工 (gōng): This character originally depicted a carpenter's square, a tool for work. It represents work, labor, skill, or industry.
作 (zuò): This character means to do, to make, or to compose. It signifies the action of working or creating.
日 (rì): This character is a pictogram of the sun and means “day” or “daytime.”
When combined, `工 (gōng)` and `作 (zuò)` form `工作 (gōngzuò)`, the common word for “work” or “job.” Adding `日 (rì)` logically creates `工作日 (gōngzuòrì)`, a “work day.”
The concept of `工作日` in China is inseparable from the state-managed holiday system known as `调休 (tiáoxiū)`, which literally means “to adjust rest.” This system is a major cultural and practical difference from the Western concept of a fixed weekend.
In the West, a “workday” or “business day” is almost universally understood as Monday through Friday, excluding public holidays. If a holiday falls on a Tuesday, people simply get Tuesday off.
In China, the government often creates long, uninterrupted holiday blocks (like the 3-day Dragon Boat Festival or the 7-day National Day “Golden Week”) to encourage travel and consumption. To achieve this, they “swap” days. For example, to make a 3-day holiday from Friday to Sunday, they might declare the preceding Sunday an official `工作日` to compensate for the Friday that was given off.
This has several implications:
Flexibility is Mandated: The work schedule for the entire country is fluid and announced by the government annually.
Collective Rhythm: It reflects a collectivist mindset where the national schedule takes precedence over an individual's fixed five-day work week. Everyone is on the same altered schedule.
Practical Impact: For anyone living, working, or doing business with China, it's crucial to check the official holiday calendar. You cannot assume a weekend will be a day off, especially if it's adjacent to a public holiday. This affects everything from project deadlines to international logistics.
`工作日` is a common and practical term used in many daily situations.
Business and Logistics: It's standard in business communication, especially regarding deadlines and delivery times. A package that takes “3-5 `工作日`” to arrive will not count weekends or public holidays (unless a weekend has been designated a workday).
Office and Government Hours: When you check the opening hours for a bank, post office, or government bureau, they will almost always be specified in terms of `工作日`.
Daily Conversation: People use it to plan activities, schedule appointments, or complain about their work schedule. For example, “Let's meet after the workday” (`我们工作日之后见吧`).
The term is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal settings without issue.