Document:

EX-10.1

 Exhibit 10.1 

ZHIHU TECHNOLOGY LIMITED 

2012 INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN 

1. Purposes of the Plan. The purposes of this 2012 Incentive Compensation Plan are to attract and retain the best
available personnel for positions of substantial responsibility, to provide additional incentive to Employees and Consultants, and to promote the success of the Company’s business. Restricted Shares may also be granted under the Plan. 

2. Definitions. As used herein, the following definitions shall apply: 

(a) “Administrator” means the Board or a Committee, or any director appointed to administer the Plan.

 (b) “Affiliate” means an entity other than a Subsidiary which, together with the Company, is under
common control of a third person or entity. 
 (c) “Applicable Laws” means all applicable laws, rules,
regulations and requirements, including, but not limited to, all applicable U.S. federal or state laws, Cayman Islands laws, People’s Republic of China laws, any Stock Exchange rules or regulations, and the applicable laws, rules or regulations
of any other country or jurisdiction where Options or Restricted Shares are granted under the Plan or Participants reside or provide services, as such laws, rules, and regulations shall be in effect from time to time. 

(d) “Award” means any award of an Option or Restricted Shares under the Plan. 

(e) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company. 

(f) “Cashless Exercise” means a program approved by the Administrator in which payment of the
Option exercise price or tax withholding obligations may be satisfied, in whole or in part, with Shares subject to the Option, including by delivery of an irrevocable direction to a Company designated securities broker (on a form prescribed by the
Administrator) to sell Shares and to deliver all or part of the sale proceeds to the Company in payment of the aggregate exercise price in full and, if applicable, the amount necessary to satisfy the Company’s withholding obligations. 

(g) “Cause” for termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service Status will exist (unless another
definition is provided in an applicable Option Agreement, Restricted Shares Purchase Agreement, employment agreement or other applicable written agreement) if the Participant’s Continuous Service Status is terminated for any of the following
reasons: (i) Participant’s willful failure to perform his or her duties and responsibilities to the Company or Participant’s violation of any written Company policy; (ii) Participant’s commission of any act of fraud,
embezzlement, dishonesty or any other willful misconduct that has caused or is reasonably expected to result in injury to the Company; (iii) Participant’s unauthorized use or disclosure of any proprietary information or trade secrets of
the Company or any other party to whom the Participant owes an obligation of nondisclosure as a result of his or her relationship with the Company; or (iv) Participant’s material breach of any of his or her obligations under any written
agreement or covenant with the Company, resulting in termination of any such written agreement or covenant by the Company in accordance with the Applicable Laws. The determination as to whether a Participant’s Continuous Service Status has been
terminated for Cause shall be made in good faith by the Company and shall be final and binding on the Participant. The foregoing definition does not in any way limit the Company’s ability to terminate a Participant’s employment or
consulting relationship at any time, and the term “Company” will be interpreted to include any Group Company or any successor thereto, if appropriate. 

 (h) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended. 
 (i) “Committee” means one or more committees or subcommittees of the Board consisting of
two (2) or more Directors (or such lesser or greater number of Directors as shall constitute the minimum number permitted by Applicable Laws to establish a committee or sub-committee of the Board)
appointed by the Board to administer the Plan in accordance with Section 4 below. 
 (j)
“Company” means Zhihu Technology Limited, a company organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands, or any successor corporation thereto. 

(k) “Consultant” means any person, including an advisor but not an Employee, who is engaged by any Group
Company, to render services (other than capital-raising services) and is compensated for such services, and any Director whether compensated for such services or not. 

(l) “Continuous Service Status” means the absence of any interruption or termination of service as an
Employee or Consultant. Continuous Service Status as an Employee or Consultant shall not be considered interrupted or terminated in the case of: (i) Company approved sick leave; (ii) military leave; (iii) any other bona fide leave of
absence approved by the Administrator, provided that such leave is for a period of not more than ninety (90) days, unless reemployment upon the expiration of such leave is guaranteed by contract or statute, or unless provided otherwise pursuant
to a written Company policy. Also, Continuous Service Status as an Employee or Consultant shall not be considered interrupted or terminated in the case of a transfer between locations of the Group Companies, or their respective successors, or a
change in status from an Employee to a Consultant or from a Consultant to an Employee. The term “Company” will be interpreted to include any Group Company or any successor thereto, if appropriate. 

(m) “Corporate Transaction” means (i) a sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s
assets; (ii) a merger, consolidation or other capital reorganization or business combination transaction of the Company with or into another corporation, entity, or person; or (iii) the consummation of a transaction in which any
“person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of
securities of the Company representing fifty percent (50%) or more of the total voting power represented by the Company’s then outstanding voting securities, except that any change in the beneficial ownership of the securities of the Company as
a result of a private financing of the Company that is approved by the Board shall not be deemed to be a Corporate Transaction. Notwithstanding anything stated herein, a transaction shall not constitute a “Corporate Transaction” if its
sole purpose is to change the state of the Company’s incorporation, or to create a holding company that will be owned in substantially the same proportions by the persons who hold the Company’s securities immediately before such
transaction. 
 (n) “Director” means a member of the Board. 

(o) “Disability” means as defined under the long-term disability policy of the Company or any Group
Company to which the Optionee provides services regardless of whether the Optionee is covered by such policy. If the Company or any Group Company to which the Optionee provides service does not have a long-term disability plan in place,
“Disability” means that an Optionee is unable to carry out the responsibilities and functions of the position held by the Optionee by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment for a period of not less than ninety
(90) consecutive days. An Optionee will not be considered to have incurred a Disability unless he or she furnishes proof of such impairment sufficient to satisfy the Administrator in its discretion.. 

 (p) “Employee” means any person employed by any Group
Company, with the status of employment determined pursuant to such factors as are deemed appropriate by the Administrator in its sole discretion, subject to any requirements of the Applicable Laws, including the Code. The payment by the Group
Company of a director’s fee shall not be sufficient to constitute “employment” of such director by such Group Company. 
 (q)
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. 
 (r) “Fair
Market Value” means, as of any date, the per share fair market value of the Ordinary Shares, as determined by the Administrator in good faith on such basis as it deems appropriate and applied consistently with respect to
Participants. Whenever possible, the determination of Fair Market Value shall be based upon the per share closing price for the Shares as reported in the Wall Street Journal for the applicable date. 

