# Chinese overtime

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/chinese-overtime
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Any form of overtime in which increasing the hours worked reduces the hourly rate.

## Examples

- My pay drops when I work Chinese overtime.
- The company requires extra hours without extra pay, which is essentially Chinese overtime.
- Employees often feel exploited when their increased productivity leads to Chinese overtime, effectively lowering their hourly compensation.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.