xiégàng qīngnián: 斜杠青年 - Slash Youth, Slasher, A Person with Multiple Careers

• Keywords: 斜杠青年, xiegang qingnian, slash youth, slasher, Chinese millennials, Gen Z in China, gig economy, multiple careers, portfolio career, side hustle China, modern Chinese slang
• Summary: “斜杠青年” (xiégàng qīngnián) is a popular modern Chinese term for “Slash Youth,” referring to young people who have multiple careers, passions, and identities simultaneously. These individuals reject the traditional single-career path, instead defining themselves with a series of roles separated by slashes (e.g., “Engineer / Photographer / Blogger”). The term captures a generational shift towards prioritizing personal fulfillment, diverse income streams, and a flexible lifestyle over the stability of a conventional 9-to-5 job in China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): xié gàng qīng nián
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: N/A
• Concise Definition: A young person who pursues multiple professions and interests, often concurrently.
• In a Nutshell: Imagine someone introducing themselves not just as a “doctor,” but as a “doctor / musician / marathon runner.” That's a “斜杠青年”. The term, literally “slash youth,” describes a modern lifestyle and identity built around having several different jobs or passions. It's not just about having a side job for extra cash; it's about defining your life and identity through a combination of talents and pursuits, rejecting the idea that you have to be just one thing.

• 斜 (xié): Slanted, oblique, or diagonal. Here, it specifically refers to the forward slash (/) punctuation mark.
• 杠 (gàng): A bar or pole. In this context, it combines with 斜 to mean the “slash” mark.
• 青 (qīng): Can mean green, blue, or black, but here it's part of the word 青年.
• 年 (nián): Year.
• 青年 (qīngnián): Together, these two characters mean “youth” or “young people.”

The characters literally combine to mean “Slash Youth.” The term directly references the practice of listing one's different roles separated by a forward slash (/), which has become a symbol of this multi-faceted identity.

The concept of “斜杠青年” exploded in China around 2016, largely inspired by Marci Alboher's book “One Person/Multiple Careers.” It resonated deeply with Chinese millennials and Gen Z who were facing immense pressure from the “996” work culture (9 am to 9 pm, 6 days a week) and intense social competition known as 内卷 (nèijuǎn). Being a “斜杠青年” is seen as an aspirational path to escape the traditional, rigid career ladder. It stands in stark contrast to the older generation's ideal of the 铁饭碗 (tiě fànwǎn) or “iron rice bowl”—a stable, secure job for life, typically with the government or a state-owned enterprise. This new ideal prioritizes personal fulfillment, flexibility, and self-realization over stability and conformity. A helpful Western comparison is the “portfolio career” or “side hustle,” but with a crucial difference. While a “side hustle” often implies a secondary job primarily for extra income, 斜杠青年 is more about identity. The various “slashes” are seen as equally important expressions of one's talents and passions, not just a main job and a lesser one. It's a holistic statement about who you are, not just what you do for money.

“斜杠青年” is a trendy and widely used term in both formal and informal contexts.

• On Social Media: Young people often use this term in their bios on platforms like Weibo (微博) and Douyin (抖音) to showcase their diverse skills and identities (e.g., “设计师/vlog博主/咖啡师” - Designer/Vlogger/Barista).
• In News and Media: Articles and documentaries frequently discuss the “斜杠青年 phenomenon” (斜杠青年现象) as a significant social trend, analyzing its causes and effects on the economy and society.
• In Conversation: People might use it to describe an admirable friend or express their own career aspirations. It carries a very positive, modern, and ambitious connotation. It suggests someone is talented, proactive, and interesting.

The term is almost always positive or neutral. It's a label many people are proud to adopt.