(s) “Family Members” means any child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse,
former spouse, sibling, niece, nephew, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law,
brother-in-law, or sister-in-law (including adoptive relationships) of the Optionee, any
person sharing the Optionee’s household (other than a tenant or employee), a trust in which these persons (or the Optionee) have more than 50% of the beneficial interest, a foundation in which these persons (or the Optionee) control the
management of assets, and any other entity in which these persons (or the Optionee) own more than 50% of the voting interests. 
 (t)
“Group Companies” means the Company, a Parent, a Subsidiary, an Affiliate, and any controlled affiliate of each of the Company, the Parent, the Subsidiary, and the Affiliate that is not a natural person (each, a
“Group Company”). 
 (u) “Involuntary Termination” means (unless another
definition is provided in the applicable Option Agreement, Restricted Shares Purchase Agreement, employment agreement or other applicable written agreement) the termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service Status other than for death or
Disability or for Cause by a Group Company or successor thereto, as appropriate. 
 (v) “Listed Security” means any
security of the Company that is listed or approved for listing on any securities exchange following the initial public offering of its Ordinary Shares or designated or approved for designation as a national market system security on an interdealer
quotation system by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. 
 (w) “Option” means
a share option granted pursuant to the Plan. 
 (x) “Option Agreement” means a written document, the
form(s) of which shall be approved from time to time by the Administrator, reflecting the terms of an Option granted under the Plan and includes any documents attached to or incorporated into such Option Agreement, including, but not limited to, a
notice of share option grant and a form of exercise notice. 
 (y) “Option Exchange Program” means a
program approved by the Administrator whereby outstanding Options (i) are exchanged for Options with a lower exercise price or Restricted Shares or (ii) are amended to decrease the exercise price as a result of a decline in the Fair Market
Value of the Ordinary Shares. 

 (z) “Optioned Shares” means Shares that are subject to
an Option or that were issued pursuant to the exercise of an Option. 
 (aa) “Optionee” means an
Employee or Consultant who receives an Option. 
 (bb) “Ordinary Shares” means the Company’s ordinary shares.

 (cc) “Parent” means any corporation (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of corporations
ending with the Company if, at the time of grant of the Award, each of the corporations other than the Company owns stock possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in such
chain. A corporation that attains the status of a Parent on a date after the adoption of the Plan shall be considered a Parent commencing as of such date. 

(dd) “Participant” means any holder of one or more Awards or Shares issued pursuant to an Award. 

(ee) “Plan” means this 2012 Incentive Compensation Plan. 

(ff) “Restricted Shares” means Shares acquired pursuant to a right to purchase Ordinary Shares granted
pursuant to Section 11 below. 
 (gg) “Restricted Shares Purchase Agreement” means a written
document, the form(s) of which shall be approved from time to time by the Administrator, reflecting the terms of Restricted Shares granted under the Plan and includes any documents attached to such agreement. 

(hh) “Share” means an Ordinary Share, as adjusted in accordance with Section 14 below. 

(ii) “Stock Exchange” means any stock exchange or consolidated stock price reporting system on which
prices for the Ordinary Shares are quoted at any given time. 
 (jj) “Subsidiary” means any
corporation (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Company if, at the time of grant of the Award, each of the corporations other than the last corporation in the unbroken chain owns stock possessing 50% or
more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in such chain. A corporation that attains the status of a Subsidiary on a date after the adoption of the Plan shall be considered a Subsidiary
commencing as of such date. 
 3. Shares Subject to the Plan. Subject to the provisions of Section 14 of the Plan,
the maximum aggregate number of Shares that may be issued under the Plan is 12,320,000 Shares. The Shares issued under the Plan may be authorized, but unissued, or reacquired Shares. If an Award should expire or become unexercisable for any reason
without having been exercised in full, or is surrendered pursuant to an Option Exchange Program, the unpurchased Shares that were subject thereto shall, unless the Plan shall have been terminated, become available for future grant under the Plan. In
addition, any Shares which are retained by the Company upon exercise of an Award in order to satisfy the exercise or purchase price for such Award or any withholding taxes due with respect to such Award shall be treated as not issued and shall
continue to be available under the Plan. Shares issued under the Plan and later repurchased by the Company pursuant to any repurchase right that the Company may not be available for future grant under the Plan. 

 4. Administration of the Plan. 

(a) General. The Plan shall be administered by the Administrator. The Plan may be administered by different
administrative bodies with respect to different classes of Participants and, if permitted by Applicable Laws, the Board may authorize one or more officers of the Company to make Awards under the Plan to Employees and Consultants (who are not subject
to Section 16 of the Exchange Act) within parameters specified by the Board. 
 (b) Committee Composition. If a
Committee has been appointed pursuant to this Section 4, such Committee shall continue to serve in its designated capacity until otherwise directed by the Board. From time to time the Board may increase the size of any Committee and appoint
additional members thereof, remove members (with or without cause) and appoint new members in substitution therefor, fill vacancies (however caused) and dissolve a Committee and thereafter directly administer the Plan, all to the extent permitted by
the Applicable Laws and, in the case of a Committee administering the Plan in accordance with the requirements of Rule 16b-3 or Section 162(m) of the Code, to the extent permitted or required by such
provisions. 
 (c) Powers of the Administrator. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Administrator shall have the
authority, in its sole discretion: 
 (i) to determine the Fair Market Value of the Ordinary Shares in accordance with Section 2(s)
above, provided that such determination shall be applied consistently with respect to Participants under the Plan; 
 (ii) to select the
Employees and Consultants to whom Awards may from time to time be granted; 
 (iii) to determine the number of Shares to be covered by each
Award; 
 (iv) to approve the form(s) of agreement(s) and other related documents used under the Plan; 

(v) to determine the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, of any Award granted hereunder, which terms and
conditions include but are not limited to the exercise or purchase price, the time or times when Awards may be exercised (which may be based on performance criteria), the circumstances (if any) when vesting will be accelerated or forfeiture
restrictions will be waived, and any restriction or limitation regarding any Award, Optioned Shares, or Restricted Shares; 
 (vi) to amend
any outstanding Award or agreement related to any Optioned Shares or Restricted Shares, including any amendment adjusting vesting (e.g., in connection with a change in the terms or conditions under which such person is providing services to the
Group Company), provided that no amendment shall be made that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any Participant without his or her consent; 

(vii) to determine whether and under what circumstances an Option may be settled in cash under Section 10(c) instead of Ordinary Shares;

 (viii) to implement an Option Exchange Program and establish the terms and conditions of such Option Exchange Program, provided that no
amendment or adjustment to an Option that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any Optionee shall be made without his or her consent; 

 (ix) to grant Awards to, or to modify the terms of any outstanding Option Agreement or
Restricted Shares Purchase Agreement or any agreement related to any Optioned Shares or Restricted Shares held by, Participants who are foreign nationals or employed outside of the United States with such terms and conditions as the Administrator
deems necessary or appropriate to accommodate differences in local law, tax policy or custom which deviate from the terms and conditions set forth in this Plan to the extent necessary or appropriate to further the purpose of the Plan; and 

(x) to construe and interpret the terms of the Plan, any Option Agreement or Restricted Shares Purchase Agreement, and any agreement related
to any Optioned Shares or Restricted Shares, which constructions, interpretations and decisions shall be final and binding on all Participants. 

(d) Indemnification. To the maximum extent permitted by Applicable Laws, each member of the Committee (including officers
of the Company, if applicable), or of the Board, as applicable, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company against and from (i) any loss, cost, liability, or expense that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by him or her in
connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit, or proceeding to which he or she may be a party or in which he or she may be involved by reason of any action taken or failure to act under the Plan or pursuant to the terms and conditions
of any Award except for actions taken in bad faith or failures to act in bad faith, and (ii) any and all amounts paid by him or her in settlement thereof, with the Company’s approval, or paid by him or her in satisfaction of any judgment
in any such claim, action, suit, or proceeding against him or her, provided that such member shall give the Company an opportunity, at the Company’s own expense, to handle and defend any such claim, action, suit or proceeding before he or she
undertakes to handle and defend it on his or her own behalf. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled under the Company’s Memorandum and
Articles of Incorporation, as such may be amended or restated from time to time, or by contract, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or under any other power that the Company may have to indemnify or hold harmless each such person. 

