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薪水 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
薪水xīnshuisalaryHSK 6, n, rank #3254, Hard
薪水xīnshuiwageHSK 6, n, rank #3254, Hard
xīnshui(xin1shui5) T1
  1. 1salary
  2. 2wage
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
薪水xīnshui(xin1shui5)

薪水 (xīn shuǐ) refers to the monetary compensation received by employees for their work, commonly known as salary or wage. It is often discussed in professional contexts regarding employment agreements, negotiations, and financial planning.

Frequency#3254DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, discussing salary can be considered sensitive or impolite, especially in casual settings. It's often more acceptable in formal job-related discussions.

Memory Tip

Think of 薪水 as 'fresh greens (薪) flowing like water (水)'—the fresh greens symbolize the new income you receive regularly. Imagine a stream of money flowing into your bank account each month, keeping it well-nourished.

Meanings of 薪水

xīnshui(xin1shui5)
1salary
2wage
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 薪水

薪水Simplified
—Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#3254Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3BCT✓CEFRC1

Podcast: 薪水

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Podcast: 薪水

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AI Study Notes for 薪水

Quick Contrast

工资 (gōngzī) vs 薪水 (xīnshuǐ): Use 薪水 when emphasizing the payment aspect of salary, while 工资 often refers to the wage in a more formal or contractual context.

Memory Mnemonic

Think of 薪水 as 'fresh greens (薪) flowing like water (水)'—the fresh greens symbolize the new income you receive regularly. Imagine a stream of money flowing into your bank account each month, keeping it well-nourished.

Usage Notes

Be careful to use 薪水 in contexts related to formal employment; it's not typically used for freelance or informal work payments, which might be called 酬劳 (chóu láo). Additionally, ensure you use the correct tone to avoid confusion with other words.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 6 word, 薪水 connects to other financial vocabulary such as 工资 (gōng zī, wage) and 经济 (jīng jì, economy). Students should focus on using it in phrases about job discussions and contracts.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, discussing salary can be considered sensitive or impolite, especially in casual settings. It's often more acceptable in formal job-related discussions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 薪水 with other salary-related terms like 工资. For example, saying '我有薪水工作' (Wǒ yǒu xīn shuǐ gōng zuò) is incorrect; instead, say '我有薪水的工作' (Wǒ yǒu xīn shuǐ de gōng zuò) to indicate a salaried job.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 薪水

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Component Characters

薪xīnfuel
HSK 616 strokes艹
View full entry
水shuǐwater
HSK 14 strokes水
View full entry

Write 薪水

薪
水

Practice writing 薪水 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 薪水

薪水 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

我的____大约是9,000英镑，还有一辆车和业务经费可支配。

My salary was around £9,000 plus a car and expenses.

Example Sentences for 薪水 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我的薪水大约是9,000英镑，还有一辆车和业务经费可支配。

wǒ de xīn shuǐ dà yuē shì9,000 9,000 yīng， bàng ， huán yǒu yī liàng chē hé yè wù jīng fèi kě。

My salary was around £9,000 plus a car and expenses.
2
我得到了一份非常好的新工作，薪水涨到了原来的3倍。

wǒ dé dào le yī fèn fēi cháng hǎo de xīn gōng zuò， ， xīn shuǐ zhǎng dào le yuán lái3 de。

I got a fantastic new job and my salary tripled.
3
这份新工作的薪水还不如原来那份多。

zhè fèn xīn gōng zuò de xīn shuǐ huán bù rú yuán lái nà fèn duō。

This new career doesn't pay nearly as well as the old one.
4
我写此信是为了回应你那篇探讨科学家薪水的文章。

wǒ xiě cǐ xìn shì wéi le huí yīng nǐ nà piān tàn tǎo kē xué jiā xīn shuǐ de wén zhāng。

I am writing with reference to your article on salaries for scientists.
5
你们能获得大笔激励性薪水，还可享受免费膳宿。

nǐ mén néng huò dé dà bǐ jī lì xìng xīn shuǐ， ， huán kě xiǎng shòu miǎn fèi shàn。

You get a big salary incentive and free board and lodging too.
6
除了每周的薪水外，我还能得到不少小费。

chú le měi zhōu de xīn shuǐ wài， ， wǒ huán néng dé dào bù shǎo xiǎo。

In addition to my weekly wage, I got a lot of tips.
7
福特公司想出了付给工人足够的薪水去购买汽车这一绝妙的主意。

fú tè gōng sī xiǎng chū le fù gěi gōng rén zú gòu de xīn shuǐ qù gòu mǎi qì chē zhè yī jué miào de zhǔ yì。

Ford had the bright idea of paying workers enough to buy cars.
8
他一周只有3次节目，每次40分钟，但他的薪水实在高得离谱。

tā yī zhōu zhī yǒu3 3 cì jié， mù ，40 měi cì， 40 fēn zhōng ， dàn tā de xīn shuǐ shí zài。

His salary was obscene for three 40-minute shows a week.
9
我的工作很有趣，薪水又高，而且有很多旅行的机会。

wǒ de gōng zuò hěn yǒu qù， ， xīn shuǐ yòu， gāo ， ér qiě yǒu hěn duō lǚ háng de。

I have an interesting, well-paid job, with opportunities to travel.
10
凯特的薪水很高，她很喜欢她的工作。

kǎi tè de xīn shuǐ hěn gāo， ， tā hěn xǐ huān tā de gōng。

Kate was well paid and enjoyed her job.

Cultural Notes for 薪水

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, discussing salary can be considered sensitive or impolite, especially in casual settings. It's often more acceptable in formal job-related discussions.

Frequently Asked Questions about 薪水

Yes, both refer to salary or wage, but 薪水 may imply regular monthly income, while 工资 can encompass a broader range of compensation.