Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== jiǎnfù: 减负 - To Reduce a Burden, To Lighten a Load ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** jianfu, jiǎnfù, 减负, jianfu meaning, reduce burden Chinese, lighten load Chinese, student pressure in China, China education reform, double reduction policy China, 双减政策, academic burden * **Summary:** Discover the meaning of **减负 (jiǎnfù)**, a critical term in modern China that translates to "reducing a burden." This concept is central to nationwide conversations about easing the intense academic pressure on students and alleviating the heavy workload on employees. Understanding `jiǎnfù` is key to grasping major social policies like the "Double Reduction" and the cultural pushback against extreme competition in both schools and offices. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** jiǎn fù * **Part of Speech:** Verb-Object (often used as a verb) * **HSK Level:** Advanced (New HSK 3.0: Level 7-9) * **Concise Definition:** To reduce a burden or lighten a load. * **In a Nutshell:** `减负` is a compound word that literally means "reduce burden." Think of it as taking heavy books out of a student's already overstuffed backpack. It's the act of actively removing pressure, responsibilities, or excessive work from a system or a person. While it can apply to work, its most powerful and common use is in the context of China's demanding education system. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **减 (jiǎn):** This character means "to reduce," "to decrease," or "to subtract." It combines the "ice" radical (冫) with a phonetic component, suggesting a "cooling down" or lessening of intensity. * **负 (fù):** This character means "to carry a burden," "to bear responsibility," or a "load." The character's ancient form depicted a person carrying valuables, perfectly capturing the sense of being weighed down. * Together, **减负 (jiǎnfù)** forms a direct and logical meaning: to "reduce" (减) a "burden" (负). ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== `减负` is more than just a phrase; it's a window into the immense pressures of modern Chinese society. Its significance is most profound in the realm of education. For decades, the Chinese education system has been defined by the **[[高考]] (gāokǎo)**, the grueling, life-deciding national college entrance exam. This single test creates a hyper-competitive environment that trickles down to the earliest grades. Parents, fearing their child will fall behind, often enroll them in endless after-school tutoring and extracurricular classes, a phenomenon known as **[[鸡娃]] (jīwá)**, or raising "chicken babies" (as in, pumping them with academic stimulants). This has led to a nationwide crisis of student burnout, anxiety, and the loss of childhood. In response, the Chinese government has made `减负` a national policy priority. The most famous initiative is the **[[双减政策]] (shuāngjiǎn zhèngcè)**, or "Double Reduction Policy," launched in 2021. This policy drastically cracked down on the for-profit tutoring industry and limited the amount of homework schools could assign. **Comparison to Western Culture:** In the West, we talk about "work-life balance" or "reducing stress." These are often viewed as matters of personal choice and individual wellness. `减负`, however, is a top-down, systemic concept. It acknowledges that the "burden" is often external and institutional, requiring large-scale government intervention to fix. It's less about an individual choosing to relax and more about the system itself being redesigned to be less crushing. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== `减负` is a common term in news reports, government documents, school meetings, and workplace discussions. * **In Education:** This is its primary context. It's used to discuss policies, curriculum changes, and teaching methods all aimed at giving students a break. You'll hear phrases like `给学生减负` (gěi xuéshēng jiǎnfù) — "to reduce the burden for students." * **In the Workplace:** The term is also used to talk about lightening employee workloads, especially in reaction to the infamous **[[996]]** work culture (9 AM to 9 PM, 6 days a week). A company might announce new measures to `给员工减负` (gěi yuángōng jiǎnfù). * **Connotation:** `减负` is almost universally positive. It represents a desired solution to the widespread problems of overwork and stress. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 政府出台新政策，希望能给小学生**减负**。 * Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ chūtái xīn zhèngcè, xīwàng néng gěi xiǎoxuéshēng **jiǎnfù**. * English: The government has introduced a new policy, hoping to reduce the burden on primary school students. * Analysis: This is a classic example of `减负` used in a formal, policy-related context. * **Example 2:** * 老师，作业太多了，您能帮我们**减负**吗？ * Pinyin: Lǎoshī, zuòyè tài duō le, nín néng bāng wǒmen **jiǎnfù** ma? * English: Teacher, there's too much homework, can you help us lighten our load? * Analysis: Here, `减负` is used in a direct, conversational request from a student to an authority figure. * **Example 3:** * 为了提高效率，公司决定给员工**减负**，减少不必要的会议。 * Pinyin: Wèile tígāo xiàolǜ, gōngsī juédìng gěi yuángōng **jiǎnfù**, jiǎnshǎo bù bìyào de huìyì. * English: In order to increase efficiency, the company decided to reduce the burden on employees by cutting down on unnecessary meetings. * Analysis: This shows the application of `减负` in a corporate or workplace setting. * **Example 4:** * **减负**不等于不努力，而是要更聪明地学习。 * Pinyin: **Jiǎnfù** bù děngyú bù nǔlì, érshì yào gèng cōngmíng de xuéxí. * English: Reducing the burden doesn't mean not working hard, but rather studying smarter. * Analysis: This sentence clarifies a common misconception, showing `减负` used as a standalone concept or noun. * **Example 5:** * “双减”政策的核心就是为中小学生**减负**。 * Pinyin: "Shuāngjiǎn" zhèngcè de héxīn jiùshì wèi zhōngxiǎoxuéshēng **jiǎnfù**. * English: The core of the "Double Reduction" policy is to reduce the burden for primary and middle school students. * Analysis: This directly links `减负` to the specific, famous government policy. * **Example 6:** * 很多家长一方面希望给孩子**减负**，另一方面又怕孩子输在起跑线上。 * Pinyin: Hěn duō jiāzhǎng yī fāngmiàn xīwàng gěi háizi **jiǎnfù**, lìng yī fāngmiàn yòu pà háizi shū zài qǐpǎoxiàn shàng. * English: Many parents on one hand hope to reduce their children's burden, but on the other hand are afraid their children will lose at the starting line. * Analysis: This highlights the cultural paradox and conflict many Chinese parents feel regarding `减负`. * **Example 7:** * 我们今年的主要目标是**减负**增效。 * Pinyin: Wǒmen jīnnián de zhǔyào mùbiāo shì **jiǎnfù** zēngxiào. * English: Our main goal this year is to reduce the burden and increase efficiency. * Analysis: A common piece of corporate jargon, often seen in company slogans or goals. `增效` (zēngxiào) means "increase efficiency." * **Example 8:** * 这个新的自动化软件能帮我们**减负**不少。 * Pinyin: Zhège xīn de zìdònghuà ruǎnjiàn néng bāng wǒmen **jiǎnfù** bùshǎo. * English: This new automation software can help us lighten our load quite a bit. * Analysis: Demonstrates `减负` in a modern technology or IT context. * **Example 9:** * 你觉得现在的学生真的实现**减负**了吗？ * Pinyin: Nǐ juéde xiànzài de xuéshēng zhēn de shíxiàn **jiǎnfù** le ma? * English: Do you think today's students have truly had their burdens reduced? * Analysis: A good example of how `减负` is used in social commentary and discussion, questioning the effectiveness of the policies. * **Example 10:** * 睡眠不足是学生**减负**路上的一大障碍。 * Pinyin: Shuìmián bùzú shì xuéshēng **jiǎnfù** lùshang de yī dà zhàng'ài. * English: Lack of sleep is a major obstacle on the road to reducing students' burdens. * Analysis: Here, "**减负**路" (jiǎnfù lù) is used metaphorically to mean "the path/process of reducing burdens." ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **`减负` vs. "To Relax" (`放松` - fàngsōng):** A common mistake for learners is to use `减负` to mean "to relax." `减负` is about removing an *external* pressure or workload. `放松` is about changing your *internal* state to become relaxed. * **Incorrect:** 我今天很累，想**减负**一下。 (I'm tired today, I want to reduce my burden for a bit.) * **Correct:** 我今天很累，想**放松**一下。 (Wǒ jīntiān hěn lèi, xiǎng **fàngsōng** yíxià.) * **Explanation:** You relax (放松) in response to a heavy burden (负担). A policy or your boss gives you `减负`. * **`减负` is for Significant Burdens:** You don't use `减负` for small, everyday chores. It implies a systemic, heavy, and often overwhelming load. * **Awkward:** 我洗了碗，帮妈妈**减负**了。 (I washed the dishes and reduced my mom's burden.) * **More Natural:** 我帮妈妈**分担**了家务。 (Wǒ bāng māmā **fēndān** le jiāwù.) - I helped mom **share** the housework. * **Explanation:** `分担` (fēndān - to share a burden) is better for specific tasks, while `减负` is for the overall, crushing weight of work or study. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[负担]] (fùdān) - The literal "burden" or "load." `减负` is a shortened form of `减轻负担` (jiǎnqīng fùdān), meaning "to lighten a burden." * [[压力]] (yālì) - "Pressure" or "stress." `减负` is the primary method for reducing academic or work-related `压力`. * [[双减政策]] (shuāngjiǎn zhèngcè) - The "Double Reduction Policy." The most significant real-world application of the `减负` concept in recent Chinese history. * [[内卷]] (nèijuǎn) - "Involution" or hyper-competition. This is the societal problem that creates the intense `负担` and makes `减负` necessary. * [[鸡娃]] (jīwá) - "Chicken baby." A slang term for children who are relentlessly pushed by their parents to study, embodying the culture that `减负` policies aim to change. * [[高考]] (gāokǎo) - The national college entrance exam. It is widely seen as the root cause of the immense academic `负担` in China. * [[躺平]] (tǎng píng) - "To lie flat." A social movement of giving up the rat race, often seen as a personal, passive form of `减负` when systemic change feels impossible. * [[996]] - The "996 working hour system" (9am-9pm, 6 days/week). A major source of workplace `负担` that has led to calls for `减负` for employees.