What does 打卡 mean?

打卡 has split into two parallel lives in modern Chinese:

Work life: 打卡 means clocking in and out. Many Chinese companies use facial recognition, fingerprint scanners, or phone-based GPS check-in. Being late for 打卡 means being late for work, period. The phrase 忘记打卡 (forgot to clock in) is a common workplace panic — you were at your desk on time but forgot to tap the machine, and now you have to explain to HR.

Social media life: 打卡 means visiting a notable location and documenting that you were there. A 网红打卡地 (influencer check-in spot) is any location — café, museum, scenic viewpoint, restaurant — that people specifically visit to photograph and post. 打卡 is not about experiencing the place; it is about recording that you were there. The photo is the point.

Between work and social media, a third usage has emerged: 打卡 as daily habit tracking. 打卡健身 (check in on workouts), 打卡读书 (check in on reading), 打卡学英语 (check in on English study). Apps like Duolingo and fitness trackers have normalized this usage. The common thread across all meanings: 打卡 means recording completion of an action that someone — your boss, your followers, or yourself — is tracking.