xiūjià: 休假 - To Take a Vacation, Be on Leave

• Keywords: xiujia, xiu jia, 休假, take a vacation in Chinese, on leave in Chinese, holiday in Chinese, Chinese word for vacation, annual leave China, sick leave China, time off Chinese, apply for leave Chinese.
• Summary: Learn how to say “take a vacation” or “be on leave” in Chinese with the essential term 休假 (xiūjià). This page breaks down the meaning, cultural context, and practical usage of 休假, the general word for any approved time off from work or school in China. Discover how to apply for leave, discuss vacation plans, and understand the difference between 休假 and other related words like 假期 (jiàqī) and 放假 (fàngjià).

• Pinyin (with tone marks): xiūjià
• Part of Speech: Separable Verb, Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To take an approved leave of absence from work or school for rest or vacation.
• In a Nutshell: 休假 (xiūjià) is your go-to term for any kind of approved time off. It's not just for a fun trip to the beach; it covers everything from your official annual vacation to taking a few personal days to simply rest at home. The word itself emphasizes the “rest” (休) aspect of the “leave” (假). It's an active concept—it's something you take or you are on.

• 休 (xiū): This character is a beautiful example of a phono-semantic compound. It shows a person (人) leaning against a tree (木). The image is clear: someone stopping to rest under the shade of a tree. It means “to rest,” “to stop,” or “to cease.”
• 假 (jià): This character has two common pronunciations. When pronounced as jià, it means “leave” or “vacation.” (When pronounced as `jiǎ`, it means “false” or “fake”). In this context, it refers to a sanctioned period of time away from one's duties.
• Together, 休 (rest) + 假 (leave) creates 休假 (xiūjià): a “rest leave” or a period of leave taken for the purpose of resting and recuperating.

In Chinese work culture, which has traditionally valued diligence and long hours, the concept of 休假 has a slightly different weight than “vacation” in the West. While an American “vacation” often implies an activity-filled trip, 休假 (xiūjià) is fundamentally about the absence from work. A perfectly acceptable and common way to 休假 is to simply stay home, sleep in, and relax. The emphasis is on the 休 (xiū)—the rest and recovery from the pressures of work. Historically, long personal vacations were a luxury reserved for a select few. For most, time off was limited to national holidays. However, with China's economic development and a growing awareness of mental health and work-life balance (partially as a reaction to the infamous “996” work culture), the importance of personal 休假 is increasing. Laws mandating 年假 (niánjià), or paid annual leave, are now more established, and employees are more assertive about taking their deserved time off. Therefore, when you use 休假, you're tapping into a modern, evolving concept in China: the personal right to rest and recharge.

休假 (xiūjià) is a flexible word used in both formal and informal contexts. As a Separable Verb: This is a crucial grammar point. You can insert the duration of the leave between 休 and 假. This is extremely common.

• `休 三天 假` (xiū sān tiān jià) - To take three days of leave.
• `我想 休 一个星期 的假` (wǒ xiǎng xiū yí ge xīngqī de jià) - I want to take a week's leave.

In the Workplace: The most common phrase you'll hear in an office is 申请休假 (shēnqǐng xiūjià), which means “to apply for leave.”

• “Boss, I need to apply for leave.” - `老板，我需要申请休假。` (Lǎobǎn, wǒ xūyào shēnqǐng xiūjià.)

In Conversation: When talking with friends, it's used to ask about their time off or share your own plans.

• “When are you taking your vacation?” - `你什么时候休假？` (Nǐ shénme shíhou xiūjià?)
• “I'm on vacation next week.” - `我下个星期休假。` (Wǒ xià ge xīngqī xiūjià.)

As a Noun: It can also function as a noun, referring to the vacation/leave itself.

• “My vacation is almost over.” - `我的休假快结束了。` (Wǒ de xiūjià kuài jiéshù le.)

