tuìxiū: 退休 - Retire, Retirement

• Keywords: retire in Chinese, retirement in China, 退休, tuixiu, how to say retire in Mandarin, Chinese retirement age, life after retirement in China, 退休生活, Chinese pension, retiring from work
• Summary: Discover the meaning of 退休 (tuìxiū), the essential Chinese word for “retire” or “retirement.” This comprehensive guide explores not only its translation but also its profound cultural significance in China. Learn how the concept of retirement in China, often focused on family and grandchildren, differs from the West, and see how to use 退休 (tuìxiū) accurately in conversation with practical examples.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): tuìxiū
• Part of Speech: Verb, Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To stop working permanently due to age; the state of being retired.
• In a Nutshell: 退休 (tuìxiū) is the standard, universal term for retirement from one's career. It combines the ideas of “withdrawing” from professional life and “resting” after a lifetime of labor. It marks a formal and significant transition, viewed as a well-deserved period of rest and a new phase of life, often with different social roles and expectations than in the West.

• 退 (tuì): This character means “to retreat,” “to withdraw,” or “to step back.” Imagine a soldier stepping back from the front line. It signifies the act of leaving a former position or state.
• 休 (xiū): This character means “to rest” or “to stop.” It's a pictograph showing a person (人) leaning against a tree (木), perfectly illustrating the concept of taking a break and resting.
• Together, 退休 (tuìxiū) literally translates to “withdraw and rest.” This combination vividly describes the act of stepping away from one's professional duties to enter a period of rest, making it a very logical and easy-to-remember word.

In Chinese culture, 退休 (tuìxiū) is more than just a personal financial decision; it's a major social and familial event. Compared to the Western ideal of retirement—often focused on individual travel, hobbies, and personal freedom—the traditional Chinese view of 退休 is deeply intertwined with family and multigenerational living. It represents a shift in one's contribution to the family. While one stops contributing financially, they often begin contributing significantly through childcare. A very common role for retired grandparents (爷爷奶奶 / 姥爷姥姥) is to become the primary caregivers for their grandchildren. This allows their adult children to focus on their demanding careers, a phenomenon that is a cornerstone of modern urban Chinese family life. This arrangement is rooted in the value of 孝顺 (xiàoshùn), or filial piety, where generations support each other in a reciprocal system of care. Therefore, while a Westerner might ask a retiree, “What are your travel plans?”, a common question in China might be, “Are you going to help take care of your grandchild?” (你会帮忙带孙子吗?). Retirement is seen not as an end to responsibility, but a transition to a different, yet equally vital, family role.

退休 (tuìxiū) is a neutral and standard term used in all contexts, from formal government announcements to casual family conversations.

• As a Verb: It is used to describe the act of retiring.
  • e.g., 我爸爸明年退休。 (Wǒ bàba míngnián tuìxiū.) - My dad will retire next year.
• As a Noun: It can refer to the concept or period of retirement. It is often combined with other words.
  • e.g., 退休生活 (tuìxiū shēnghuó) - retirement life
  • e.g., 退休金 (tuìxiūjīn) - pension / retirement funds
• Formality: It is appropriate for all levels of formality. You would use it to discuss a parent's plans, read about changes to the national retirement age (退休年龄 - tuìxiū niánlíng), or hear a company formally announce an executive's retirement.

