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B2 noun 9 min read

敬业的

jìngyè de

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips 敬业的 in 30 Seconds

Explanation 敬业的 in your Level:

At the A1 level, '敬业的' (jìngyè de) might be a bit advanced, but you can understand it as 'very hardworking at a job.' Think of it as 'Good + Work.' In Chinese, we use '的' to describe people. So, a '敬业的人' is a 'dedicated person.' You can use it to talk about your teacher or a doctor. Imagine someone who never wants to stop working because they like helping people—that person is '敬业.' Even at this level, it is good to know that '敬' means respect. You respect your work, so you do it well.

At the A2 level, you can start using '敬业' in simple sentences. You might say, '我的爸爸很敬业' (My dad is very dedicated). This is better than just saying 'he works hard' (他工作很努力) because it shows you understand his *attitude*. You use '敬业' when someone takes their job seriously. It is a common word in workplace stories. Remember that it is usually for adults with jobs. If a child studies hard, we use '努力' (nǔlì), but for a teacher or a driver, we can use '敬业.'

For B1 learners, '敬业' becomes a key vocabulary word for describing personality and work ethics. You should be able to distinguish it from '努力' (hardworking). While '努力' is about the effort, '敬业' is about the professional spirit. You will see this word in reading passages about famous people or successful companies. You can also use the structure '对...很敬业' (is very dedicated to...). For example, '他对工作非常敬业' (He is very dedicated to his work). This shows a higher level of Chinese proficiency by using specific professional terms.

At the B2 level, you should understand '敬业' as a cultural value. It is not just an adjective; it is a 'spirit' (精神). You will encounter '敬业精神' in business Chinese and news reports. You should be able to use it to discuss social issues, such as the balance between being '敬业' and having a personal life. You can also use synonyms like '尽责' (responsible) or '投入' (devoted) to vary your vocabulary. At this level, you are expected to understand that '敬业' is a formal and highly positive attribute in Chinese society, often linked to one's moral character.

At the C1 level, you can explore the nuances of '敬业' in literature and formal speeches. You might analyze how '敬业' is used to describe the 'craftsman spirit' (工匠精神) in modern industry. You should be comfortable using the four-character idiom '兢兢业业' (jīngjīng yèyè) as a more sophisticated version of '敬业.' You can also discuss the historical and philosophical roots of the word, linking it to Confucian values of social harmony and fulfilling one's role (职分). In writing, you might use it to critique or praise corporate cultures in depth.

At the C2 level, '敬业' is a concept you can deconstruct. You might discuss the evolution of '敬业' from traditional vocational ethics to its role in the modern market economy. You can use it in high-level debates about labor rights, work-life balance, and the 'involution' (内卷) of the Chinese workplace. You understand the subtle irony if someone uses it sarcastically, and you can use it in academic writing to describe the sociological aspects of the Chinese workforce. Your mastery allows you to use the word with precision, capturing the exact degree of respect and devotion intended in any context.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

敬业的 in 30 Seconds

A positive adjective meaning dedicated or professional.
Combines 'respect' and 'profession' to show work ethic.
Used to praise teachers, doctors, and office workers.
Implies a moral commitment to doing a job well.

The Chinese term 敬业的 (jìngyè de) is a profound descriptor that transcends the simple English translation of 'hardworking.' While it is often translated as 'dedicated' or 'professional,' its roots go much deeper into the fabric of Chinese cultural ethics. The word is composed of two primary characters: 敬 (jìng), meaning 'to respect' or 'to revere,' and 业 (yè), meaning 'profession,' 'trade,' or 'calling.' Together, they signify a state of being where one holds their work in such high regard that it becomes a matter of personal honor and moral obligation to perform it to the best of one's ability. This is not just about clocking in hours; it is about the emotional and psychological commitment to the quality and impact of one's labor.

Cultural Nuance: In a Chinese context, being called '敬业' is one of the highest compliments a worker can receive. it suggests a selfless devotion that often places the needs of the job or the collective above personal comfort. It is the opposite of 'doing just enough to get by.'

