996 (jiǔ jiǔ liù) — The 996 work schedule — working from 9am t...
The 996 work schedule — working from 9am to 9pm, 6 days a week. The symbol of overwork culture and labor exploitation in China's tech industry. Sparked massive national debate about workers' rights.
Example Usage
这家公司996已经是常态了，完全没有生活。
The 996 schedule is completely normal at this company — there's no life outside work.
Cultural Context
996 exploded in 2019 when Alibaba founder Jack Ma controversially called it a "blessing" for young workers. The backlash was enormous — a GitHub repository called "996.ICU" (working 996 lands you in the ICU) went viral worldwide. 996 became shorthand for China's burnout culture alongside 内卷 (involution) and 躺平 (lying flat).
Category: daily-life