5. Eligibility. 

(a) Recipients of Grants. Options and Restricted Shares may be granted to Employees and Consultants. 

(b) No Employment Rights. Neither the Plan nor any Award shall confer upon any Employee or Consultant any right with
respect to continuation of an employment or consulting relationship with any Group Company, nor shall it interfere in any way with such Employee’s or Consultant’s right or the Group Company’s right to terminate his or her employment
or consulting relationship at any time, with or without cause. 
 6. Term of Plan. The Plan shall become effective upon
its adoption by the Board of Directors. It shall continue in effect for a term of ten (10) years unless sooner terminated under Section 16 below. 

7. Term of Option. The term of each Option shall be the term stated in the Option Agreement; provided that the term shall
be no more than ten (10) years from the date of grant thereof or such shorter term as may be provided in the Option Agreement. 
 8.
[Reserved]. 

 9. Option Exercise Price and Consideration. 

(a) Exercise Price. The per Share exercise price for the Shares to be issued pursuant to the exercise of an Option shall
be such price as is determined by the Administrator and set forth in the Option Agreement. 
 (b) Permissible
Consideration. The consideration to be paid for the Shares to be issued upon exercise of an Option, including the method of payment, shall be determined by the Administrator and may consist entirely of (1) cash; (2) check;
(3) to the extent permitted under Applicable Laws, delivery of a promissory note with such recourse, interest, security and redemption provisions as the Administrator determines to be appropriate; (4) cancellation of indebtedness;
(5) other previously owned Shares that have a Fair Market Value on the date of surrender equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Shares as to which the Option is exercised; (6) a Cashless Exercise; (7) such other consideration
and method of payment permitted under Applicable Laws; or (8) any combination of the foregoing methods of payment. In making its determination as to the type of consideration to accept, the Administrator shall consider if acceptance of such
consideration may be reasonably expected to benefit the Company and the Administrator may, in its sole discretion, refuse to accept a particular form of consideration at the time of any Option exercise. 

10. Exercise of Option. 

(a) General. 

(i) Exercisability. Any Option granted hereunder shall be exercisable at such times and under such conditions as
determined by the Administrator, consistent with the terms of the Plan and reflected in the Option Agreement, including vesting requirements and/or performance criteria with respect to any Group Company, and/or the Optionee. 

(ii) Leave of Absence. The Administrator shall have the discretion to determine whether and to what extent the vesting
of Options shall be tolled during any unpaid leave of absence; provided, however, that in the absence of such determination, vesting of Options shall be tolled during any such unpaid leave (unless otherwise required by the Applicable Laws).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of military leave, vesting shall toll during any unpaid portion of such leave, provided that, upon a Optionee’s returning from military leave (under conditions that would entitle him or her to
protection upon such return under the Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act), he or she shall be given vesting credit with respect to Options to the same extent as would have applied had the Optionee continued to provide services
to the Company (or any Parent or Subsidiary, if applicable) throughout the leave on the same terms as he or she was providing services immediately prior to such leave. 

(iii) Minimum Exercise Requirements. An Option may not be exercised for a fraction of a Share. The Administrator may
require that an Option be exercised as to a minimum number of Shares, provided that such requirement shall not prevent an Optionee from exercising the full number of Shares as to which the Option is then exercisable. 

(iv) Procedures for and Results of Exercise. An Option shall be deemed exercised when written notice of
such exercise has been received by the Company in accordance with the terms of the Option Agreement by the person entitled to exercise the Option and the Company has received full payment for the Shares with respect to which the Option is exercised
and has paid, or made arrangements to satisfy, any applicable withholding requirements in accordance with Section 12 below. The exercise of an Option shall result in a decrease in the number of Shares that thereafter may be available, both for
purposes of the Plan and for sale under the Option, by the number of Shares as to which the Option is exercised. 

 (v) Rights as Holder of Capital Shares. Until the issuance of the
Shares (as evidenced by the appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent of the Company), no right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a holder of capital shares shall exist with respect to the
Optioned Shares, notwithstanding the exercise of the Option. No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right for which the record date is prior to the date the share certificate is issued, except as provided in Section 14 below. 

(b) Termination of Employment or Consulting Relationship. The Administrator shall establish and set forth in the
applicable Option Agreement the terms and conditions upon which an Option shall remain exercisable, if at all, following termination of an Optionee’s Continuous Service Status, which provisions may be waived or modified by the Administrator at
any time. To the extent that an Option Agreement does not specify the terms and conditions upon which an Option shall terminate upon termination of an Optionee’s Continuous Service Status, the following provisions shall apply: 

(i) General Provisions. If the Optionee (or other person entitled to exercise the Option) does not exercise the Option to
the extent so entitled within the time specified below, the Option shall terminate and the Optioned Shares underlying the unexercised portion of the Option shall revert to the Plan. In no event may any Option be exercised after the expiration of the
Option term as set forth in the Option Agreement (and subject to Section 7). 
 (ii) Termination other than Upon Disability or
Death or for Cause. In the event of termination of an Optionee’s Continuous Service Status other than under the circumstances set forth in subsections (iii) through (vi) below, such Optionee may exercise any
outstanding Option at any time within three (3) months following such termination (or such later date as the Board may determine) to the extent the Optionee was vested in the Optioned Shares as of the date of such termination, subject to
compliance with the Applicable Laws. In the event the Optionee is unable to exercise any outstanding option due to restriction under the Applicable Laws, at the sole discretion of the Administrator and subject to receipt of full exercise price of
the Company, the exercise period can be extended to at any time within three (3) months following removal of such restriction but no later than expiration date of this Plan. 

(iii) Disability of Optionee. In the event of termination of an Optionee’s Continuous Service Status
as a result of his or her Disability, such Optionee may exercise any outstanding Option at any time within six (6) months following such termination (or such later date as the Board may determine) to the extent the Optionee was vested in the
Optioned Shares as of the date of such termination. In the event the Optionee is unable to exercise any outstanding option due to restriction under the Applicable Laws, at the sole discretion of the Administrator and subject to receipt of full
exercise price of the Company, the exercise period can be extended to at any time within six (6) months following removal of such restriction but no later than expiration date of this Plan. 

(iv) Death of Optionee. In the event of termination of an Optionee’s Continuous Service
Status as a result of his or her death, the Option may be exercised by the Optionee’s estate, or by a person who acquired the right to exercise the Option by bequest or inheritance, at any time within twelve (12) months following the date
of death (or such later date as the Board may determine) or, if earlier, the date the Optionee’s Continuous Service Status terminated, but only to the extent the Optionee was vested in the Optioned Shares as of the date of death. In the event
the Optionee’s estate, or by a person who acquired the right to exercise the Option by bequest or inheritance, is unable to exercise any outstanding option due to restriction under the Applicable Laws, at the sole discretion of the
Administrator and subject to receipt of full exercise price of the Company, the exercise period can be extended to at any time within twelve (12) months following removal of such restriction but no later than expiration date of this Plan. 

