A recent altercation between a food delivery worker and a security guard in Hangzhou has drawn wide attention on social media.
It began when the delivery rider accidentally damaged a metal barrier while stepping over it as he delivered food to a residential area. On seeing the damage, the security guard at the gate of the compound rushed towards the rider, shouting aggressively.
He grabbed the bike keys to stop the rider leaving, demanding 200 yuan in compensation for the damage.
Desperate to complete his delivery, and not be fined for being late, the delivery worker kneeled on the ground and apologised.
Images of the rider on his knees helplessly in front of the security guard quickly spread online.
In response, dozens of local delivery workers gathered at the scene to protest:
Wearing yellow and blue uniforms, they surrounded the property management office, demanding an apology from the security guard.
The atmosphere was extremely tense, and verbal altercations escalated into physical clashes.
A large number of police officers were dispatched to maintain order.
身穿黄色和蓝色制服的外卖员们将物业办公室团团围住，要求保安赔礼道歉。现场气氛剑拔弩张，双方一度爆发口角乃至肢体冲突，大批警员随后到场维持秩序。 [3]
The delivery worker’s employer, Meituan, a huge Chinese shopping platform for consumer products and retail services including delivery, was quick to respond to the incident.
The company dispatched a specialist to the scene to assist the delivery rider in handling the conflict, pay for the fence repair, and provide further assistance.
Reports of conflicts between delivery workers and security guards of residential compounds are becoming increasingly common in China.
In December last year, a delivery rider in Qingdao, Shandong, was fatally stabbed by a security guard over a dispute about entering a residential area.
These clashes reflect a wider conflict of interests between delivery platforms and property companies: delivery platforms such as Meituan increase profits through their riders delivering more, and property companies expect their security guards to ensure the safety of their residents by stopping unwanted visitors entering residential compounds.
But their employees - delivery workers and security guards - are incentivised negatively through fines: riders for being late, and security guards for safety incidents.
This regularly leads to clashes between the two.
Communication between couriers, delivery workers, and property security guards is often not very smooth.
This is primarily because they each have different responsibilities and relatively limited authority.
快递员、外卖骑手与物业保安之间的沟通往往不太顺畅，这主要是因为他们各自承担着不同的职责，而权力又相对有限。 [1]
Public opinion tends to fall on the side of the delivery riders when clashes happen, especially in the clash in Hangzhou, when the security guard is clearly in the wrong.
But both face pressures from their employers, and residents, and consumers:
When residents complain about delivery workers entering the community without restriction or when a delivery e-bike collides with an elderly person or child, the security guards are held responsible.
The reason riders may become desperate enough to kneel is primarily due to the fear of exceeding the delivery time, which is directly related to the stringent requirements imposed by the delivery platforms.
当业主投诉外卖员随便进出小区、外卖电动车在小区撞到老人孩子时，他们也要为此担责。骑手会急到下跪，主要是因为怕送单超时，而这与外卖平台对配送时间的严苛要求有直接关系。[3]
The challenges of being a delivery worker are nothing new.
In 2020, People Magazine published a feature titled "Delivery Workers Trapped in the System" (外卖骑手，困在系统里), which revealed how food delivery platforms use algorithms to reduce delivery times through a system of "fines for lateness".
This has made the job increasingly difficult and even dangerous for riders, who are forced to ride against traffic, run red lights, and enter residential compounds without proper permission.
As of the first half of 2023, China had over 530 million users of food delivery platforms, with more than 8 million riders registered on a single platform. Intensifying competition between platforms, escalating worker exploitation, and increased pressure on delivery workers, have led to more clashes between delivery riders and security guards.
The structural issues causing these tensions are yet to be properly addressed.
Which is what we're exploring this week!
Favourite Five
1. 丢饭碗 diū fàn wǎn
lose one's job, get fired
迟到一分钟，罚款十元；多迟到几次，可能丢掉饭碗 - Being one minute late results in a ten-yuan fine; being late a few more times might cost you your job. [2]
2. 颐指气使 yí zhǐ qì shǐ
overbearing
认为保安滥用权力、对外卖员颐指气使，是导致双方矛盾激化的主要原因 - The abuse of power and the overbearing attitude of the security guard towards the delivery worker is seen as the main reason for the escalation of conflict between the two.
More: Read more about the background of this phrase in the Sinica Phrase of the Week tomorrow.