王医生是一个非常敬业的人，他甚至在假期也会回医院看望病人。(Dr. Wang is a very dedicated person; he even returns to the hospital during holidays to visit patients.)

The usage of this word is common in formal performance reviews, letters of recommendation, and media portrayals of 'model workers' (劳模). However, it has also found its way into everyday conversation when discussing teachers, artisans, or even street cleaners who take visible pride in their work. When you use 敬业的, you are acknowledging the spirit behind the action. You are saying that the person doesn't just do the job; they embody the job. This concept is closely linked to the Confucian idea of 'rectification of names,' where one should act according to the title they hold. If you are a teacher, you must truly 'be' a teacher in every sense of the word, which requires a 敬业 attitude.

Social Context: In modern China, the term is sometimes discussed in the context of the '996' work culture. While '敬业' is a positive trait, social critics often debate the line between genuine dedication and exploitative overwork. However, in its purest sense, '敬业' is about the internal drive rather than external pressure.

这种敬业的精神值得我们每一个人学习。(This spirit of dedication is worth learning for every one of us.)

Using 敬业的 correctly requires understanding its grammatical flexibility. Most commonly, it acts as an adjective modifying a noun, usually a person or a spirit/attitude. Because it ends in '的' (de), it is naturally positioned before the noun it describes. For example, '敬业的员工' (a dedicated employee) or '敬业的态度' (a dedicated attitude). However, it is also very common to use the root form '敬业' as a stative verb or a predicate, often preceded by an intensifier like '很' (hěn - very), '非常' (fēicháng - extremely), or '十分' (shífēn - fully).

Common Structure 1: Subject + (非常/很) + 敬业. Example: 我们的经理非常敬业 (Our manager is very dedicated).

他对待工作的态度非常敬业。(His attitude towards work is extremely dedicated.)

Another important pattern involves the preposition '对' (duì - toward). You can say someone is '敬业' toward their work: '对工作很敬业'. This specifies the object of their dedication. In formal writing, you will often see the noun form '敬业精神' (jìngyè jīngshén - professional spirit/work ethic). This is a set phrase used to describe the collective culture of a company or the character of a person. For instance, '公司提倡敬业精神' (The company promotes a spirit of dedication).

Common Structure 2: Subject + 是一个 + 敬业的 + Noun. Example: 她是一个敬业的教师 (She is a dedicated teacher).

In more complex sentences, '敬业' can be used to describe the manner in which an action is performed by adding '地' (de) to turn it into an adverb: '敬业地完成任务' (To complete a task with dedication). This usage is less frequent than the adjectival form but is perfectly correct in descriptive writing. When comparing employees, you might use '更' (gèng - more) or '最' (zuì - most): '他是团队中最敬业的' (He is the most dedicated in the team).

In the modern Chinese-speaking world, you will encounter 敬业的 in several distinct environments. The most prominent is the **corporate workplace**. During annual reviews (年终总结) or employee of the month awards, managers will use this word to highlight those who go above and beyond. It is a key metric in the 'soft skills' assessment of Chinese HR departments. If a colleague stays late to fix a bug or meticulously checks a report ten times, others will whisper, '他真的很敬业' (He is truly dedicated).

在这次项目中，你的敬业表现得到了客户的高度认可。(In this project, your dedicated performance was highly recognized by the client.)

Another common setting is **education**. Parents in China place immense value on the '敬业' of their children's teachers. A teacher who stays after school to help a struggling student or who provides detailed feedback on every homework assignment is described as '敬业的老师.' This is seen as a moral virtue, not just a job requirement. You will often see this word on banners in schools or in thank-you notes from parents to faculty.

Entertainment & Media: In the world of celebrities and actors, fans and critics use '敬业' to describe actors who do their own stunts, learn a new language for a role, or endure harsh conditions on set. If an actor is praised for being '敬业,' it helps counteract the negative image of 'traffic stars' (流量明星) who are seen as only caring about fame.

Finally, you will hear it in **public service announcements** and government rhetoric. The concept of '敬业' is one of the 12 Core Socialist Values (社会主义核心价值观) promoted across China. As such, it is frequently seen on public posters, in subway advertisements, and discussed in political speeches as a foundational virtue for national development. It encourages every citizen—from scientists to sanitation workers—to take their role in society seriously.

