shíxí: 实习 - Internship, Practicum

• Keywords: 实习, shíxí, Chinese internship, work placement in China, intern in China, Chinese for work, what is shixi, shixisheng, practice work, HSK 5 vocabulary, Chinese job market.
• Summary: 实习 (shíxí) is the Chinese word for an internship, practicum, or work placement. It refers to a crucial period of “real practice” where students apply academic knowledge in a professional environment, often as a mandatory requirement for graduation. Understanding 实习 is essential for anyone interested in modern Chinese student life, career development, and the highly competitive job market.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shíxí
• Part of Speech: Verb / Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To work as an intern or the internship/practicum itself.
• In a Nutshell: 实习 is the bridge between the classroom and the career in China. It's not just “practice” in the sense of doing drills; it's about gaining real-world, hands-on experience in a specific field. For a student, saying “我正在实习” (I am interning) means they are temporarily working at a company to learn the ropes, build their resume, and hopefully secure a full-time offer.

• 实 (shí): This character means “real,” “actual,” “solid,” or “true.” It's found in words like 现实 (xiànshí - reality) and 实际 (shíjì - actual). It represents the “real-world” aspect of the experience.
• 习 (xí): This character means “to practice” or “to study.” It's the second character in the fundamental word 学习 (xuéxí - to study/learn). It represents the “learning and practice” aspect.

When combined, 实习 (shíxí) literally translates to “real practice.” This beautifully captures the essence of the term: applying theoretical knowledge gained from study (习) in a real (实) professional setting.

In Chinese culture, the 实习 is a critical rite of passage for students, arguably even more so than in many Western countries.

• Comparison to a Western Internship: While the concept is similar, the weight it carries can be different. In the US or Europe, an internship is highly recommended. In China, for many university majors, completing a 实习 is a mandatory graduation requirement. Students must often submit an internship report and a certificate of completion (实习证明 - shíxí zhèngmíng) to their university.
• The Pressure Cooker (内卷 - nèijuǎn): The immense competition in the Chinese job market (a phenomenon often called 内卷, or “involution”) places enormous pressure on students to secure prestigious internships. An internship at a “big factory” (大厂 - dàchǎng), a colloquial term for a major tech company like Tencent or Alibaba, is seen as a golden ticket. It significantly increases a student's chances of “turning regular” (转正 - zhuǎnzhèng), which means receiving a full-time offer from the company after the internship.
• Value Proposition: The primary value of a 实习 is the experience and the line on the résumé, not the pay. While this is changing, many internships are low-paid or even unpaid, with the justification being the invaluable experience and connections gained. This contrasts with a growing trend in the West towards mandated pay for interns. The experience is the real currency.

实习 is a common topic of conversation among university students and recent graduates. It's used as both a noun and a verb.

• As a Noun (the internship):
  • “My internship is very busy.” (我的实习很忙。 - Wǒ de shíxí hěn máng.)
  • “Are you looking for a summer internship?” (你在找暑期实习吗？ - Nǐ zài zhǎo shǔqī shíxí ma?)
• As a Verb (to intern):
  • “Next semester, I have to go intern at a company.” (下个学期我要去一家公司实习。 - Xià ge xuéqī wǒ yào qù yī jiā gōngsī shíxí.)
  • “Where are you interning?” (你在哪儿实习？ - Nǐ zài nǎr shíxí?)

The person doing the internship is called a 实习生 (shíxíshēng). The connotation of 实习 is generally neutral to positive, as it represents a step forward in one's career.