• Example 1:
  • 我父亲明年就退休了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ fùqīn míngnián jiù tuìxiū le.
  • English: My father is going to retire next year.
  • Analysis: A simple, common sentence stating a future fact. The word 就 (jiù) adds a sense of immediacy or “as soon as.”
• Example 2:
  • 他退休以后，开始学习画画。
  • Pinyin: Tā tuìxiū yǐhòu, kāishǐ xuéxí huàhuà.
  • English: After he retired, he started learning to paint.
  • Analysis: This shows how to talk about activities in retirement, using the common structure “退休以后” (after retiring).
• Example 3:
  • 很多老人退休后的生活很丰富。
  • Pinyin: Hěn duō lǎorén tuìxiū hòu de shēnghuó hěn fēngfù.
  • English: The lives of many elderly people are very rich and fulfilling after retirement.
  • Analysis: Here, 退休 is used to modify “生活” (life), forming “退休后的生活” (life after retirement).
• Example 4:
  • 中国的法定退休年龄是多少？
  • Pinyin: Zhōngguó de fǎdìng tuìxiū niánlíng shì duōshǎo?
  • English: What is the legal retirement age in China?
  • Analysis: 退休 is combined with 年龄 (niánlíng - age) to mean “retirement age,” a very practical phrase.
• Example 5:
  • 他的退休金足够他安享晚年。
  • Pinyin: Tā de tuìxiūjīn zúgòu tā ānxiǎng wǎnnián.
  • English: His pension is enough for him to enjoy his later years in peace.
  • Analysis: This shows the compound noun 退休金 (tuìxiūjīn), meaning “pension” or “retirement money.”
• Example 6:
  • 我们公司要为王经理举办一个退休派对。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī yào wèi Wáng jīnglǐ jǔbàn yí ge tuìxiū pàiduì.
  • English: Our company is going to hold a retirement party for Manager Wang.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates how 退休 can be used attributively to describe an event, like a “retirement party.”
• Example 7:
  • 张老师是一位退休教师，但她还在做志愿者。
  • Pinyin: Zhāng lǎoshī shì yí wèi tuìxiū jiàoshī, dàn tā hái zài zuò zhìyuànzhě.
  • English: Teacher Zhang is a retired teacher, but she is still working as a volunteer.
  • Analysis: Here, 退休 acts as an adjective describing a person's status, “a retired teacher.”
• Example 8:
  • 你对你的退休生活有什么计划吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ duì nǐ de tuìxiū shēnghuó yǒu shénme jìhuà ma?
  • English: Do you have any plans for your retirement life?
  • Analysis: A great conversational question. Notice the structure “对…有什么计划” (have what plans for…).
• Example 9:
  • 提前退休是许多人的梦想。
  • Pinyin: Tíqián tuìxiū shì xǔduō rén de mèngxiǎng.
  • English: Early retirement is the dream of many people.
  • Analysis: Shows how to say “early retirement” by adding 提前 (tíqián), which means “in advance” or “early.”
• Example 10:
  • 达到退休年龄后，他马上就申请了退休。
  • Pinyin: Dádào tuìxiū niánlíng hòu, tā mǎshàng jiù shēnqǐng le tuìxiū.
  • English: After reaching retirement age, he immediately applied for retirement.
  • Analysis: This sentence cleverly uses 退休 twice, first as part of “retirement age” (退休年龄) and second as a verb “to apply for retirement” (申请退休).

A common mistake for learners is to confuse 退休 (tuìxiū) with 辞职 (cízhí).

• 退休 (tuìxiū): To retire permanently, based on age and a full career. This is a life stage.
• 辞职 (cízhí): To resign or quit a job. This can be done at any age to switch companies or careers.

It is incorrect to say you want to 退休 (tuìxiū) at age 30 just because you don't like your job. This would sound very strange.

• Incorrect: 我才三十岁，但我真的想退休了。 (Wǒ cái sānshí suì, dàn wǒ zhēnde xiǎng tuìxiū le.)
• Why it's wrong: This implies you want to stop working forever, which is unusual for a 30-year-old. It sounds like you are either a billionaire or complaining dramatically.
• Correct (for quitting a job): 我真的想辞职了。(Wǒ zhēnde xiǎng cízhí le.) - I really want to quit my job.

The nuance isn't a “false friend” with the English word “retire,” but rather a cultural one. The mistake is assuming the *lifestyle* and *social role* of a retiree in China are identical to those in the West. Remember the strong family component.

• 养老 (yǎnglǎo) - “To provide for the aged” or “to live out one's life in retirement.” This term focuses more on the aspect of being cared for in old age.
• 退休金 (tuìxiūjīn) - Pension; retirement fund. The money you live on after you 退休.
• 辞职 (cízhí) - Antonym (in concept). To resign from a job voluntarily, not based on age.
• 下岗 (xiàgǎng) - “To be laid off,” specifically from a state-owned enterprise. A term with historical weight from the 1990s economic reforms, implying involuntary job loss, not retirement.
• 离休 (líxiū) - A special, high-status form of retirement for government officials and soldiers who joined the Communist Party before its founding in 1949. It comes with more benefits and prestige than a standard 退休.
• 退休生活 (tuìxiū shēnghuó) - A common set phrase meaning “retirement life.”
• 内退 (nèituì) - “Internal retirement.” An arrangement where an employee close to retirement age stops working but officially remains an employee (at reduced pay) until they can legally 退休.
• 安享晚年 (ānxiǎng wǎnnián) - An idiom meaning “to enjoy one's later years in peace and comfort,” a common goal of 退休.