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上岸 (shàng àn) — to go ashore, to land; (slang) to secure a stable job in the public sector (e.g., pass the civil service exam or obtain a government position)

Definition

Literally 'go ashore,' but in modern slang it means passing the civil service exam and getting a government job — a stable, prestigious outcome that contrasts with private-sector work.

verb
to go ashoreto land(slang) to secure a stable job in the public sector (e.g., pass the civil service exam or obtain a government position)

Examples

  • ，上岸。
    Chuán kào àn hòu, chéng kè men fēn fēn shàng àn.
    After the boat docked, the passengers went ashore one after another.
  • 。
    Tā shàng le yí cì àn jiù zài yě bù xiǎng qù sī qǐ le.
    After securing a stable job once, he never wanted to go back to private enterprises.
  • ，上岸。
    Hěn duō rén nǔ lì duō nián, jiù wèi le shàng àn.
    Many people work hard for years just to secure a stable job in the public sector.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

上shànggo up
岸ànshore

上 (go up) and 岸 (shore) mean going up onto the shore.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

上 is drawn as a short horizontal line placed above a longer arc, marking a position above that arc.

Open 上 →

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
屵屵àncliff
Sound part声符shēngfú
干
干gān岸àn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

岸 shows 屵, a cliff, next to 干, which gives a clue to the sound; together they point to the edge of land.

Open 岸 →
Appears in
Professions & JobsBoats & Water Travel

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