One of the most frequent errors English speakers make when using 敬业的 is confusing it with 专业的 (zhuānyè de). While both can be translated as 'professional' in English, they describe completely different attributes. 专业 refers to a person's level of skill, knowledge, or expertise. A person can be very 专业 (expert) but not 敬业 (they might be lazy or indifferent). Conversely, a beginner might be extremely 敬业 (dedicated) but not yet 专业 (not yet an expert). Using '敬业' when you mean 'expert' can lead to confusion in a workplace setting.

Mistake 1: Confusing Skill with Attitude: Incorrect: 他的汉语很敬业 (His Chinese is very dedicated). Correct: 他的汉语很专业 (His Chinese is very professional/expert).

Another mistake is using 敬业 to describe hobbies or casual activities. 敬业 is strictly reserved for one's '业' (profession or vocation). If you are very dedicated to playing video games or going to the gym for leisure, you should use 刻苦 (kèkǔ - hardworking) or 投入 (tóurù - immersed/devoted) instead. Using 敬业 for a hobby sounds slightly ironic or humorous in Chinese, as if you are treating the hobby like a high-stakes job.

Incorrect: 他打游戏很敬业。 (Unless he is a professional gamer, this sounds like a joke.)

A third common error is the misuse of the '的' particle. Learners often forget to drop the '的' when using '敬业' as a predicate after '很.' While '他很敬业的' is sometimes heard in spoken Chinese for emphasis (implying 'he is the dedicated type'), the standard form is simply '他很敬业.' Overusing the '的' can make your speech sound overly wordy or slightly unnatural in a formal business context.

To truly master the concept of professionalism in Chinese, it is helpful to compare 敬业的 with its close synonyms. Each has a slightly different flavor and is appropriate for different contexts. Understanding these nuances will help you sound more like a native speaker and allow you to provide more precise feedback or descriptions in a professional setting.

敬业 vs. 尽责 (jìnzé): 尽责 means 'responsible' or 'fulfilling one's duty.' It is more about meeting the requirements of the job. 敬业 is more about the internal passion and respect for the work. You can be '尽责' just because you don't want to get fired, but you are '敬业' because you love and respect what you do.

敬业 vs. 勤奋 (qínfèn): 勤奋 is 'diligent.' It focuses on the amount of effort and hours put in. A student is '勤奋,' but we rarely call a student '敬业' because being a student is not considered a 'profession' (业) in the traditional sense. '敬业' implies a career-level commitment.

虽然他很有天赋，但他并不敬业。(Although he is talented, he is not dedicated to his profession.)

Other alternatives include 忠于职守 (zhōngyú zhíshǒu), which is a formal idiom meaning 'loyal to one's post.' This is often used for soldiers, police officers, or guards. There is also 兢兢业业 (jīngjīng yèyè), a four-character idiom (chengyu) that describes someone who is cautious, conscientious, and dedicated. This is the 'ultimate' version of '敬业' and is often used to describe long-serving employees who have never made a mistake and have worked tirelessly for decades.

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

In ancient times, 'Ye' referred to the wooden boards used by students to write on, which eventually came to represent their 'studies' and then their 'careers.'

Pronunciation Guide

UK /tɕîŋ jê tɤ/

US /tɕing yɛ de/

Primary stress on 'Ye' (业).

Rhymes With

业 (yè) rhymes with 列 (liè), 铁 (tiě). 的 (de) is a neutral schwa-like sound. 敬 (jìng) rhymes with 影 (yǐng), 静 (jìng).

Common Errors

Pronouncing 'Jing' like 'King'.
Missing the fourth tone on 'Ye'.
Adding too much emphasis to the 'de'.
Confusing 'Jing' with 'Jin'.
Using the English 'y' sound for 'Ye' instead of the Chinese 'y'.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 3/5

Characters are common but require B2 level for full context.

Writing 4/5

Characters like '敬' and '业' have many strokes.

Speaking 2/5

Easy to pronounce once tones are mastered.

