guòláo: 过劳 - Overwork, Burnout

• Keywords: guolao, guòláo, 过劳, overwork in China, burnout in China, Chinese work culture, 996 culture, karoshi China, work-life balance China, Chinese vocabulary work, what does guolao mean, job stress in China
• Summary: 过劳 (guòláo) is a critical modern Chinese term describing a state of severe physical and mental exhaustion from excessive work, often translated as “overwork” or “burnout.” More than just feeling tired, it signifies a chronic and dangerous condition deeply connected to intense social pressures and demanding work cultures in China, such as the infamous “996” schedule. Understanding “guòláo” is essential for anyone interested in contemporary Chinese society, labor issues, and the challenges of maintaining a work-life balance.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): guòláo
• Part of Speech: Noun / Verb
• HSK Level: HSK (3.0) Band 5
• Concise Definition: To overwork to the point of illness or extreme fatigue; the state of being dangerously overworked (burnout).
• In a Nutshell: “Guòláo” isn't just “working hard”—it's working past the breaking point. Think of it as the state where your body and mind begin to fail due to unsustainable labor. It carries a heavy, negative connotation of suffering, health risks, and a loss of personal life, painting a stark picture of the consequences of extreme professional pressure.

• 过 (guò): This character's core meaning is “to pass,” “to cross,” or “to go beyond.” In this context, it takes on the meaning of “excessive” or “too much.”
• 劳 (láo): This character means “labor,” “toil,” or “work.” It's also related to the feeling of “fatigue.”
• Together, 过劳 (guòláo) literally translates to “excessive labor.” The combination powerfully conveys the idea of going beyond the healthy limits of work and entering a state of harmful exhaustion.

“Guòláo” is a cornerstone term for understanding modern work life in China. Its prevalence in everyday language reflects a widespread societal concern. While the West has the concept of “burnout,” “guòláo” often carries a more severe and physical connotation. It is directly linked to the phenomenon of 过劳死 (guòláosǐ), “death from overwork,” a term adapted from the Japanese “karoshi.” This highlights that “guòláo” is not just a psychological state but is seen as a direct threat to one's physical life. This phenomenon is fueled by several cultural and economic factors:

• Intense Competition: The concept of 内卷 (nèijuǎn), or “involution,” describes a zero-sum, rat-race environment where people feel they must work harder and harder just to stay in place.
• “996 Culture”: Popularized by the tech industry, the 996工作制 (jiǔjiǔliù gōngzuòzhì)—working from 9 am to 9 pm, 6 days a week—is a prime example of a work structure that leads directly to “guòláo.”
• Traditional Values: The traditional virtue of 吃苦 (chīkǔ), “eating bitterness” or enduring hardship, can be manipulated in corporate environments to glorify self-sacrifice and justify extreme working hours, even to the detriment of employees' health.

In essence, while an American might say they're “burnt out” to describe mental and emotional exhaustion, a Chinese person saying they are “guòláo” is often expressing a fear for their fundamental physical well-being.

“Guòláo” is used frequently in both formal and informal contexts.

• In Conversation: It's a common way to complain about one's job or express genuine concern for a friend. You might hear someone say, “我最近感觉有点儿过劳了” (Wǒ zuìjìn gǎnjué yǒudiǎnr guòláo le), meaning “I've been feeling a bit burnt out lately.”
• In the News and Media: The term is ubiquitous in news articles reporting on employee health crises, sudden deaths of young professionals, and discussions about labor laws. It's a serious term used to frame a major social issue.
• On Social Media: On platforms like Weibo, “过劳” is a keyword in posts and memes where young people, often calling themselves 打工人 (dǎgōngrén), vent about work pressure and share dark humor about their exhaustion.

The connotation of “guòláo” is always negative. It is a warning, a complaint, or a diagnosis—never a badge of honor.