3. 底层互害 dǐ céng hù hài
mutual harm among lower classes, infighting among the underprivileged
也不应该简单地贴上“底层互害”的标签 - It should not be simply labeled as "infighting among the underprivileged". [1]
Related:
群体对立 qún tǐ duì lì - group conflict, intergroup conflict
4. 百般刁难 bǎi bān diāo nàn
make things extremely difficult for others, put up unnecessary obstacles
为尽快完成眼前和接下来的订单，面对保安百般刁难，他选择了隐忍 - To quickly complete the current and upcoming orders, he chose to endure the numerous obstacles put up by the security guard. [2]
5. 最后一公里 zuì hòu yì gōng lǐ
the last mile problem
配送服务中的“最后一公里”冲突事件频繁发生 - Conflicts often occur in the "last mile" of delivery services. [1]
Consuming the Conversation
Useful words
6. 下跪 xià guì
kneel
由于急于完成送餐任务，外卖员甚至向保安下跪 - As time was running out for him to deliver the meal, the delivery rider even knelt down in front of the security guard. [1]
7. 症结 zhèng jié
crux, core issue
配送服务“最后一公里”冲突频发，症结何在 - What is the main cause behind the frequent conflicts in the "last mile" of delivery services? [1]
8. 荒唐 huāng táng
absurd, ridiculous
浙江杭州，一起荒唐事件引发巨大争议 - In Hangzhou, Zhejiang, an absurd incident has sparked huge controversy. [2]
9. 屈辱 qū rǔ
humiliation, disgrace
数以万计的外卖员都能容忍屈辱吗 - Can tens of thousands of delivery workers endure such humiliation? [2]
Related:
屈服 qū fú - yield, submit
10. 欺凌 qī líng
bully, mistreat
我们都是辛勤劳动的打工人，凭什么动辄羞辱欺凌？ - We are all hard-working people; why should we be subjected to frequent humiliation and bullying? [2]
11. 封号 fēng hào
suspension of account, ban
平台方的这一封号之举，意在让员工噤声 - The platform suspended accounts in order to silence employees. [2]
Three-character phrases
12. 导火索 dǎo huǒ suǒ
trigger, catalyst
外卖员与物业保安的矛盾的直接导火索是围栏损坏问题 - The direct trigger of the conflict between the delivery rider and the property security guard was the damaged fence. [1]
13. 一刀切 yì dāo qiē
one-size-fits-all, blanket approach
直接通过法律规定进行“一刀切”式的监管并不合适 - It is not ideal to have a one-size-fit-all approach through rules and regulation. [1]
14. 眼中钉 yǎn zhōng dīng
thorn in one's side
将骑手的正当诉求视为眼中钉 - The riders' legitimate demands are seen as a thorn in their side. [2]
Related:
肉中刺 ròu zhōng cì - thorn in the side
Idioms
15. 劈头盖脸 pī tóu gài liǎn
lash out at, hurl insults at
只见保安冲上前，劈头盖脸一顿辱骂 - The security guard rushed forward and lashed out with a torrent of insults. [2]
16. 挥之不去 huī zhī bú qù
persistent, inescapable
高强度的劳动、微薄的收入、随时可能遭遇的不公，这些都是外卖员们挥之不去的痛 - Hard work, low income, and the ever-present possibility of injustice are the inescapable pains for the delivery workers. [2]
17. 唯利是图 wéi lì shì tú
profit comes first, profit-driven
唯利是图的价值观，只会加剧社会矛盾，最终害人害己 - A profit-driven mindset only exacerbates social conflicts, ultimately harming both others and oneself. [2]
18. 悲天悯人 bēi tiān mǐn rén
sympathise with the suffering of others, have compassion
这个世界从来不缺苦难，缺的是悲天悯人的共情 - This world is never short of suffering; what is lacking is empathy and compassion. [2]
19. 僧多粥少 sēng duō zhōu shǎo
too many monks and too little porridge, oversupply of labour with insufficient resources
骑手数量增多，僧多粥少导致收入下降 - As the number of delivery riders increases, the oversupply of labour leads to a decrease in income. [3]
Phrases
20. 情急之下 qíng jí zhī xià
in a moment of desperation, in a critical moment
外卖员手上还有订单需要派送，情急之下选择下跪 - With orders still needing to be delivered, the delivery rider chose to kneel in a moment of desperation. [1]
21. 无心之失 wú xīn zhī shī
unintentional mistake, inadvertent error
这本是无心之失，却被保安恶意渲染，演变成莫名其妙的祸端 - This was originally an unintentional mistake, but it was maliciously escalated by the security guard, who turned it into an inexplicable disaster. [2]
22. 毛细血管 máo xì xuè guǎn
capillary, essential but often overlooked part
外卖员和快递员是平台经济的“毛细血管” - Delivery workers and couriers serve as the "capillaries" of the platform economy. [1]
23. 道德底线 dào dé dǐ xiàn
moral red line, ethical boundary
这种行为，完全践踏了道德底线 - This behavior has completely crossed the moral red line. [2]
24. 委曲求全 wěi qū qiú quán
compromise for the sake of maintaining overall harmony, endure humiliation for the sake of survival
每一次委曲求全，都将他们推向尊严的悬崖 - Every consession and accommodation they made pushes them closer to the edge of their dignity. [2]
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