薪酬 xīnchóu pay
pay; remuneration; salary; reward
How to remember 薪酬: 薪 fuel + 酬 to toast = pay.
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How it is used
- A formal, umbrella term for total compensation - salary plus benefits - 薪酬待遇 (xīnchóu dàiyù) the pay-and-benefits package.
- More formal and comprehensive than 工资 (gōngzī, wages/base pay); common in HR, contracts, and job ads.
- Near-synonym 薪水 (xīnshuǐ) is closer to plain 'salary'; 薪酬 emphasizes the whole remuneration structure.