Keywords: hangye, 行业, what does hangye mean, Chinese word for industry, Chinese for trade, Chinese for profession, career in Chinese, IT industry in Chinese, finance industry in Chinese, job sectors in China.
Summary: The Chinese word 行业 (hángyè) is the essential term for “industry,” “trade,” or “profession.” It's used to describe broad sectors of the economy like the tech industry (IT行业) or the finance industry (金融行业). Understanding 行业 is crucial for anyone looking to discuss careers, business, or economic trends in China, as it's the primary way people categorize their professional world.
Core Meaning
Pinyin (with tone marks): hángyè
Part of Speech: Noun
HSK Level: HSK 4
Concise Definition: A specific sector of commercial enterprise, trade, or professional work.
In a Nutshell: Think of 行业 (hángyè) as a large bucket that holds many different jobs. It's not about your specific job title (that's `职业 zhíyè`), but the overall field you work in. If you're a software engineer, a project manager, or a UX designer at a tech company, you are all in the IT 行业. It’s the standard word used to categorize the business world and is fundamental to conversations about careers and the economy.
Character Breakdown
行 (háng): In this context, this character means “a trade,” “a profession,” or “a line of business.” It comes from the idea of a “row” (e.g., a row of shops on a street, each in the same trade) or a guild. Note that this character is also pronounced `xíng` when it means “to walk” or “to go,” but in 行业, it is always `háng`.
业 (yè): This character means “business,” “enterprise,” “occupation,” or “course of study.” It carries a sense of a significant undertaking or one's life's work.
The two characters combine to mean “a line of business” or “a professional enterprise,” which perfectly forms the modern concept of an “industry” or “trade sector.”
Cultural Context and Significance
In modern China, a person's 行业 (hángyè) is a significant part of their social identity, often more so than their specific employer. It serves as a quick indicator of one's potential income, social status, and lifestyle. For example, being in the finance 行业 (金融行业) or internet 行业 (互联网行业) is often perceived as prestigious and lucrative.
This contrasts with Western cultures where individualism might place more emphasis on a unique “career path” or a specific, creative job title. In China, the choice of 行业 is a major life decision, heavily influenced by family and societal views on which industries are stable and promising—so-called “sunrise industries” (朝阳行业 zhāoyáng hángyè). This is tied to the lingering cultural value of stability, a modern echo of the “iron rice bowl” (铁饭碗 tiě fànwǎn) concept, where a secure job in a reliable sector was the ultimate goal.
Practical Usage in Modern China
Asking About Work: It's one of the most common ways to ask someone what they do for a living. Instead of “What's your job?”, people often ask “你在哪个行业工作?” (Nǐ zài nǎge hángyè gōngzuò?) — “Which industry do you work in?”
Business and News: The term is ubiquitous in economic reports, business news, and market analysis to discuss the performance of different sectors.
Social Media and Slang: Young people use it to discuss career prospects, complaining about struggles in their 行业, or celebrating “hot” industries. Terms like `转行` (zhuǎnháng - to change industries) are very common.
Formality:行业 is a neutral term, suitable for both formal and informal contexts.
Example Sentences
Example 1:
你在哪个行业工作？
Pinyin: Nǐ zài nǎge hángyè gōngzuò?
English: What industry do you work in?
Analysis: This is a standard, polite way to ask about someone's line of work. It's more common than asking “What is your job?” directly.
Example 2:
目前，IT行业的发展非常快。
Pinyin: Mùqián, IT hángyè de fāzhǎn fēicháng kuài.
English: Currently, the IT industry is developing very fast.
Analysis: A typical sentence you would hear in a conversation about the economy or read in the news. `目前` (mùqián) means “at present.”
Example 3:
我的专业和金融行业有关系。
Pinyin: Wǒ de zhuānyè hé jīnróng hángyè yǒu guānxì.
English: My major is related to the finance industry.
Analysis: This shows how 行业 connects education (`专业 zhuānyè` - major) with career paths.
