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To finish one's work at the usual or expected time without working overtime.
由于项目提前完成，我们今天可以正常下班了。
Since the project was completed ahead of schedule, we can finish work on time today.
公司规定员工必须正常下班，不得无故加班。
The company stipulates that employees must finish work on time and not work overtime without reason.
Commonly used in workplace contexts to describe adhering to standard working hours.
The phrase '正常下班' reflects a growing awareness in Chinese society about work-life balance, especially among younger generations. It is often used in social media discussions about labor rights and corporate culture reforms.
In Chinese workplaces, '正常下班' is a positive phrase indicating compliance with standard working hours. It is often contrasted with '加班文化' (jiābān wénhuà, 'overtime work culture'), which is criticized for harming employees' well-being.
The phrase combines '正常' (zhèngcháng, 'normal' or 'regular') and '下班' (xiàbān, 'to finish work' or 'to get off work'). '下班' itself is a compound verb where '下' means 'to descend' or 'to end' and '班' refers to 'shift' or 'work'. The phrase emerged in modern Chinese workplace culture to contrast with the common phenomenon of overtime work.
This phrase is often used in discussions about work-life balance or corporate culture. It implies a healthy work environment where overtime is not expected. In contrast, phrases like '加班' (jiābān, 'to work overtime') or '延时下班' (yánshí xiàbān, 'to finish work late') highlight deviations from this norm.