tiàocáo: 跳槽 - To Job-Hop, To Change Jobs

• Keywords: tiaocao, tiàocáo, 跳槽, change jobs in Chinese, job-hopping in China, quit job Chinese, new job Chinese, Chinese career vocabulary, Chinese for business
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese verb 跳槽 (tiàocáo), which means “to change jobs” or “to job-hop.” This page breaks down its vivid literal meaning (“jump trough”), its cultural shift from a taboo to a modern sign of ambition, and how to use it correctly in conversation. Discover why it's a key term for understanding career culture in contemporary China, complete with 10 practical example sentences and related vocabulary.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): tiàocáo
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To change jobs, typically for better pay, benefits, or career prospects.
• In a Nutshell: 跳槽 (tiàocáo) is the most common and colorful way to say you're changing jobs in Chinese. It's not just “to change work”; it carries the feeling of actively seeking a better opportunity. Think of it as leveling up in your career. While the English term “job-hopping” can sometimes sound negative, `跳槽` is usually seen as neutral or even positive—a smart and ambitious move in today's fast-paced economy.

• 跳 (tiào): To jump, to leap, or to hop. This character depicts an action of dynamic movement.
• 槽 (cáo): A trough or a manger. This is the long container that holds food for animals like horses or pigs.
• The two characters combine to create a powerful and memorable metaphor: a horse jumping from its current feeding trough to a new one that has better or more food. This perfectly illustrates the act of an employee leaving their current company for a new one that offers a better “package”—be it salary, position, or work environment.

Historically, in China, the ideal was the “iron rice bowl” (铁饭碗, tiě fànwǎn)—a secure, stable job for life, often with a state-owned enterprise. In that era, leaving your employer was rare and could be seen as an act of disloyalty. Therefore, `跳槽` was not a common or celebrated practice. However, with China's economic reforms and the rise of a competitive market economy, this mindset has completely changed. Today, `跳槽` is an accepted, and often expected, part of career development, especially for the younger generation. It reflects a cultural shift from prioritizing lifelong company loyalty to prioritizing personal growth, ambition, and market value. Comparison to Western Culture: In Western, particularly American, culture, “job-hopping” can have a mixed connotation. Changing jobs every few years is normal, but doing it too frequently (e.g., every year) might be seen as a red flag by recruiters, suggesting a lack of commitment. While this concern also exists in China, the term `跳槽` itself is less judgmental. It frames the action from the perspective of the individual's ambition rather than the company's loss. It's simply what one does to build a better career.

`跳槽` is a standard, everyday term used in both casual and professional settings. You'll hear it among friends discussing their careers, in news articles about labor trends, and even in business meetings.

• Connotation: Generally neutral to positive. It implies a proactive decision for self-improvement. It only becomes negative if someone does it excessively, leading others to describe them as `不稳定 (bù wěndìng)` - “unstable”.
• Formality: It's used in spoken language and informal/semi-formal writing. It's perfectly acceptable to use with your boss or in an interview when discussing your career history. A more formal, written alternative might be `更换工作 (gēnghuàn gōngzuò)`, but `跳槽` is far more common and vivid.