 (v) Termination for Cause. In the event of termination of an
Optionee’s Continuous Service Status for Cause, any outstanding Option (including any vested portion thereof) held by such Optionee shall immediately terminate in its entirety upon first notification to the Optionee of termination of the
Optionee’s Continuous Service Status for Cause. If an Optionee’s Continuous Service Status is suspended pending an investigation of whether the Optionee’s Continuous Service Status will be terminated for Cause, all the Optionee’s
rights under any Option, including the right to exercise the Option, shall be suspended during the investigation period. Nothing in this Section 10(b)(v) shall in any way limit the Company’s right to repurchase unvested Shares issued upon
exercise of an Option as set forth in the applicable Option Agreement. The repurchase price shall be the original purchase price paid by the Optionee and may be paid by cancellation of any indebtedness of the Optionee to the Company. 

(vi) Voluntary Termination. In the event of termination of Optionee’s Continuous Service Status by himself
or herself, the unvested portion of the Option shall immediately terminate in its entirety upon first notification to any Group Company of his or her intention for such termination, and the Company shall be entitled to repurchase the vested portion
of the Option. The repurchase price shall be the original purchase price paid by the Optionee and may be paid by cancellation of any indebtedness of the purchaser to the Company. In the event the Company allows the Optionee to exercise the vested
portion of the Option within three (3) months following the termination date of such Optionee’s Continuous Service Status but such Optionee is unable to exercise any outstanding option due to restriction under the Applicable Laws, at the
sole discretion of the Administrator and subject to receipt of full exercise price of the Company, the exercise period can be extended to at any time within three (3) months following removal of such restriction but no later than expiration
date of this Plan. 
 (c) Buyout Provisions. The Administrator may at any time offer to buy out for a payment in cash
or Shares an Option previously granted under the Plan based on such terms and conditions as the Administrator shall establish and communicate to the Optionee at the time that such offer is made. 

11. Restricted Shares. 

(a) Rights to Purchase. When a right to purchase Restricted Shares is granted under the Plan, the Administrator shall
advise the recipient in writing of the terms, conditions and restrictions related to the offer, including the number of Shares that such person shall be entitled to purchase, the price to be paid (which shall be as determined by the Administrator,
subject to Applicable Laws, including any applicable securities laws), and the time within which such person must accept such offer. The permissible consideration for Restricted Shares shall be determined by the Administrator and shall be the same
as is set forth in Section 9(b) with respect to exercise of Options. The offer to purchase Shares shall be accepted by execution of a Restricted Shares Purchase Agreement in the form determined by the Administrator. 

(b) Repurchase Option. 

(i) General. Unless the Administrator determines otherwise, the Restricted Shares Purchase Agreement shall grant the
Company a repurchase option exercisable upon the voluntary or involuntary termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service Status for any reason (including death or Disability). The purchase price for Shares repurchased pursuant to the
Restricted Shares Purchase Agreement shall be the original purchase price paid by the purchaser and may be paid by cancellation of any indebtedness of the purchaser to the Company. The repurchase option shall lapse at such rate as the Administrator
may determine. 

 (ii) Leave of Absence. The Administrator shall have the discretion to
determine whether and to what extent the lapsing of Company repurchase rights shall be tolled during any unpaid leave of absence; provided, however, that in the absence of such determination, such lapsing shall be tolled during any such unpaid leave
(unless otherwise required by the Applicable Laws). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of military leave, the lapsing of Company repurchase rights shall toll during any unpaid portion of such leave, provided that, upon a Participant’s
returning from military leave (under conditions that would entitle him or her to protection upon such return under the Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act), he or she shall be given vesting credit with respect to Shares purchased
pursuant to the Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement to the same extent as would have applied had the Participant continued to provide services to the Company (or any Parent or Subsidiary, if applicable) throughout the leave on the same terms as he
or she was providing services immediately prior to such leave. 
 (c) Other Provisions. The Restricted Shares Purchase
Agreement shall contain such other terms, provisions and conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion. In addition, the provisions of Restricted Shares Purchase Agreements need not be the
same with respect to each Participant. 
 (d) Rights as a Holder of Capital Shares. Once the Restricted Shares is
purchased, the Participant shall have the rights equivalent to those of a holder of capital shares, and shall be a record holder when his or her purchase is entered upon the records of the duly authorized transfer agent of the Company. No adjustment
will be made for a dividend or other right for which the record date is prior to the date the Restricted Shares is purchased, except as provided in Section 14 of the Plan. 

12. Taxes. 

(a) As a condition of the grant, vesting and exercise of an Award, the Participant (or in the case of the Participant’s death or a
permitted transferee, the person holding or exercising the Award) shall make such arrangements as the Administrator may require for the satisfaction of any applicable tax withholding obligations or foreign tax withholding obligations in accordance
with Applicable Laws that may arise in connection with such Award. The Company shall not be required to issue any Shares under the Plan until such obligations are satisfied. 

(b) The Administrator may permit a Participant (or in the case of the Participant’s death or a permitted transferee, the person holding
or exercising the Award) to satisfy all or part of his or her tax withholding obligations by Cashless Exercise or by surrendering Shares (either directly or by share attestation) that he or she previously acquired; provided that, unless the Cashless
Exercise is an approved broker-assisted Cashless Exercise, the Shares tendered for payment have been previously held for a minimum duration (e.g., to avoid financial accounting charges to the Company’s earnings), or as otherwise permitted to
avoid financial accounting charges under applicable accounting guidance, amounts withheld shall not exceed the amount necessary to satisfy the Group Company’s tax withholding obligations at the minimum statutory withholding rates, including,
but not limited to, income taxes, payroll taxes, and any foreign taxes in accordance with Applicable Laws, if applicable. Any payment of taxes by surrendering Shares to the Company may be subject to restrictions, including, but not limited to, any
restrictions required by rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission. 

 13. Non-Transferability of
Options. 
 Options may not be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated, transferred or disposed of in any manner other than by
will or by the laws of descent or distribution. The designation of a beneficiary by an Optionee pursuant to Section 18 hereof will not constitute a transfer. An Option may be exercised, during the lifetime of the holder of the Option, only by
such holder or a transferee permitted by this Section 13. 
 14. Adjustments Upon Changes in
Capitalization, Merger or Certain Other Transactions. 
 (a) Changes in Capitalization. Subject to any
action required under Applicable Laws by the holders of capital shares of the Company, (i) the numbers and class of Shares or other stock or securities: (x) available for future Awards under Section 3 above and (y) covered by
each outstanding Award, (ii) the price per Share covered by each such outstanding Option, and (iii) any repurchase price per Share applicable to Shares issued pursuant to any Award shall be proportionately adjusted in the event of a share
split, reverse share split, share dividend, combination, consolidation, recapitalization or reclassification of the Shares, subdivision of the Shares, or other distribution of the Shares without the receipt of consideration by the Company of or on
the Shares; provided that (i), (ii) and/or (iii) may be adjusted by the Administrator in its sole discretion in the event of a dividend with respect to the Shares payable in a form other than Shares in an amount that has a material effect on
the price of the Shares, a reorganization, merger, liquidation, spin-off, split-up, exchange of Shares, repurchase of Shares, change in corporate structure or other
similar occurrence. Any adjustment by the Administrator pursuant to this Section 14(a) shall be made in the Administrator’s sole and absolute discretion and shall be final, binding and conclusive. Except as expressly provided herein, no
issuance by the Company of shares of any class, or securities convertible into shares of any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number or price of Shares subject to an Award. If, by reason of
a transaction described in this Section 14(a) or an adjustment pursuant to this Section 14(a), a Participant’s Award agreement or agreement related to any Optioned Shares or Restricted Shares covers additional or different shares or
securities, then such additional or different shares, and the Award agreement or agreement related to the Optioned Shares or Restricted Shares in respect thereof, shall be subject to all of the terms, conditions and restrictions which were
applicable to the Award, Optioned Shares and Restricted Shares prior to such adjustment. Any such adjustments to the outstanding Awards will be effected in a manner that precludes the material enlargement of rights and benefits under such Awards.

