Definition
消极怠工 is a four-character set phrase (成语) describing the act of deliberately working slowly or with minimal effort as a form of passive resistance or protest. It combines 消极 ('passive, negative') with 怠工 ('slow down work, go slow'). You can use it to describe an employee who is unhappy with management and intentionally underperforms without actually quitting. It carries a slightly formal or political tone and is often used in workplace or labor contexts.
f.e.
to work slowly and deliberately underperform as a form of passive resistanceto slack off intentionally (as a protest or due to dissatisfaction)
Examples
- ，消极怠工。Yuángōng duì gōngsī de zhèngcè bùmǎn, kāishǐ xiāo jí dài gōng.The employees were dissatisfied with the company's policies and began to work slowly in protest.
- ，消极怠工。Tā suīrán méiyǒu cízhí, dàn yìzhí zài xiāo jí dài gōng.Although he didn't resign, he has been deliberately slacking off.
- 消极怠工。Lǐngdǎo pīpíng le nàxiē xiāo jí dài gōng de gōngrén.The leader criticized those workers who were deliberately underperforming.
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