• Example 1:
  • 长期过劳会严重影响你的健康。
  • Pinyin: Chángqī guòláo huì yánzhòng yǐngxiǎng nǐ de jiànkāng.
  • English: Long-term overwork will seriously affect your health.
  • Analysis: This is a straightforward warning, using “guòláo” as a noun to describe a chronic condition.
• Example 2:
  • 医生说我的病是过劳引起的。
  • Pinyin: Yīshēng shuō wǒ de bìng shì guòláo yǐnqǐ de.
  • English: The doctor said my illness was caused by overwork.
  • Analysis: This sentence directly links “guòláo” to a negative physical outcome, highlighting its seriousness.
• Example 3:
  • 你别太拼了，小心过劳！
  • Pinyin: Nǐ bié tài pīn le, xiǎoxīn guòláo!
  • English: Don't work so desperately, be careful of burnout!
  • Analysis: A common phrase used between friends or family. “拼 (pīn)” means to go all out, and this sentence serves as a concerned warning.
• Example 4:
  • 为了完成这个项目，整个团队都过劳了。
  • Pinyin: Wèile wánchéng zhège xiàngmù, zhěnggè tuánduì dōu guòláo le.
  • English: In order to finish this project, the entire team was overworked.
  • Analysis: Here, “guòláo” is used as a verb describing the state the team entered. The particle “了 (le)” indicates this is a new situation.
• Example 5:
  • “996”工作模式是导致许多年轻人过劳的主要原因。
  • Pinyin: “996” gōngzuò móshì shì dǎozhì xǔduō niánqīngrén guòláo de zhǔyào yuányīn.
  • English: The “996” work model is the main reason that causes many young people to suffer from burnout.
  • Analysis: This sentence is more formal, suitable for a news report or essay, identifying a specific cause of the “guòláo” problem.
• Example 6:
  • 我感觉自己快要过劳死了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ gǎnjué zìjǐ kuàiyào guòláosǐ le.
  • English: I feel like I'm about to die from overwork.
  • Analysis: This is a common, though often hyperbolic, expression of extreme exhaustion. It uses the compound term “过劳死 (guòláosǐ)” - death from overwork.
• Example 7:
  • 很多公司忽视了员工的过劳问题。
  • Pinyin: Hěnduō gōngsī hūshìle yuángōng de guòláo wèntí.
  • English: Many companies ignore the problem of employee overwork.
  • Analysis: “过劳问题” (the problem of overwork) is a common collocation used when discussing this as a social or corporate issue.
• Example 8:
  • 他因为过劳住院了，需要休息一个月。
  • Pinyin: Tā yīnwèi guòláo zhùyuàn le, xūyào xiūxi yí ge yuè.
  • English: He was hospitalized due to overwork and needs to rest for a month.
  • Analysis: This shows a clear, severe consequence of “guòláo” that requires medical intervention.
• Example 9:
  • 持续的压力和过劳导致他患上了抑郁症。
  • Pinyin: Chíxù de yālì hé guòláo dǎozhì tā huànshàngle yìyùzhèng.
  • English: Continuous stress and overwork led him to develop depression.
  • Analysis: This example connects “guòláo” not just to physical illness but also to mental health issues like depression (抑郁症).
• Example 10:
  • 解决过劳现象需要企业和社会的共同努力。
  • Pinyin: Jiějué guòláo xiànxiàng xūyào qǐyè hé shèhuì de gòngtóng nǔlì.
  • English: Solving the phenomenon of overwork requires the joint efforts of corporations and society.
  • Analysis: A very formal sentence that frames “guòláo” as a societal “phenomenon” (现象) to be solved.

• “Guòláo” vs. “Nǔlì Gōngzuò” (努力工作): A crucial mistake is to confuse “guòláo” with simply “working hard.”
  • 努力工作 (nǔlì gōngzuò) means “to work hard” and is positive. It implies diligence and effort.
  • 过劳 (guòláo) means “to be overworked” and is negative. It implies harm and excess.
  • Correct: 他工作很努力。(Tā gōngzuò hěn nǔlì.) - He works very hard. (Praise)
  • Incorrect: 他工作很过劳。 (This is grammatically awkward and conceptually wrong.)
  • Correct: 他因为工作太努力而过劳了。(Tā yīnwèi gōngzuò tài nǔlì ér guòláo le.) - He became burnt out because he worked too hard.
• “Guòláo” vs. “Lèi” (累): Don't use “guòláo” for simple, temporary tiredness.
  • 累 (lèi) means “tired.” You can be `累` after a long day at work and feel fine the next morning. It's temporary.
  • 过劳 (guòláo) is a chronic state of exhaustion that doesn't go away with a single night's rest. It's a medical or near-medical condition.
  • Correct: 我今天很累。(Wǒ jīntiān hěn lèi.) - I'm very tired today.
  • Incorrect: 我今天很过劳。 (This sounds overly dramatic for a single day of tiredness.)

• 996工作制 (jiǔjiǔliù gōngzuòzhì) - The “9am-9pm, 6 days a week” work schedule, a primary cause of `过劳`.
• 内卷 (nèijuǎn) - “Involution”; the intense, inescapable internal competition that fuels the pressure to overwork.
• 加班 (jiābān) - To work overtime. The specific action that, when done excessively, leads to `过劳`.
• 压力 (yālì) - Stress; pressure. A key component and result of the `过劳` state.
• 疲劳 (píláo) - Fatigue. A more formal word for tiredness and a major symptom of `过劳`.
• 猝死 (cùsǐ) - Sudden death. Often used in the phrase `过劳猝死` (guòláo cùsǐ) to describe the ultimate risk of overwork.
• 打工人 (dǎgōngrén) - A popular, self-deprecating slang term for a “worker” or “wage earner,” strongly associated with the culture of long hours and `过劳`.
• 吃苦 (chīkǔ) - “To eat bitterness”; the traditional value of enduring hardship, which can be used to justify a `过劳` culture.
• 亚健康 (yàjiànkāng) - “Sub-health”; a state between being healthy and being sick, which is often considered the stage right before full-blown `过劳`.