同工同酬 (tóng gōng tóng chóu) — equal pay for equal work

Definition

A formal chengyu meaning workers doing the same job must receive the same pay, often used in workplace policy, labor law, or gender-equality discussions.

idiom
equal pay for equal work

Examples

  • 同工同酬，。
    Gōng sī bì xū shí xíng tóng gōng tóng chóu, bù néng yīn wèi xìng bié bù tóng ér qū bié duì dài.
    Companies must implement equal pay for equal work and not treat people differently based on gender.
  • 同工同酬。
    Zhè xiàng fǎ lǜ bǎo zhàng le láo dòng zhě de tóng gōng tóng chóu quán lì.
    This law protects workers' right to equal pay for equal work.
  • 同工同酬，。
    Tā men yāo qiú tóng gōng tóng chóu, fǎn duì rèn hé xíng shì de gōng zī qí shì.
    They demand equal pay for equal work and oppose any form of wage discrimination.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

同工same work
同tóngsame工gōngwork
偏正Modifier + head
同酬same pay
同tóngsame酬chóupay
偏正Modifier + head

同工 (same work) and 同酬 (same pay) stand in parallel, yielding equal pay for equal work.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

同 originally drew a pipe. It is the old form of 筒.

Open 同 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 工 is a picture of a bladed tool used to plow ground or mark a border; some read it as a carpenter's square.

Open 工 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

同 originally drew a pipe. It is the old form of 筒.

Open 同 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
酉酉yǒuliquor vessel; liquor
Sound part声符shēngfú
州
州zhōu酬chóu
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The 酉 part shows a liquor vessel, matching meanings about offering or drinking liquor. The 州 part gives the sound.

Open 酬 →

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