 (b) Dissolution or Liquidation. In the event of the dissolution or liquidation of the Company, each Award will
terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such action, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator. 
 (c) Corporate
Transactions. In the event that the Company is subject to a Corporate Transaction, each outstanding Award (vested or unvested) shall be subject to the agreement evidencing the Corporate Transaction, which need not treat all
outstanding Options (or portion thereof) in an identical manner and need not obtain the consent of any Participant to such treatment. Such agreement, without the consent of any Participant, may dispose of Awards that are not vested as of the
effective date of such Corporate Transaction in any manner permitted by applicable law, including (without limitation) the cancellation of Options without the payment of any consideration. Without limiting the foregoing, such agreement, without the
consent of any Participant, may provide for one or more of the following with respect to Options (or portion thereof) that are vested and exercisable as of the effective date of such Corporate Transaction: (i) the continuation of such
outstanding Options by the Company (if the Company is the surviving corporation); (ii) the assumption of such outstanding Options by the surviving corporation or its parent; (iii) the substitution by the surviving corporation or its parent of
new options or equity awards for such Options; (iv) the cancellation of such Options and a payment to the Participants equal to the excess of (A) the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to such Options as of the closing date of such
Corporate Transaction over (B) the exercise price or purchase price for the Shares to be issued pursuant to the exercise of such Options. Such payment shall be made in the form of cash, cash equivalents and/or securities of the surviving
corporation or its parent with a Fair Market Value equal to the required amount. If the exercise price or purchase price per Share of the Shares to be issued pursuant to the exercise of such Options exceeds the Fair Market Value per Share of such
Shares, as of the closing date of the Corporate Transaction, then such Options may be cancelled without making a payment to the Participants; or (v) the cancellation of such Options for no consideration. Upon a Corporate Transaction, all
outstanding Options shall terminate and cease to be outstanding, except to the extent such Options have been continued or assumed, as described in Sections 14(c)(i) and/or 14(c)(ii). 

 (d) Acquisitions and Other Transactions. The Administrator may issue Awards
under the Plan in settlement, assumption or substitution for, outstanding awards or obligations to grant future awards in connection with the Company or any other Group Company acquiring another entity, an interest in another entity or an additional
interest in any Group Company whether by merger, share purchase, asset purchase or other form of transaction. 
 15. Time of Granting
Options and Right to Purchase Restricted Shares. The date of grant of an Award shall, for all purposes, be the date on which the Administrator makes the determination granting such Award, or such other date as is determined by the
Administrator. 
 16. Amendment and Termination of the Plan. Subject to the restrictions set out in the Company’s
memorandum and articles of associations, as such may be amended from time to time, the Board may at any time amend or terminate the Plan, but no amendment or termination (other than an adjustment pursuant to Section 14 above) shall be made that
would materially and adversely affect the rights of any Participant under any outstanding Award, without his or her consent. In addition, to the extent necessary and desirable to comply with the Applicable Laws, the Company shall obtain the approval
of holders of capital shares with respect to any Plan amendment in such a manner and to such a degree as required. 
 17. Conditions
Upon Issuance of Shares. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or any agreement entered into by the Company pursuant to the Plan, the Company shall not be obligated, and shall have no liability
for failure, to issue or deliver any Shares under the Plan unless such issuance or delivery would comply with the Applicable Laws, with such compliance determined by the Company in consultation with its legal counsel. As a condition to the exercise
of any Option or purchase of any Restricted Shares, the Company may require the person exercising the Option or purchasing the Restricted Shares to represent and warrant at the time of any such exercise or purchase that the Shares are being
purchased only for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such Shares if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, such a representation is required by Applicable Laws. Shares issued upon exercise of Options or purchase
of Restricted Shares prior to the date, if ever, on which the Ordinary Shares becomes a Listed Security shall be subject to a right of first refusal in favor of the Company pursuant to which the Participant will be required to offer Shares to the
Company before selling or transferring them to any third party on such terms and subject to such conditions as is reflected in the applicable Option Agreement or Restricted Shares Purchase Agreement. 

18. Beneficiaries. Unless stated otherwise in an Award agreement, a Participant may designate one or more beneficiaries
with respect to an Award by timely filing the prescribed form with the Company. A beneficiary designation may be changed by filing the prescribed form with the Company at any time before the Participant’s death. If no beneficiary was designated
or if no designated beneficiary survives the Participant, then after a Participant’s death any vested Award(s) shall be transferred or distributed to the Participant’s estate. 

 19. Approval of Holders of Capital Shares. This Plan shall be approved
by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Incorporation, as such may be amended or restated from time to time. In addition, if required by the Applicable Laws, continuance of the Plan
shall be subject to approval by the holders of capital shares of the Company within twelve (12) months before or after the date the Plan is adopted or, to the extent required by Applicable Laws, any date the Plan is amended. Such approval shall
be obtained in the manner and to the degree required under the Applicable Laws. 
 20. Addenda. The Administrator may
approve such addenda to the Plan as it may consider necessary or appropriate for the purpose of granting Awards to Employees or Consultants, which Awards may contain such terms and conditions as the Administrator deems necessary or appropriate to
accommodate differences in local law, tax policy or custom, which, if so required under Applicable Laws, may deviate from the terms and conditions set forth in this Plan. The terms of any such addenda shall supersede the terms of the Plan to the
extent necessary to accommodate such differences but shall not otherwise affect the terms of the Plan as in effect for any other purpose.EX-10.2

 Exhibit 10.2 

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT 

This EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is entered into as of _____________, 2021 by and between Zhihu Inc., an exempted
company incorporated and existing under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the “Company”) and _____________(Passport/ID Card No. _____________) (the “Executive”). 

RECITALS 
 WHEREAS, the Company desires to
employ the Executive and to assure itself of the services of the Executive during the term of Employment (as defined below) and under the terms and conditions of the Agreement; 

WHEREAS, the Executive desires to be employed by the Company during the term of Employment and under the terms and conditions of the Agreement; 

AGREEMENT 
 NOW, THEREFORE, in
consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the Company and the Executive agree as follows: 
  

	1.	 EMPLOYMENT 

The Company hereby agrees to employ the Executive and the Executive hereby accepts such employment, on the terms and conditions hereinafter set
forth (the “Employment”). 
  

