).
  • Correct: 我今天需要加班。(Wǒ jīntiān xūyào jiābān.) - “I need to work overtime today.”
  • Incorrect: 我今天需要996工作制。(Wǒ jīntiān xūyào jiǔ jiǔ liù gōng zuò zhì.) - This is grammatically awkward and conceptually wrong, as 996 is a system, not a one-day action.

• 加班 (jiābān) - Overtime. The general term for working beyond normal hours. 996 is an extreme, institutionalized form of `加班`.
• 内卷 (nèijuǎn) - Involution; internal competition. The social dynamic of a zero-sum game where people feel forced to overwork just to keep up, not to get ahead. This is seen as the root cause of 996.
• 躺平 (tǎng píng) - To lie flat. The viral counter-culture movement against `内卷` and 996, advocating for doing the bare minimum and rejecting the rat race.
• 社畜 (shèchù) - Corporate slave (from Japanese). A popular, self-deprecating slang term used by overworked office employees who feel they have no agency.
• 福报 (fúbào) - Blessing; good fortune. Now used almost exclusively with sarcasm to refer to 996, thanks to Jack Ma's controversial comments framing it as a blessing for the young.
• 大小周 (dàxiǎozhōu) - Big/small week. A common alternative to 996 where employees alternate between a 6-day work week (“big week”) and a 5-day work week (“small week”).
• 奋斗 (fèndòu) - To strive; to struggle. The traditional value of hard work, often used by companies to encourage long hours.
• 过劳死 (guòláosǐ) - Death from overwork (Karoshi). The ultimate, tragic consequence of work cultures like 996, often cited in discussions about its dangers.