This one… ummm, doesn’t seem like an accurate depiction of office life, we gotta say. (Unless maybe there’s a team building karaoke trip going on here, and it only LOOKS like an office scene…)

This is how a third grader imagines office life to be. Not so off the mark, maybe?

OK, did we mention that this dialog was written by a third grader? Yeah, it might not be the most “realistic” portrayal of office life in China, but it did give us a chuckle…

Now the question is: how does a third grader know anything about this salve-like “you can’t go home” version of overtime that does really happen in China?

Ah, a return to “face mask humor.” (You know you missed it!) We’re definitely fans of this creative use of the medium (although it may be harder to type than to handwrite).

It seems that a third grader has a pretty firm grasp on the adult workplace. What is work, after all, if not incessantly searching for a few safe minutes to catch a nap?

It’s funny… we find ourselves identifying 100% with this gradeschooler scenario of forgetting how to write a Chinese character! Comic by 小A in Shanghai.

You know the “post-vacation withdrawal syndrome“ is a real thing when there’s even a word in Chinese for it! 假期后遗症 (jiàqī hòuyízhèng) is that word, and it’s only now starting to fade in China.

Although Shanghai has remained relatively safe and stable during this whole “time of COVID,” in early 2021, there were a few new cases of COVID reported, and even a case where part of an office building was shut down.

This use of “flag” is a great example of the Chinese people taking an English word and making it their own as part of modern slang. You didn’t expect to have to relearn English to learn Chinese, did you??

If you ever talk about movies with Chinese friends (and CNY holiday has traditionally been a popular movie-watching time), make sure that you know the word 剧透 (jùtòu)!

Chinese New Year (AKA CNY, AKA 春节, AKA 过年) is a time when pretty much everyone in China goes back to their hometowns to spend the holiday with family. Not so this year! Thanks to COVID, it is unfortunately super 麻烦 (máfan).

Bonuses are a part of many companies’ salary structures, but in China they’re especially common, since a “13th month” of pay (right before Chinese New Year) is the norm.

People playing mobile games at work?? Don’t act so shocked. It’s a common occurrence in the PRC for sure. Although there are tons of different mobile games that people play, we chose 王者荣耀 (Wángzhě Róngyāo) because it’s been so popular for so long.

Ah yes, the Chinese word 八卦 (bāguà): it’s a noun, it’s a verb, it’s a kind of “news” that doesn’t really have any value. But that doesn’t mean that people don’t follow it religiously!

Reading comics is good for your Chinese. But so is MAKING your OWN comics! Here are some templates to get you going.

Merry Christmas from AllSet Learning! if you’re paying attention, you will have noticed that the crew in Boring Bangongshi has been celebrating Christmas, Chinese office-style.

The emphasis on Christmas Eve has been so strong that some Chinese people didn’t even realize that Christmas is actually December 25th rather than December 24th.

It’s interesting seeing to what lengths some offices in China are willing to go for holiday cheer. Some Chinese companies really do go all out!

Navigating the relative importance of foreign holidays and how exactly how to recognize them can be a little tricky in Chinese office contexts.