	2.	 TERM 

Subject to the terms and conditions of the Agreement, the initial term of the Employment shall be _____ years, commencing on _____________,
2021 (the “Effective Date”) and ending on _____________, _____ (the “Initial Term”), unless terminated earlier pursuant to the terms of the Agreement. Upon expiration of the Initial Term of the Employment, the
Employment shall be automatically extended for successive periods of _____ months each (each, an “Extension Period”) unless either party shall have given 60 days advance written notice to the other party, in the manner set forth in
Section 19 below, prior to the end of the Initial Term or the Extension Period in question, as applicable, that the term of this Agreement that is in effect at the time such written notice is given is not to be extended or further extended, as
the case may be (the period during which this Agreement is effective being referred to hereafter as the “Term”). 
  

	3.	 POSITION AND DUTIES 

 

	 	(a)	 During the Term, the Executive shall serve as _____________ of the Company or in such other position or
positions with a level of duties and responsibilities consistent with the foregoing with the Company and/or its subsidiaries and affiliates as the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) may specify from time to time and
shall have the duties, responsibilities and obligations customarily assigned to individuals serving in the position or positions in which the Executive serves hereunder and as assigned by the Board, or with the Board’s authorization, by the
Company’s Chief Executive Officer. 

	 	(b)	 The Executive agrees to serve without additional compensation, if elected or appointed thereto, as a director
of the Company or any subsidiaries or affiliated entity of the Company (collectively, the “Group”) and as a member of any committees of the board of directors of any such entity, provided that the Executive is indemnified for
serving in any and all such capacities on a basis no less favorable than is currently provided to any other director of any member of the Group. 

  

	 	(c)	 The Executive agrees to devote all of his/her working time and efforts to the performance of his/her duties for
the Company and to faithfully and diligently serve the Company in accordance with the Agreement and the guidelines, policies and procedures of the Company approved from time to time by the Board. 

 

	4.	 NO BREACH OF CONTRACT 

The Executive hereby represents to the Company that: (i) the execution and delivery of the Agreement by the Executive and the performance
by the Executive of the Executive’s duties hereunder shall not constitute a breach of, or otherwise contravene, the terms of any other agreement or policy to which the Executive is a party or by which the Executive is otherwise bound, except
that the Executive does not make any representation with respect to agreements required to be entered into by and between the Executive and any member of the Group pursuant to the applicable law of the jurisdiction in which the Executive is based,
if any; (ii) that the Executive is not in possession of any information (including, without limitation, confidential information and trade secrets) the knowledge of which would prevent the Executive from freely entering into the Agreement and
carrying out his/her duties hereunder; and (iii) that the Executive is not bound by any confidentiality, trade secret or similar agreement with any person or entity other than any member of the Group. 

 

	5.	 LOCATION 

The Executive will be based in _____________, _____ or any other location as requested by the Company during the Term. 

 

	6.	 COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS 

 

	 	(a)	 Cash Compensation. As compensation for the performance by the Executive of his/her obligations
hereunder, during the Term, the Company shall pay the Executive cash compensation (inclusive of the statutory benefit contributions that the Company is required to set aside for the Executive under applicable law) pursuant to Schedule A
hereto, subject to annual review and adjustment by the Board or any committee designated by the Board. 

  
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	 	(b)	 Equity Incentives. During the Term, the Executive shall be eligible to participate, at a level
comparable to similarly situated executives of the Company, in such long-term compensation arrangements as may be authorized from time to time by the Board, including any share incentive plan the Company may adopt from time to time in its sole
discretion. 

  

	 	(c)	 Benefits. During the Term, the Executive shall be entitled to participate in all of the employee benefit
plans and arrangements made available by the Company to its similarly situated executives, including, but not limited to, any retirement plan, medical insurance plan and travel/holiday policy, subject to and on a basis consistent with the terms,
conditions and overall administration of such plans and arrangements. 

  

	7.	 TERMINATION OF THE AGREEMENT 

The Employment may be terminated as follows: 
  

	 	(a)	 Death. The Employment shall terminate upon the Executive’s death. 

 

	 	(b)	 Disability. The Employment shall terminate if the Executive has a disability, including any physical or
mental impairment which, as reasonably determined by the Board, renders the Executive unable to perform the essential functions of his/her position at the Company, even with reasonable accommodation that does not impose an undue burden on the
Company, for more than 180 days in any 12-month period, unless a longer period is required by applicable law, in which case that longer period shall apply. 

 

	 	(c)	 Cause. The Company may terminate the Executive’s employment hereunder for Cause. The occurrence of
any of the following, as reasonably determined by the Company, shall be a reason for Cause, provided that, if the Company determines that the circumstances constituting Cause are curable, then such circumstances shall not constitute Cause unless and
until the Executive has been informed by the Company of the existence of Cause and given an opportunity of ten business days to cure, and such Cause remains uncured at the end of such ten-day period:

  

	 	(1)	 continued failure by the Executive to satisfactorily perform his/her duties; 

 

	 	(2)	 willful misconduct or gross negligence by the Executive in the performance of his/her duties hereunder,
including insubordination; 

  

	 	(3)	 the Executive’s conviction or entry of a guilty or nolo contendere plea of any felony or any
misdemeanor involving moral turpitude; 

  

	 	(4)	 the Executive’s commission of any act involving dishonesty that results in material financial,
reputational or other harm, monetary or otherwise, to any member of the Group, including but not limited to an act constituting misappropriation or embezzlement of the property of any member of the Group as determined in good faith by the Board; or

  
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	 	(5)	 any material breach by the Executive of this Agreement. 

 

	 	(d)	 Good Reason. The Executive may terminate his/her employment hereunder for “Good Reason” upon
the occurrence, without the written consent of the Company, of an event constituting a material breach of this Agreement by the Company that has not been fully cured within ten business days after written notice thereof has been given by the
Executive to the Company setting forth in sufficient detail the conduct or activities the Executive believes constitute grounds for Good Reason, including but not limited to: 

 

	 	(1)	 the failure by the Company to pay to the Executive any portion of the Executive’s current compensation or
to pay to the Executive any portion of an installment of deferred compensation under any deferred compensation program of the Company, within 20 business days of the date such compensation is due; or 

 

	 	(2)	 any material breach by the Company of this Agreement. 

 

	 	(e)	 Without Cause by the Company; Without Good Reason by the Executive. The Company may terminate the
Executive’s employment hereunder at any time without Cause upon 60-day prior written notice to the Executive. The Executive may terminate the Executive’s employment voluntarily for any reason or no
reason at any time by giving 60-day prior written notice to the Company. 

  

	 	(f)	 Notice of Termination. Any termination of the Executive’s employment under the Agreement shall be
communicated by written notice of termination (“Notice of Termination”) from the terminating party to the other party. The notice of termination shall indicate the specific provision(s) of the Agreement relied upon in effecting the
termination. 

  

	 	(g)	 Date of Termination. The “Date of Termination” shall mean (1) the date set forth
in the Notice of Termination, or (2) if the Executive’s employment is terminated by the Executive’s death, the date of his/her death. 

