verb / noun HSK 5
Traditional 罷工
gōng
to go on strike · strike · work stoppage

Meaning

罢工 refers to workers collectively stopping work as a form of protest, typically to demand better wages, working conditions, or other labor rights. It is both the action of striking and the strike event itself. This term is commonly used in labor disputes and news reports about industrial action.

Usage

罢工 is used in formal and news contexts to describe organized labor actions. It typically appears with verbs like 进行 (jìn xíng - to carry out), 举行 (jǔ xíng - to hold), or 发动 (fā dòng - to launch). Workers are said to 罢工 when they refuse to work until their demands are met. The term carries a serious, sometimes political tone.

Examples

  1. 01
    工人们因为工资太低而决定罢工
    Gōng rén men yīn wèi gōng tài ér jué dìng gōng.
    The workers decided to go on strike because their wages were too low.
  2. 02
    这次罢工持续了三个星期才结束。
    Zhè gōng chí le sān xīng cái jié shù.
    This strike lasted for three weeks before it ended.

Characters

Measure words

  • 一次罢工
  • chǎng一场罢工

Common collocations

  • 举行罢工
    xíng gōng
    to hold a strike
  • 进行罢工
    jìn xíng gōng
    to carry out a strike
  • 罢工
    zǒng gōng
    general strike
  • 罢工运动
    gōng yùn dòng
    strike movement

Antonyms

Origin

The term literally means 'stop work.' 罢 means to cease or end, and 工 means labor or work. The compound directly describes the action of halting labor activities.

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