• Example 1:
  • 他是我们公司最典型的斜杠青年，白天是程序员，晚上是乐队吉他手。
  • Pinyin: Tā shì wǒmen gōngsī zuì diǎnxíng de xiégàng qīngnián, báitiān shì chéngxùyuán, wǎnshang shì yuèduì jítāshǒu.
  • English: He's the most typical slash youth in our company; he's a programmer by day and a band's guitarist by night.
  • Analysis: This is a classic use of the term to describe someone with two distinct, passion-driven roles.
• Example 2:
  • 如今，越来越多的年轻人选择成为斜杠青年，追求更多元化的生活。
  • Pinyin: Rújīn, yuèláiyuè duō de niánqīngrén xuǎnzé chéngwéi xiégàng qīngnián, zhuīqiú gèng duōyuánhuà de shēnghuó.
  • English: Nowadays, more and more young people are choosing to become slash youths, pursuing a more diversified life.
  • Analysis: This sentence treats “becoming a slash youth” as a conscious life choice or career path.
• Example 3:
  • 我不想一辈子只做一份工作，我的目标是当一个斜杠青年。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bùxiǎng yībèizi zhǐ zuò yī fèn gōngzuò, wǒ de mùbiāo shì dāng yīgè xiégàng qīngnián.
  • English: I don't want to do just one job my whole life; my goal is to be a slasher.
  • Analysis: Here, the term is presented as a personal aspiration, directly contrasting with the idea of a single, lifelong job.
• Example 4:
  • 成为一名斜杠青年需要很强的时间管理能力。
  • Pinyin: Chéngwéi yī míng xiégàng qīngnián xūyào hěn qiáng de shíjiān guǎnlǐ nénglì.
  • English: Being a slash youth requires strong time management skills.
  • Analysis: This sentence discusses the practical challenges and requirements of adopting this lifestyle.
• Example 5:
  • 她的名片上印着好几个头衔，真是一个不折不扣的斜杠青年。
  • Pinyin: Tā de míngpiàn shàng yìnzhe hǎojǐ gè tóuxián, zhēnshi yīgè bùzhébùkòu de xiégàng qīngnián.
  • English: Her business card has several titles printed on it; she's a true slash youth through and through.
  • Analysis: The phrase 不折不扣 (bùzhébùkòu) means “out-and-out” or “100%,” emphasizing how perfectly she fits the description.
• Example 6:
  • 斜杠青年这个概念对传统就业观造成了很大的冲击。
  • Pinyin: Xiégàng qīngnián zhège gàiniàn duì chuántǒng jiùyè guān zàochéngle hěn dà de chōngjī.
  • English: The concept of the slash youth has had a huge impact on traditional views of employment.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses the term in a more abstract, sociological context to discuss its cultural impact.
• Example 7:
  • 我妈妈不理解我为什么要做斜杠青年，她觉得我应该找个稳定的工作。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ māma bù lǐjiě wǒ wèishéme yào zuò xiégàng qīngnián, tā juéde wǒ yīnggāi zhǎo gè wěndìng de gōngzuò.
  • English: My mom doesn't understand why I want to be a slasher; she thinks I should find a stable job.
  • Analysis: This highlights the generational gap in career values, contrasting the “slash youth” ideal with stability.
• Example 8:
  • 互联网的发展为斜杠青年的出现提供了可能。
  • Pinyin: Hùliánwǎng de fāzhǎn wèi xiégàng qīngnián de chūxiàn tígōngle kěnéng.
  • English: The development of the internet has made the emergence of the slash youth possible.
  • Analysis: This points to the technological and economic factors (like the gig economy) that enable this lifestyle.
• Example 9:
  • 你也是斜杠青年吗？除了本职工作，你还有什么别的身份？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ yěshì xiégàng qīngnián ma? Chúle běnzhí gōngzuò, nǐ háiyǒu shéme bié de shēnfèn?
  • English: Are you a slash youth, too? Besides your main job, what other identities do you have?
  • Analysis: A great conversational question. It shows how the term is used to inquire about someone's passions and lifestyle.
• Example 10:
  • 虽然斜杠青年的生活听起来很自由，但收入可能不稳定。
  • Pinyin: Suīrán xiégàng qīngnián de shēnghuó tīngqilai hěn zìyóu, dàn shōurù kěnéng bù wěndìng.
  • English: Although the life of a slash youth sounds very free, the income can be unstable.
  • Analysis: This sentence acknowledges the potential downsides, showing a balanced understanding of the concept.

• Not Just a “Side Hustle”: The most common mistake is to equate “斜杠青年” with having a “side hustle” (副业 (fùyè)). A `副业` is primarily about supplementary income. “斜杠青年” is about identity and personal fulfillment. All roles in a “slash” identity are ideally passion-driven and contribute to who the person is. You could have a boring main job and a `副业` driving for Didi, but that wouldn't make you a `斜杠青年`.
• Not the Same as “Unemployed” or “Underemployed”: Being a `斜杠青年` is an active, often ambitious choice. It's not a label for someone who can't find a single full-time job. It implies a high degree of skill, self-discipline, and proactive career management.
• Incorrect Usage:
  • Wrong: 他丢了工作，现在只能打零工，成了一个斜杠青年。(Tā diūle gōngzuò, xiànzài zhǐ néng dǎ línggōng, chéngle yīgè xiégàng qīngnián.) → He lost his job and now can only do odd jobs, becoming a slash youth.
  • Why it's wrong: This misinterprets the term as a negative consequence of unemployment. The term has a positive, aspirational connotation of choice and talent, not desperation.

• `副业 (fùyè)` - Side hustle; a job taken on for extra income, which may or may not be related to one's passion. It's about the money, whereas `斜杠青年` is about identity.
• `自由职业者 (zìyóu zhíyèzhě)` - Freelancer. Many `斜杠青年` are freelancers in one or more of their roles, but this term focuses specifically on the mode of employment, not the multiplicity of identities.
• `铁饭碗 (tiě fànwǎn)` - Iron rice bowl. The traditional ideal of a secure, lifelong job that the `斜杠青年` movement directly opposes.
• `996` - The “9am to 9pm, 6 days a week” work culture. The desire to escape this grueling schedule is a major driver for young people to become `斜杠青年`.
• `内卷 (nèijuǎn)` - Involution; a state of intense, zero-sum internal competition. The `斜杠青年` path is often seen as a way to opt out of the traditional `内卷` rat race by creating one's own unique value.
• `躺平 (tǎng píng)` - To lie flat; a passive response to societal pressures like `996` and `内卷` by doing the bare minimum. It can be seen as the opposite, more passive reaction to the same pressures that motivate the proactive `斜杠青年`.
• `个人价值 (gèrén jiàzhí)` - Personal value/worth. A core motivation for a `斜杠青年` is to achieve and express their `个人价值` in multiple dimensions.
• `多元化 (duōyuánhuà)` - Diversification. Describes the lifestyle, skill set, and income streams of a `斜杠青年`.