Listening 3/5

Common in news and workplace talk.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

工作努力尊重专业认真

Learn Next

兢兢业业职业道德尽职尽责奉献核心价值观

Advanced

恪尽职守精益求精修身齐家

Grammar to Know

Adjective + 的 + Noun

敬业的员工 (Dedicated employee)

Degree Adverb + Adjective

非常敬业 (Very dedicated)

对...很敬业

他对工作很敬业 (He is dedicated to work)

Stative Verbs as Predicates

他很敬业 (He is dedicated - no 'is' needed)

The 'Shi...de' construction for emphasis

他是很敬业的 (He *is* the dedicated type)

Examples by Level

他是一个敬业的老师。

He is a dedicated teacher.

Adjective + 的 + Noun

妈妈工作很敬业。

Mom is very dedicated at work.

Subject + 很 + Adjective

敬业的人很好。

Dedicated people are very good.

Simple subject-predicate

我不敬业吗？

Am I not dedicated?

Negative question

他非常敬业。

He is extremely dedicated.

Use of intensifier '非常'

敬业的医生。

A dedicated doctor.

Noun phrase

我们要敬业。

We need to be dedicated.

Modal verb + Adjective

他是敬业的。

He is dedicated.

Emphasis with '是...的'

我们的司机非常敬业，每天都很准时。

Our driver is very dedicated and is on time every day.

Compound sentence

由于他很敬业，老板很喜欢他。

Because he is very dedicated, the boss likes him a lot.

Cause and effect with '由于'

一个敬业的员工对公司很重要。

A dedicated employee is very important to a company.

Subject clause

他对待每一个病人都很敬业。

He is very dedicated toward every patient.

Prepositional phrase '对待...'

虽然累，但他依然很敬业。

Although he is tired, he is still very dedicated.

Concession with '虽然...但...'

你想成为一个敬业的人吗？

Do you want to become a dedicated person?

Verb '成为' (become)

敬业的态度能帮你成功。

A dedicated attitude can help you succeed.

Abstract noun as subject

这位厨师非常敬业，菜做得很好。

This chef is very dedicated; the food is made well.

Descriptive clause

他那种敬业的精神深深地打动了我。

His spirit of dedication deeply moved me.

Adverbial '深深地'

无论做什么工作，我们都应该敬业。

No matter what work we do, we should all be dedicated.

Condition with '无论...都...'

敬业不仅仅是努力工作，更是一种态度。

Being dedicated is not just working hard, but more of an attitude.

Not only... but also... '不仅仅是...更是...'

为了完成任务，他表现出了极高的敬业度。

In order to complete the task, he showed a very high level of dedication.

Purpose clause '为了...'

他在行业内以敬业闻名。

He is famous within the industry for his dedication.

Structure '以...闻名'

由于他的敬业，项目提前完成了。

Thanks to his dedication, the project was completed ahead of schedule.

Noun form of dedication

我们需要更多敬业的年轻人加入团队。

We need more dedicated young people to join the team.

Adjective modifying a complex noun phrase

这种敬业的表现是值得表扬的。

This kind of dedicated performance is worth praising.

Structure '是值得...的'

敬业精神是企业文化的核心组成部分。

Professionalism is a core component of corporate culture.

Formal noun phrase

他虽然职位不高，但其敬业程度令人敬佩。

Although his position isn't high, his degree of dedication is admirable.

Contrast '虽然...但...'

只有敬业的人，才能在竞争中脱颖而出。

Only dedicated people can stand out in the competition.

Conditional '只有...才...'

这种敬业的态度在当今社会显得尤为珍贵。

This kind of dedicated attitude seems particularly precious in today's society.

Adverb '尤为' (especially)

如果不敬业，再有才华也难以成功。

If you are not dedicated, no matter how talented you are, it's hard to succeed.

Hypothetical '如果...也...'

他在工作中始终保持着一颗敬业的心。

He always maintains a dedicated heart in his work.

Stative verb '保持'

媒体广泛报道了这位敬业教师的事迹。

The media widely reported the deeds of this dedicated teacher.