• Example 1:
  • 我打算下个月休假去云南旅游。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ dǎsuàn xià ge yuè xiūjià qù Yúnnán lǚyóu.
  • English: I plan to take a vacation next month to travel in Yunnan.
  • Analysis: A classic example showing intention. 休假 is the action that enables the activity of 旅游 (lǚyóu), “to travel.”
• Example 2:
  • 老板，我想申请休三天假，可以吗？
  • Pinyin: Lǎobǎn, wǒ xiǎng shēnqǐng xiū sān tiān jià, kěyǐ ma?
  • English: Boss, I'd like to apply to take three days of leave, is that okay?
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the crucial separable verb usage (`休 + duration + 假`) in a formal request.
• Example 3:
  • 他因为生病了，正在家里休假。
  • Pinyin: Tā yīnwèi shēngbìng le, zhèngzài jiā lǐ xiūjià.
  • English: He is on leave at home because he is sick.
  • Analysis: This shows that 休假 isn't just for fun trips. It's the general term for being on approved leave, even for sickness (though 病假 bìngjià is more specific).
• Example 4:
  • 我们公司每年有十天带薪休假。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī měinián yǒu shí tiān dàixīn xiūjià.
  • English: Our company has ten days of paid leave per year.
  • Analysis: Here, 休假 acts as a noun, modified by “paid” (带薪 dàixīn). This is a common phrase in job descriptions and contracts.
• Example 5:
  • 你这次休假有什么计划吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ zhè cì xiūjià yǒu shénme jìhuà ma?
  • English: Do you have any plans for your vacation this time?
  • Analysis: 休假 is used as a noun here, referring to a specific instance of vacation (“this time's vacation”).
• Example 6:
  • 工作太累了，我真的需要休假了。
  • Pinyin: Gōngzuò tài lèi le, wǒ zhēnde xūyào xiūjià le.
  • English: Work is too tiring, I really need to take a vacation.
  • Analysis: Shows the core reason for 休假: to rest from being overworked. The 了 (le) indicates a change of state or new realization.
• Example 7:
  • 祝你休假愉快！
  • Pinyin: Zhù nǐ xiūjià yúkuài!
  • English: Have a happy vacation!
  • Analysis: A common and friendly phrase to say to someone who is about to start their leave.
• Example 8:
  • 他把所有的年假都一次性休完了。
  • Pinyin: Tā bǎ suǒyǒu de niánjià dōu yícìxìng xiū wán le.
  • English: He used up all of his annual leave at once.
  • Analysis: A more advanced sentence using the `把 (bǎ)` structure. It shows how the verb 休 can be combined with a result complement like 完 (wán), “to finish.” Notice 年假 (niánjià) is the specific type of leave being taken.
• Example 9:
  • 不好意思，王经理正在休假，下周一才回来。
  • Pinyin: Bù hǎoyìsi, Wáng jīnglǐ zhèngzài xiūjià, xià zhōuyī cái huílái.
  • English: Sorry, Manager Wang is currently on leave and won't be back until next Monday.
  • Analysis: A typical sentence you might hear from a receptionist or colleague. 正在休假 means “is currently on leave.”
• Example 10:
  • 医生建议他休假一个月，好好休息。
  • Pinyin: Yīshēng jiànyì tā xiūjià yí ge yuè, hǎohāo xiūxi.
  • English: The doctor recommended that he take a month of leave to rest well.
  • Analysis: Shows how 休假 can be prescribed or recommended for health reasons. It's paired with 好好休息 (hǎohāo xiūxi), “to rest well,” reinforcing its core meaning.

The most common point of confusion for learners is distinguishing 休假 from 假期 (jiàqī) and 放假 (fàngjià).

• 休假 (xiūjià) vs. 假期 (jiàqī)
  • 休假 (xiūjià) is the action of taking leave or the state of being on leave. It's often a verb.
  • 假期 (jiàqī) is the period of time itself. It's always a noun. Think of it as “the holiday period” or “the vacation dates.”
  • Correct: 我下周休假。 (Wǒ xiàzhōu xiūjià.) - I'm taking leave next week. (Action)
  • Correct: 这个假期很长。 (Zhège jiàqī hěn cháng.) - This holiday period is very long. (Time period)
  • Incorrect: 我下周假期。 (Wǒ xiàzhōu jiàqī.)
  • Incorrect: 这个休假很长。 (Zhège xiūjià hěn cháng.) - While grammatically possible as “This vacation (of mine) is long”, it's much more natural to use 假期 to describe the period itself.
• 休假 (xiūjià) vs. 放假 (fàngjià)
  • 休假 (xiūjià) is personal and individual. You apply for it. It's leave from a normal work schedule.
  • 放假 (fàngjià) is collective and scheduled. It means “to have a holiday” or “to let out” for a public holiday, weekend, or school break. It's something granted to a whole group.
  • Example: “I'm taking Friday off.” (Personal decision) → 我周五休假。 (Wǒ zhōuwǔ xiūjià.)
  • Example: “The school is on break for the holiday.” (Scheduled for everyone) → 学校放假了。 (Xuéxiào fàngjià le.)

• 假期 (jiàqī) - The holiday/vacation period itself. A noun that refers to the block of time.
• 放假 (fàngjià) - To have a day off, especially for a scheduled public holiday or school break.
• 加班 (jiābān) - The opposite of taking leave: to work overtime.
• 年假 (niánjià) - A more specific type of leave: annual leave/paid time off (PTO).
• 病假 (bìngjià) - A more specific type of leave: sick leave.
• 事假 (shìjià) - A more specific type of leave: personal leave (for handling personal matters).
• 产假 (chǎnjià) - Maternity leave.
• 带薪休假 (dàixīn xiūjià) - A full phrase meaning “paid leave.”
• 旅游 (lǚyóu) - To travel, to tour. A very common activity to do while on 休假.
• 申请 (shēnqǐng) - To apply. Often used directly with 休假 as in `申请休假`.