• Example 1:
  • 我打算明年跳槽。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ dǎsuàn míngnián tiàocáo.
  • English: I plan to change jobs next year.
  • Analysis: A simple statement of intent. This is a very common and neutral way to express your career plans.
• Example 2:
  • 你为什么想跳槽？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ wèishénme xiǎng tiàocáo?
  • English: Why do you want to change jobs?
  • Analysis: A standard question you might hear from a friend, a family member, or even in a job interview (from the new potential employer).
• Example 3:
  • 他跳槽去了一家更大的公司，工资也更高了。
  • Pinyin: Tā tiàocáo qùle yījiā gèng dà de gōngsī, gōngzī yě gèng gāole.
  • English: He job-hopped to a bigger company, and his salary is higher too.
  • Analysis: This example clearly shows the positive motivation behind `跳槽` – securing a better position and salary.
• Example 4:
  • 在现在的经济环境下，跳槽有风险。
  • Pinyin: Zài xiànzài de jīngjì huánjìng xià, tiàocáo yǒu fēngxiǎn.
  • English: In the current economic environment, changing jobs is risky.
  • Analysis: Here, `跳槽` is used as a noun-like concept, “the act of changing jobs.”
• Example 5:
  • 频繁跳槽可能会给你的简历带来不好的影响。
  • Pinyin: Pínfán tiàocáo kěnéng huì gěi nǐ de jiǎnlì dài lái bù hǎo de yǐngxiǎng.
  • English: Frequently job-hopping might have a negative impact on your resume.
  • Analysis: This shows the potential negative consequence of the action when done too often. The word itself is neutral; the adverb `频繁 (pínfán)` - “frequently” - provides the negative flavor.
• Example 6:
  • 听说他又跳槽了，这已经是他两年内的第三份工作了。
  • Pinyin: Tīng shuō tā yòu tiàocáo le, zhè yǐjīng shì tā liǎng niánnèi de dì sān fèn gōngzuò le.
  • English: I heard he changed jobs again; this is already his third job in two years.
  • Analysis: This sentence implies a slightly critical or surprised tone about the frequency of someone's job changes.
• Example 7:
  • 很多年轻人毕业后通过跳槽来寻找更好的职业发展。
  • Pinyin: Hěnduō niánqīng rén bìyè hòu tōngguò tiàocáo lái xúnzhǎo gèng hǎo de zhíyè fāzhǎn.
  • English: Many young people look for better career development by changing jobs after graduation.
  • Analysis: This highlights `跳槽` as a common strategy for career advancement in modern China.
• Example 8:
  • 如果老板给我加薪，我就不跳槽了。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ lǎobǎn gěi wǒ jiāxīn, wǒ jiù bù tiàocáo le.
  • English: If my boss gives me a raise, I won't change jobs.
  • Analysis: A conditional sentence showing a common negotiation point related to `跳槽`.
• Example 9:
  • 猎头公司专门帮助人们跳槽到更好的职位。
  • Pinyin: Liètóu gōngsī zhuānmén bāngzhù rénmen tiàocáo dào gèng hǎo de zhíwèi.
  • English: Headhunting firms specialize in helping people job-hop to better positions.
  • Analysis: This shows how `跳槽` is part of a larger professional ecosystem that includes recruiters (`猎头`).
• Example 10:
  • 跳槽之前，一定要想清楚自己的职业规划。
  • Pinyin: Tiàocáo zhīqián, yīdìng yào xiǎng qīngchǔ zìjǐ de zhíyè guīhuà.
  • English: Before you change jobs, you must think clearly about your own career plan.
  • Analysis: This is common advice, framing `跳槽` as a serious strategic decision, not an impulsive one.

• `跳槽` vs. `辞职` (cízhí) - “To Resign”
  • A common mistake is to use these interchangeably. They are different.
  • `辞职 (cízhí)` just means “to resign” or “to quit.” It focuses only on the act of leaving a job. You can `辞职` without having another job lined up.
  • `跳槽 (tiàocáo)` implies moving from one job to another. It contains the idea of both leaving and starting anew. The focus is on the destination.
  • Correct: 他辞职了，现在在找工作。 (Tā cízhí le, xiànzài zài zhǎo gōngzuò.) - He quit his job and is now looking for work.
  • Correct: 他跳槽了，新工作很不错。 (Tā tiàocáo le, xīn gōngzuò hěn bùcuò.) - He changed jobs, and his new job is great.
  • Incorrect: 他跳槽了，现在在找工作。 (This sounds contradictory, as `跳槽` implies he already “jumped” to a new job).
• Only for Changing Employers
  • `跳槽` is used exclusively for changing the company you work for. You cannot use it for changing roles within the same company, changing your university major, or moving to a new apartment.
  • Incorrect: 我在公司内部跳槽了。 (I job-hopped within my company.) → You should say `我换了岗位 (Wǒ huànle gǎngwèi)` - I changed positions.
  • Incorrect: 我从物理专业跳槽到了金融专业。 (I job-hopped from a physics major to a finance major.) → You should say `我转专业了 (Wǒ zhuǎn zhuānyè le)` - I changed my major.

• 辞职 (cízhí) - To resign; to quit. The act of leaving a job, which is the first step of `跳槽`.
• 换工作 (huàn gōngzuò) - To change jobs. A more literal and slightly less vivid synonym for `跳槽`.
• 猎头 (liètóu) - Headhunter. A professional who facilitates `跳槽` for high-level talent. (Literally “hunt-head”).
• 面试 (miànshì) - Job interview. A necessary step in the process of `跳槽`.
• 铁饭碗 (tiě fànwǎn) - Iron rice bowl. The cultural antonym: a secure, lifelong job, the opposite of a career filled with `跳槽`.
• 加薪 (jiāxīn) - To get a salary raise. A primary motivation for many people to `跳槽`.
• 职业规划 (zhíyè guīhuà) - Career planning. The strategic thinking that should inform any decision to `跳槽`.
• 裸辞 (luǒcí) - “Naked resignation.” The act of quitting a job without having a new one lined up. This is `辞职` but definitely not `跳槽`.
• 炒鱿鱼 (chǎo yóuyú) - To be fired; to be sacked. The passive version of leaving a job. (Literally “to stir-fry squid”). If you get `炒鱿鱼`, you are not the one choosing to `跳槽`.