Passive-like descriptive sentence

敬业意味着对每一个细节都精益求精。

Being dedicated means striving for perfection in every detail.

Definition structure '意味着...'

这种敬业精神不仅是一种职业道德，更是一种人生境界。

This spirit of dedication is not only a professional ethic but also a state of life.

Philosophical comparison

他这种兢兢业业、高度敬业的工作态度赢得了广泛赞誉。

His cautious, conscientious, and highly dedicated work attitude won wide acclaim.

Use of chengyu '兢兢业业'

敬业是中华民族的传统美德，在现代社会依然焕发着光彩。

Dedication is a traditional virtue of the Chinese nation, still shining in modern society.

Historical context

他将敬业内化为一种自觉的行为准则。

He internalized dedication as a conscious code of conduct.

Abstract verb '内化'

在学术研究中，严谨与敬业是不可或缺的品质。

In academic research, rigor and dedication are indispensable qualities.

Academic context

我们要通过制度建设来激励员工的敬业心。

We need to encourage employees' sense of dedication through institutional construction.

Formal management terminology

他的敬业事迹在全社会引起了强烈反响。

His dedicated deeds caused a strong reaction throughout society.

Collocation '引起...反响'

敬业不仅关乎个人前途，更关乎国家发展。

Dedication concerns not only individual future but also national development.

Structure '关乎...'

这种极致的敬业，往往源于对事业近乎虔诚的热爱。

This extreme dedication often stems from an almost pious love for one's career.

High-level literary style

在资本逻辑的冲击下，传统的敬业观正面临着前所未有的挑战。

Under the impact of capital logic, the traditional view of dedication is facing unprecedented challenges.

Sociological analysis

他的人格魅力很大程度上源于其在专业领域的敬业与操守。

His personal charm largely stems from his dedication and integrity in his professional field.

Abstract character description

敬业精神的缺失，往往是导致行业乱象的深层原因。

The lack of professional spirit is often the deep-seated reason leading to industry chaos.

Formal critique

这种敬业已然超越了单纯的职业规范，上升到了生命意义的高度。

This dedication has already transcended simple professional norms, rising to the height of life's meaning.

Metaphorical language

我们应当辩证地看待敬业与个人权利之间的平衡。

We should view the balance between dedication and individual rights dialectically.

Dialectical reasoning

真正的敬业，是在平凡的岗位上创造出不平凡的价值。

True dedication is creating extraordinary value in an ordinary position.

Philosophical definition

这种敬业精神，构成了中国改革开放奇迹的底色。

This spirit of dedication constitutes the background of the miracle of China's reform and opening up.

Historical metaphor

Common Collocations

敬业精神

敬业态度

高度敬业

敬业乐群

十分敬业

敬业度

敬业意识

敬业模范

表现敬业

职业敬业

Common Phrases

敬业的人

— A dedicated person.

他是个敬业的人。

工作敬业

— To be dedicated in work.

他工作非常敬业。

敬业精神

— Professionalism/Work ethic.

我们需要敬业精神。

爱岗敬业

— Love one's post and be dedicated (common slogan).

每个员工都应该爱岗敬业。

敬业奉献

— Dedicated and self-sacrificing.

他的敬业奉献精神感动了大家。

非常敬业

— Extremely dedicated.

他这人非常敬业。

最敬业的

— The most dedicated.

她是全校最敬业的老师。

表现得敬业

— To act dedicatedly.

他在工作中表现得非常敬业。

敬业的心

— A dedicated heart.

只要有一颗敬业的心，就能做好工作。

敬业与诚信

— Dedication and integrity.

敬业与诚信是成功的关键。

Often Confused With

敬业的 vs 专业

专业 means 'expert/professional skill', while 敬业 means 'professional attitude/dedication'.

敬业的 vs 勤奋

勤奋 means 'diligent/hardworking', usually applied to students or general effort; 敬业 is specific to jobs.

敬业的 vs 负责

负责 means 'responsible'; 敬业 is a deeper emotional and moral commitment.

Idioms & Expressions

"兢兢业业"

— To be cautious, conscientious, and dedicated.

