跳槽 (tiào cáo) — to change jobs; job-hopping | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literally 'jump trough/crib' (from animals switching feed troughs), now used for switching employers. Unlike the physical 跳跃, this is figurative — leaving one job for another, usually for better pay.

verb

to change jobsjob-hopping

Examples

跳槽。
Tā gāng tiào cáo dào yì jiā wài qǐ gōng zuò.
He just changed jobs to work at a foreign company.
跳槽。
Hěn duō rén wéi le gèng gāo de xīn shuǐ ér tiào cáo.
Many people change jobs for higher salaries.
跳槽。
Pín fán tiào cáo kě néng huì yǐng xiǎng nǐ de jiǎn lì.
Frequent job-hopping may affect your resume.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

The image is 跳 'jump' from one 槽 'trough' to another, like switching feed, so it means changing jobs.

Characters in this word

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

足足zúfoot

Sound part声符shēngfú

兆

兆zhào跳tiào

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

跳 pairs 足 (foot) with 兆, which supplies the sound; the foot part shows the action is done with the feet.

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

木曹槽

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùwood

Sound part声符shēngfú

曹

曹cáo槽cáo

Same sound today

槽 uses 木 (wood) for the meaning and 曹 for the sound, showing a wooden trough or vat.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Professions & Jobs Workplace & Office

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