  

	 	(h)	 Compensation upon Termination. 

 

	 	(1)	 Death. If the Executive’s employment is terminated by reason of the Executive’s death, the
Company shall have no further obligations to the Executive under this Agreement and the Executive’s benefits shall be determined under the Company’s retirement, insurance and other benefit and compensation plans or programs then in effect
in accordance with the terms of such plans and programs. 

  
 4 

	 	(2)	 By Company without Cause or by the Executive for Good Reason. If the Executive’s employment is
terminated by the Company other than for Cause or by the Executive for Good Reason, the Company shall (A) continue to pay and otherwise provide to the Executive, during any notice period, all compensation, base salary and previously earned but
unpaid incentive compensation, if any, and shall continue to allow the Executive to participate in any benefit plans in accordance with the terms of such plans during such notice period; and (B) pay to the Executive, in lieu of benefits under
any severance plan or policy of the Company, any such amount as may be agreed between the Company and the Executive. 

  

	 	(3)	 By Company for Cause or by the Executive other than for Good Reason. If the Executive’s employment
shall be terminated by the Company for Cause or by the Executive other than for Good Reason, the Company shall pay the Executive his/her base salary at the rate in effect at the time Notice of Termination is given through the Date of Termination,
and the Company shall have no additional obligations to the Executive under this Agreement. 

  

	 	(i)	 Return of Company Property. The Executive agrees that following the termination of the Executive’s
employment for any reason, or at any time prior to the Executive’s termination upon the request of the Company, he/she shall return all property of the Group that is then in or thereafter comes into his/her possession, including, but not
limited to, any Confidential Information (as defined below) or Intellectual Property (as defined below), or any other documents, contracts, agreements, plans, photographs, projections, books, notes, records, electronically stored data, and all
copies, excerpts, or summaries of the foregoing, as well as any automobile or other materials or equipment supplied by the Group to the Executive, if any. 

  

	 	(j)	 Requirement for a Release. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company’s obligations to pay or
provide any benefits shall (1) cease as of the date the Executive breaches any of the provisions of Sections 8, 9, and 11 hereof, and (2) be conditioned on the Executive signing the Company’s customary release of claims in favor of
the Group and the expiration of any revocation period provided for in such release. 

  

	8.	 CONFIDENTIALITY AND NONDISCLOSURE 

 

	 	(a)	 Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure. 

  
 5 

	 	(1)	 The Executive acknowledges and agrees that: (A) the Executive holds a position of trust and confidence
with the Company and that his/her employment by the Company will require that the Executive have access to and knowledge of valuable and sensitive information, material, and devices relating to the Company and/or its business, activities, products,
services, customers, and vendors, including, but not limited to, the following, regardless of the form in which the same is accessed, maintained or stored: the identity of the Company’s actual and prospective customers and, as applicable, their
representatives; prior, current or future research or development activities of the Company; the products and services provided or offered by the Company to customers or potential customers and the manner in which such services are performed or to
be performed; the product and/or service needs of actual or prospective customers; pricing and cost information; information concerning the development, engineering, design, specifications, acquisition or disposition of products, and/or services of
the Company; user base personal data, programs, software and source codes, licensing information, personnel information, advertising client information, vendor information, marketing plans and techniques, forecasts, and other trade secrets
(“Confidential Information”); and (B) the direct and indirect disclosure of any such Confidential Information would place the Company at a competitive disadvantage and would do damage, monetary or otherwise, to the Company’s
business. 

  

	 	(2)	 During the Term and at all times thereafter, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, whether
individually, as a director, stockholder, owner, partner, employee, consultant, principal or agent of any business, or in any other capacity, publish or make known, disclose, furnish, reproduce, make available, or utilize any of the Confidential
Information without the prior express written approval of the Company, other than in the proper performance of the duties contemplated herein, unless and until such Confidential Information is or shall become general public knowledge through no
fault of the Executive. 

  

	 	(3)	 In the event that the Executive is required by law to disclose any Confidential Information, the Executive
agrees to give the Company prompt advance written notice thereof and to provide the Company with reasonable assistance in obtaining an order to protect the Confidential Information from public disclosure. 

 

	 	(4)	 The failure to mark any Confidential Information as confidential shall not affect its status as Confidential
Information under this Agreement. 

  

	 	(c)	 Third Party Information in the Executive’s Possession. The Executive agrees that he/she shall not,
during the Term, (1) improperly use or disclose any proprietary information or trade secrets of any former employer or other person or entity with which the Executive has an agreement or duty to keep in confidence information acquired by
Executive, if any, or (2) bring into the premises of Company any document or confidential or proprietary information belonging to such former employer, person or entity unless consented to in writing by such former employer, person or entity.
The Executive will indemnify the Company and hold it harmless from and against all claims, liabilities, damages and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of litigation, arising out of or in connection with any violation of
the foregoing. 

  
 6 

	 	(d)	 Third Party Information in the Company’s Possession. The Executive recognizes that the
Company may have received, and in the future may receive, from third parties their confidential or proprietary information subject to a duty on the Company’s part to maintain the confidentiality of such information and to use it only for
certain limited purposes. The Executive agrees that the Executive owes the Company and such third parties, during the Term and thereafter, a duty to hold all such confidential or proprietary information in strict confidence and not to disclose such
information to any person or firm, or otherwise use such information, in a manner inconsistent with the limited purposes permitted by the Company’s agreement with such third party. 

This Section 8 shall survive the termination of the Agreement for any reason. In the event the Executive breaches this Section 8, the
Company shall have right to seek remedies permissible under applicable law. 
  

	9.	 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 

 

	 	(a)	 Prior Inventions. The Executive has attached hereto, as Schedule B, a list describing all
inventions, ideas, improvements, designs and discoveries, whether or not patentable and whether or not reduced to practice, original works of authorship and trade secrets made or conceived by or belonging to the Executive (whether made solely by the
Executive or jointly with others) that (1) were developed by Executive prior to the Executive’s employment by the Company (collectively, “Prior Inventions”), (2) relate to the Company’ actual or proposed business,
products or research and development, and (3) are not assigned to the Company hereunder; or, if no such list is attached, the Executive represents that there are no such Prior Inventions. Except to the extent set forth in Schedule B, the
Executive hereby acknowledges that, if in the course of his/her service for the Company, the Executive incorporates into a Company product, process or machine a Prior Invention owned by the Executive or in which he/she has an interest, the Company
is hereby granted and shall have a nonexclusive, royalty-free, irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide right and license (which may be freely transferred by the Company to any other person or entity) to make, have made, modify, use, sell, sublicense and
otherwise distribute such Prior Invention as part of or in connection with such product, process or machine. 