• Example 1:
  • 为了毕业，我必须找一个实习。
  • Pinyin: Wèile bìyè, wǒ bìxū zhǎo yī ge shíxí.
  • English: In order to graduate, I must find an internship.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the mandatory nature of internships in the Chinese education system. `为了 (wèile)` means “in order to,” showing a clear purpose.
• Example 2:
  • 她在一家著名的互联网公司实习。
  • Pinyin: Tā zài yī jiā zhùmíng de hùliánwǎng gōngsī shíxí.
  • English: She is interning at a famous internet company.
  • Analysis: Here, `实习` is used as a verb. The sentence structure `在 [place] [verb]` is very common.
• Example 3:
  • 你觉得我的实习经历对找工作有帮助吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ juéde wǒ de shíxí jīnglì duì zhǎo gōngzuò yǒu bāngzhù ma?
  • English: Do you think my internship experience is helpful for finding a job?
  • Analysis: This shows `实习` used as a noun within a larger noun phrase, `实习经历 (shíxí jīnglì)`, meaning “internship experience.”
• Example 4:
  • 这份实习的工资虽然不高，但是能学到很多东西。
  • Pinyin: Zhè fèn shíxí de gōngzī suīrán bù gāo, dànshì néng xuédào hěn duō dōngxi.
  • English: Although the salary for this internship isn't high, I can learn a lot.
  • Analysis: This reflects the cultural understanding that the primary value of an internship is the experience, not the pay. `虽然…但是… (suīrán…dànshì…)` means “although…but…”.
• Example 5:
  • 我希望实习结束以后可以顺利转正。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xīwàng shíxí jiéshù yǐhòu kěyǐ shùnlì zhuǎnzhèng.
  • English: I hope I can successfully become a full-time employee after the internship ends.
  • Analysis: This introduces the key concept of `转正 (zhuǎnzhèng)`, which is the goal for most interns.
• Example 6:
  • 作为一名实习生，你需要积极主动地学习。
  • Pinyin: Zuòwéi yī míng shíxíshēng, nǐ xūyào jījí zhǔdòng de xuéxí.
  • English: As an intern, you need to be proactive in your learning.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses the related term `实习生 (shíxíshēng)`, the person who interns.
• Example 7:
  • 我的实习合同是三个月。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de shíxí hétong shì sān ge yuè.
  • English: My internship contract is for three months.
  • Analysis: A practical sentence discussing the logistics of an internship. `合同 (hétong)` means contract.
• Example 8:
  • 他通过学校的招聘会找到了这个实习机会。
  • Pinyin: Tā tōngguò xuéxiào de zhāopìnhuì zhǎodào le zhège shíxí jīhuì.
  • English: He found this internship opportunity through the school's job fair.
  • Analysis: Shows a common way students find internships. `招聘会 (zhāopìnhuì)` is a job fair.
• Example 9:
  • 每天的实习工作就是复印文件和端茶倒水，真没意思。
  • Pinyin: Měitiān de shíxí gōngzuò jiùshì fùyìn wénjiàn hé duān chá dào shuǐ, zhēn méi yìsi.
  • English: The daily internship work is just copying documents and serving tea, it's so boring.
  • Analysis: This sentence shows a more negative or cynical view of some internships where the intern is given menial tasks. `端茶倒水 (duān chá dào shuǐ)` is a classic idiom for such tasks.
• Example 10:
  • 如果你实习表现好，公司可能会给你发录用通知。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ shíxí biǎoxiàn hǎo, gōngsī kěnéng huì gěi nǐ fā lùyòng tōngzhī.
  • English: If your performance during the internship is good, the company might give you a job offer.
  • Analysis: This sentence links performance directly to a potential outcome. `录用通知 (lùyòng tōngzhī)` is a formal job offer letter.

• `实习 (shíxí)` vs. `练习 (liànxí)`: This is the most common mistake for learners.
  • `实习 (shíxí)` is for a professional work placement. (e.g., I'm interning at a law firm).
  • `练习 (liànxí)` is for practicing a skill, like sports, music, or homework problems.
  • Incorrect: 我在实习我的中文。 (Wǒ zài shíxí wǒ de Zhōngwén.)
  • Correct: 我在练习我的中文。 (Wǒ zài liànxí wǒ de Zhōngwén. - I am practicing my Chinese.)
  • Correct: 我在北京的一家公司实习。 (Wǒ zài Běijīng de yī jiā gōngsī shíxí. - I am interning at a company in Beijing.)
• `实习 (shíxí)` vs. `工作 (gōngzuò)`:
  • An internship is a type of work, but `工作 (gōngzuò)` refers to a regular, stable job.
  • You would call your internship `我的实习`, not `我的工作`, to specify its temporary and learning-focused nature. Once you `转正 (zhuǎnzhèng)`, you can then say `这是我的新工作` (This is my new job).

• 实习生 (shíxíshēng) - The intern; the person who is doing the `实习`.
• 转正 (zhuǎnzhèng) - Lit. “to turn regular.” The crucial process of converting from an intern or probationary employee to a permanent, full-time employee.
• 工作 (gōngzuò) - Work; job. The general term for employment that an internship is a stepping stone towards.
• 兼职 (jiānzhí) - A part-time job. Unlike an internship, a `兼职` is not necessarily related to one's major or career path and is usually taken just for supplemental income.
• 应届生 (yìngjièshēng) - A graduating student or a very recent graduate. This is the demographic that is most actively seeking internships and entry-level jobs.
• 简历 (jiǎnlì) - Résumé or CV. A document essential for applying for a `实习`.
• 面试 (miànshì) - Job interview. The step you must pass to get the `实习`.
• 大厂 (dàchǎng) - Lit. “big factory.” A very popular colloquial term for large, prestigious (usually tech) companies like Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent, etc. A `大厂实习` is highly coveted.
• 内卷 (nèijuǎn) - “Involution.” A popular sociological buzzword describing the intense internal competition in China, especially in education and the job market, where people feel forced to overwork for diminishing returns. The competition for good internships is a prime example of `内卷`.