他兢兢业业地在基层工作了二十年。

Formal

"恪尽职守"

— To fulfill one's duties to the absolute best of one's ability.

作为一名警察，他始终恪尽职守。

Formal

"忠于职守"

— To be loyal to one's post or duty.

边防战士忠于职守，保卫祖国。

Formal

"废寝忘食"

— To forget to eat and sleep (due to hard work/dedication).

他为了攻克难题，废寝忘食地工作。

Literary

"任劳任怨"

— To work hard without complaint.

他在后勤岗位上任劳任怨。

Commendatory

"精益求精"

— To constantly strive for perfection.

他在技术上精益求精，非常敬业。

Commendatory

"一丝不苟"

— Not to be negligent in the slightest; meticulous.

他对待工作一丝不苟。

Neutral/Commendatory

"鞠躬尽瘁"

— To give one's all until death (extreme dedication).

诸葛亮为蜀汉鞠躬尽瘁。

High Literary

"尽心尽力"

— With all one's heart and all one's might.

我们会尽心尽力为您服务。

Neutral

"埋头苦干"

— To immerse oneself in hard work.

我们需要埋头苦干的精神。

Neutral

Easily Confused

敬业的 vs 专业

Both translate to 'professional' in English.

Think of '专业' as what you KNOW and '敬业' as how you FEEL about your work.

他技术很专业，但工作不敬业。

敬业的 vs 勤劳

Both mean working hard.

勤劳 is usually for physical labor or general habits; 敬业 is for one's profession.

中国农民非常勤劳。

敬业的 vs 尽力

Both involve giving effort.

尽力 is 'trying one's best' for a specific task; 敬业 is a consistent professional trait.

我会尽力完成的。

敬业的 vs 认真

Both mean being serious.

认真 can be used for anything (reading a book, playing a game); 敬业 is only for careers.

他看书很认真。

敬业的 vs 投入

Both imply devotion.

投入 is being fully 'into' something or immersed; 敬业 is more about duty and respect.

他听音乐听得很投入。

Sentence Patterns

S + 很 + 敬业

他很敬业。

S + 是一个 + 敬业的 + Noun

他是一个敬业的医生。

S + 对 + Work + 很 + 敬业

他对教学很敬业。

S + 表现得 + 很 + 敬业

他表现得很敬业。

S + 具有 + 敬业精神

他具有敬业精神。

不仅...更重要的是...敬业

不仅要专业，更重要的是要敬业。

以...敬业 + 著称/闻名

他以高度敬业闻名。

将...敬业 + 内化为...

将敬业精神内化为行动。

Word Family

Nouns

敬业精神 (Professionalism)

敬业度 (Level of dedication)

Verbs

敬业 (To be dedicated)

Adjectives

敬业的 (Dedicated)

职业 (Profession)

专业 (Professional/Expert)

事业 (Career)

勤奋 (Diligent)

负责 (Responsible)

How to Use It

frequency

High in professional contexts, Medium in daily life.

Common Mistakes

我的老师很专业 (when meaning dedicated). → 我的老师很敬业。
You are praising the teacher's attitude, not just their knowledge.
他学习很敬业。 → 他学习很努力。
Students 'study hard' (努力), they aren't 'dedicated to a profession' (敬业).
他是一个敬业的人的。 → 他是一个敬业的人。
Don't double the 'de' particle at the end of the sentence.
他对他的爱好很敬业。 → 他对他的爱好很投入。
Hobbies aren't 'Ye' (professions).
敬业的医生是好。 → 敬业的医生很好。
In Chinese, 'is' (是) is not used before adjectives unless for specific emphasis.

Tips

Context Matters

Always use '敬业' when you want to emphasize someone's moral character and attitude toward their career.

The 'De' Particle

Remember to use '的' when '敬业' is modifying a noun directly, like '敬业的老师'.

Pairing

Pair '敬业' with '精神' (spirit) to talk about the concept of professionalism in general.

Intonation

Put a slight emphasis on the fourth tone of '业' to sound more firm and respectful.

Professional vs Dedicated

In English, 'professional' covers both skill and attitude. In Chinese, you must choose between '专业' and '敬业'.