English: In every one of the 360 trades, a master can emerge.
Analysis: This is a famous proverb (not using the full word 行业, but the key character `行 háng`). It means that a person can achieve excellence and respect in any profession. Note the repeated character `行行` is pronounced `hángháng`.
Example 7:
这个行业的竞争非常激烈。
Pinyin: Zhège hángyè de jìngzhēng fēicháng jīliè.
English: The competition in this industry is extremely fierce.
Analysis: A common phrase in business contexts. `竞争` (jìngzhēng) means “competition” and `激烈` (jīliè) means “intense” or “fierce.”
Example 8:
疫情期间，餐饮行业受到了很大的冲击。
Pinyin: Yìqíng qījiān, cānyǐn hángyè shòudào le hěn dà de chōngjī.
English: During the pandemic, the catering industry was hit hard.
Analysis: A very practical sentence related to recent events. `餐饮行业` (cānyǐn hángyè) specifically refers to the food and beverage industry.
Example 9:
因为工资太低，她决定转行。
Pinyin: Yīnwèi gōngzī tài dī, tā juédìng zhuǎnháng.
English: Because the salary was too low, she decided to change industries.
Analysis: This sentence doesn't use 行业 directly but uses the related, crucial verb `转行` (zhuǎnháng), which literally means “to turn/change `行` (trade/industry).”
Example 10:
传统制造业是一个夕阳行业。
Pinyin: Chuántǒng zhìzàoyè shì yí ge xīyáng hángyè.
English: Traditional manufacturing is a sunset industry.
Analysis: Introduces the useful concept of a `夕阳行业` (xīyáng hángyè), a “sunset industry” or a declining one. The opposite is a `朝阳行业` (zhāoyáng hángyè), a “sunrise industry.”
Nuances and Common Mistakes
`行业` (hángyè) vs. `职业` (zhíyè) vs. `工作` (gōngzuò): This is the most common point of confusion for learners.
行业 (hángyè): The broad industry/sector. (e.g., 教育行业 - the education industry)
职业 (zhíyè): The specific profession/occupation. (e.g., 老师 - teacher)
工作 (gōngzuò): The specific job, task, or employment. (e.g., 我在学校的教书工作 - my teaching job at the school)
Common Mistake: Saying your job title is your 行业.
Incorrect: 我的行业是工程师。 (Wǒ de hángyè shì gōngchéngshī.)
Why it's wrong: “Engineer” is a profession (`职业`), not an industry (`行业`).
Correct: 我的职业是工程师。(Wǒ de zhíyè shì gōngchéngshī.) → My profession is an engineer.
Correct: 我在IT行业工作。(Wǒ zài IT hángyè gōngzuò.) → I work in the IT industry.
Pronunciation: Remember the character `行` is pronounced háng, not `xíng`, in this word and related terms like `转行`, `内行`, etc.
Related Terms and Concepts
职业 (zhíyè) - Profession, occupation. A more specific role within an `行业`.
工作 (gōngzuò) - Job, work. The most general term for what you do to earn money.
产业 (chǎnyè) - Industry, estate. Similar to `行业`, but often used on a larger, macroeconomic or state-level scale (e.g., 重工业产业 - the heavy industry sector).
领域 (lǐngyù) - Field, domain, sphere. A broader term that can include non-commercial fields like academic research (学术领域).
转行 (zhuǎnháng) - To change industries/professions. A verb that directly incorporates `行`.
内行 (nèiháng) - An expert, an insider (literally “inside the trade”).
外行 (wàiháng) - A layman, an amateur (literally “outside the trade”).
朝阳行业 (zhāoyáng hángyè) - A “sunrise industry”; a new, booming industry with a bright future.
夕阳行业 (xīyáng hángyè) - A “sunset industry”; an industry that is in decline.
各行各业 (gè háng gè yè) - All trades and professions; every walk of life. A set phrase used to mean “everybody from all sectors.”