What does “hocharbeiten” mean in German?

Sich hocharbeiten means to climb step by step to a better job or rank through your own hard work — hoch means “up,” and you are the one doing the climbing. One man asks his friend: can you actually work your way up at your job too? The punchline: the minimum wage just rose by 24 cents. It turns the phrase into a quiet joke about a job with almost nowhere to go.

In the clip: “Kannst Du dich bei deinem Job eigentlich auch hocharbeiten?” — “Can you actually work your way up at your job too?” The answer — the minimum wage went up by 24 cents — makes it clear there is basically nowhere to climb. You almost always use this verb with “sich” (yourself): “sich hocharbeiten” means to work your own way up. “Hoch” means “up/high” and “arbeiten” means “to work.” Together they describe steady, earned progress — not luck or a quick jump. Examples: “Sie hat sich vom Praktikum bis zur Chefin hochgearbeitet.” (She worked her way up from an internship to become the boss.) · “Ich will mich in dieser Firma hocharbeiten.” (I want to work my way up in this company.) · “Er hat sich nach oben gearbeitet.” (He worked his way to the top — a close everyday alternative.)