Social Value

Understand that '敬业' is a high moral praise in China, not just a workplace description.

Recommendation Letters

If you write a recommendation for a Chinese colleague, '敬业' is the most important word to include.

Using Idioms

For C-level learners, replace '很敬业' with '兢兢业业' to sound more sophisticated.

Avoid Hobbies

Don't say someone is '敬业' at playing basketball unless they are a pro athlete.

Tones

Jìng (4th) Yè (4th) - both are falling tones. It sounds very decisive!

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Jing' (敬) as a person bowing in RESPECT, and 'Ye' (业) as the WORK they are bowing to. You respect your work!

Visual Association

Imagine a doctor working under a single lamp late at night, carefully stitching a wound. That focus is '敬业.'

Word Web

Work Respect Heart Time Quality Ethics Teacher Doctor

Challenge

Try to describe your most admired colleague using '敬业' in three different sentences.

Word Origin

The phrase comes from the 'Book of Rites' (礼记), an ancient Confucian classic. '敬' means to respect or hold in awe, and '业' means the tasks or duties assigned to a person.

Original meaning: To respect one's duties and maintain a serious attitude toward one's social role.

Sino-Tibetan (Chinese)

Cultural Context

Be careful not to use '敬业' to justify unpaid overtime or unhealthy work environments in sensitive discussions.

Westerners might say 'workaholic' if someone is too dedicated, but '敬业' usually remains a positive term without the negative connotation of addiction.

The 12 Core Socialist Values Lei Feng (the model soldier) Confucian Analects

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Job Interview

我是一个非常敬业的人。
我对待工作一向很敬业。
我非常看重公司的敬业文化。
我的敬业精神得到了前任老板的认可。

Performance Review

你的敬业态度值得表扬。
你在项目中表现得很敬业。
希望你能继续保持敬业精神。
你的敬业度是团队的榜样。

School

张老师非常敬业。
我们要学习敬业的精神。
一个敬业的学生会努力学习吗？ (Note: usually for teachers).
敬业是成功的基础。

News Report

这位敬业的医生坚守岗位。
社会呼唤敬业精神。
他是新时代的敬业模范。
敬业事迹感动了无数人。

Casual Chat

他这人挺敬业的。
你工作真敬业啊！
别太敬业了，注意休息。
敬业也要有个度。

Conversation Starters

"你觉得在你的行业里，什么样的人才算‘敬业’？"

"你见过最敬业的人是谁？他做了什么让你觉得他敬业？"

"‘敬业’和‘加班’之间有什么区别吗？"

"在你的国家，人们非常看重‘敬业’这种品质吗？"

"如果一个员工很敬业但能力一般，你会雇佣他吗？"

Journal Prompts

描述一个你认为非常敬业的人，并写出具体的原因。

反思一下，在过去的一周里，你在哪些事情上表现得比较敬业？

你认为‘敬业精神’对一个人的职业生涯发展有多重要？

讨论一下现代社会中，‘敬业’是否意味着牺牲个人生活。

如果你是一家公司的老板，你会如何培养员工的敬业精神？

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

Strictly speaking, no. We usually use '勤奋' (qínfèn) or '努力' (nǔlì) for students. '敬业' is for people with a '职业' (profession).

Yes, it is almost always positive. However, in some modern contexts, people might use it ironically to describe someone who works too hard for a bad boss.

Professional skill (专业) vs. Professional spirit (敬业). A doctor who is '专业' is good at surgery; a doctor who is '敬业' cares deeply for his patients and works late.

The most common way is '敬业精神' (jìngyè jīngshén).

Yes, it can act as a stative verb. '他很敬业' (He is dedicated).

The opposite is '不敬业' (unprofessional/not dedicated) or more formally '玩忽职守' (neglect of duty).

Very common. It is part of the national core values and is taught in schools and companies.

Yes, as long as it is a job where you have duties, you can be '敬业.'

Often, yes, because a dedicated person is willing to give extra time, but the core meaning is about 'respect' for the work.

Using the idiom '兢兢业业' (jīngjīng yèyè) or '恪尽职守' (kèjìn zhíshǒu).