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退休 (tuì xiū) — to retire (from the workforce)

Definition

退休 means leaving work permanently at the end of one's career, usually by age. 离职 is leaving a job (resign/fire, any time); 退役 is retiring from military or sports; 卸任 is leaving an official post.

verb
to retire (from the workforce)

Examples

  • 退休。
    Wǒ fù qīn yǐ jīng tuì xiū le.
    My father has already retired.
  • 退休。
    Tā tuì xiū yǐ hòu dǎ suàn qù lǚ xíng.
    After he retires, he plans to travel.
  • 退休？
    Nǐ shén me shí hou tuì xiū?
    When will you retire?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

退tuìretreat
休xiūrest

Both 退 and 休 convey leaving one's work and resting.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 皀皀jífood vessel
  • 夊夊suīdownward foot

退 originally showed 皀, a food vessel, with 夊, a downward foot, for leaving the table after eating. In modern 退, the vessel part 皀 changed into an unrelated shape.

Open 退 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

休 pairs 人 (man) with 木 (tree), showing a person leaning against a tree to rest.

Open 休 →
Appears in
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