  
 7 

	 	(b)	 Assignment of Intellectual Property. The Executive hereby assigns to the Company or its designees,
without further consideration and free and clear of any lien or encumbrance, the Executive’s entire right, title, and interest (within the United States and all foreign jurisdictions) to any and all inventions, discoveries, improvements,
developments, works of authorship, concepts, ideas, plans, specifications, software, formulas, databases, designees, processes and contributions to Confidential Information created, conceived, developed or reduced to practice by the Executive (alone
or with others) during the Term which (1) are related to the Company’s current or anticipated business, activities, products, or services, (2) result from any work performed by Executive for the Company, or (3) are created,
conceived, developed or reduced to practice with the use of Company property, including any and all Intellectual Property Rights (as defined below) therein (“Work Product”). Any Work Product which falls within the definition of
“work made for hire,” as such term is defined in the U.S. Copyright Act, shall be considered a “work made for hire,” the copyright in which vests initially and exclusively in the Company. The Executive waives any rights to be
attributed as the author of any Work Product and any “droit morale” (moral rights) in Work Product. The Executive agrees to immediately disclose to the Company all Work Product. For purposes of this Agreement, “Intellectual
Property” shall mean any patent, copyright, trademark or service mark, trade secret, or any other proprietary rights protection legally available. 

  

	 	(c)	 Patent and Copyright Registration. The Executive agrees to execute and deliver any instruments or
documents and to do all other things reasonably requested by the Company in order to more fully vest the Company with all ownership rights in the Work Product. If any Work Product is deemed by the Company to be patentable or otherwise registrable,
the Executive shall assist the Company (at the Company’s expense) in obtaining letters of patent or other applicable registration therein and shall execute all documents and do all things, including testifying (at the Company’s expense) as
necessary or appropriate to apply for, prosecute, obtain, or enforce any Intellectual Property right relating to any Work Product. Should the Company be unable to secure the Executive’s signature on any document deemed necessary to accomplish
the foregoing, whether due to the Executive’s disability or other reason, the Executive hereby irrevocably designates and appoints the Company and each of its duly authorized officers and agents as the Executive’s agent and attorney-in-fact to act for and on the Executive’s behalf and stead to take any of the actions required of Executive under the previous sentence, with the same effect as
if executed and delivered by the Executive, such appointment being coupled with an interest. 

 This Section 9 shall
survive the termination of the Agreement for any reason. In the event the Executive breaches this Section 9, the Company shall have right to seek remedies permissible under applicable law. 

 

	10.	 CONFLICTING EMPLOYMENT 

The Executive hereby agrees that, during the Term, he/she will not engage in any other employment, occupation, consulting or other business
activity related to the business in which the Company is now involved or becomes involved during the Term, nor will the Executive engage in any other activities that conflict with his/her obligations to the Company without the prior written consent
of the Company. 

  
 8 

	11.	 NON-COMPETITION AND
NON-SOLICITATION 

  

	 	(a)	 Non-Competition. In consideration of the compensation provided
to the Executive by the Company hereunder, the adequacy of which is hereby acknowledged by the parties hereto, the Executive agree that during the Term and for a period of one year following the termination of the Employment for whatever reason, the
Executive shall not engage in Competition (as defined below) with the Group. For purposes of this Agreement, “Competition” by the Executive shall mean the Executive’s engaging in, or otherwise directly or indirectly being employed by
or acting as a consultant or lender to, or being a director, officer, employee, principal, agent, stockholder, member, owner or partner of, or permitting the Executive’s name to be used in connection with the activities of, any other business
or organization which competes, directly or indirectly, with the Group in the Business; provided, however, it shall not be a violation of this Section 11(a) for the Executive to become the registered or beneficial owner of up to
five percent (5%) of any class of the capital stock of a publicly traded corporation in Competition with the Group, provided that the Executive does not otherwise participate in the business of such corporation. 

For purposes of this Agreement, “Business” means the operation of online content community and provision of related services
and any other business which the Group engages in, or is preparing to become engaged in, during the Term. 
  

	 	(b)	 Non-Solicitation; Non-Interference. During the Term and for a
period of one year following the termination of the Executive’s employment for any reason, the Executive agrees that he/she will not, directly or indirectly, for the Executive’s benefit or for the benefit of any other person or entity, do
any of the following: 

  

	 	(1)	 solicit from any customer doing business with the Group during the Term business of the same or of a similar
nature to the Business; 

  

	 	(2)	 solicit from any known potential customer of the Group business of the same or of a similar nature to that
which has been the subject of a known written or oral bid, offer or proposal by the Group, or of substantial preparation with a view to making such a bid, proposal or offer; 

 

	 	(3)	 solicit the employment or services of, or hire or engage, any person who is known to be employed or engaged by
the Group; or 

  

	 	(4)	 otherwise interfere with the business or accounts of the Group, including, but not limited to, with respect to
any relationship or agreement between the Group and any vendor or supplier. 

  
 9 

	 	(c)	 Injunctive Relief; Indemnity of Company. The Executive agrees that any breach or threatened breach of
subsections (a) and (b) of this Section 11 would result in irreparable injury and damage to the Company for which an award of money to the Company would not be an adequate remedy. The Executive therefore also agrees that in the event of
said breach or any reasonable threat of breach, the Company shall be entitled to seek an immediate injunction and restraining order to prevent such breach and/or threatened breach and/or continued breach by the Executive and/or any and all persons
and/or entities acting for and/or with the Executive. The terms of this paragraph shall not prevent the Company from pursuing any other available remedies for any breach or threatened breach hereof, including, but not limited to, remedies available
under this Agreement and the recovery of damages. The Executive and the Company further agree that the provisions of this Section 11 are reasonable. The Executive agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company from and against all reasonable
expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) which may be incurred by the Company in connection with, or arising out of, any violation of this Agreement by the Executive. This Section 11 shall survive the termination of the
Agreement for any reason. 

  

	12.	 WITHHOLDING TAXES 

Notwithstanding anything else herein to the contrary, the Company may withhold (or cause there to be withheld, as the case may be) from any
amounts otherwise due or payable under or pursuant to the Agreement such national, state, provincial, local or any other income, employment, or other taxes as may be required to be withheld pursuant to any applicable law or regulation. 

 

	13.	 ASSIGNMENT 

The Agreement is personal in its nature and neither of the parties hereto shall, without the consent of the other, assign or transfer the
Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder; provided, however, that the Company may assign or transfer the Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder to any member of the Group without such consent. If the Executive should die while any
amounts would still be payable to the Executive hereunder if the Executive had continued to live, all such amounts unless otherwise provided herein shall be paid in accordance with the terms of this Agreement to the Executive’s devisee,
legatee, or other designee or, if there be no such designee, to the Executive’s estate. The Company will require any and all successors (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of
the business and/or assets of the Company to expressly assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform it if no such succession had taken place. Failure of the
Company to obtain such assumption and agreement prior to the effectiveness of any such succession shall be a breach of this Agreement and shall entitle the Executive to compensation from the Company in the same amount and on the same terms as the
Executive would be entitled to hereunder if the Company had terminated the Executive’s employment other than for Cause, except that for purposes of implementing the foregoing, the date on which any such succession becomes effective shall be
deemed the Date of Termination. As used in this Section 13, “Company” shall mean the Company as herein before defined and any successor to its business and/or assets as aforesaid which executes and delivers the agreement provided for
in this Section 13 or which otherwise becomes bound by all the terms and provisions of this Agreement by operation of law. 

  
 10 

	14.	 SEVERABILITY 

If any provision of the Agreement or the application thereof is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications
of the Agreement which can be given effect without the invalid provisions or applications and to this end the provisions of the Agreement are declared to be severable. 
  

	15.	 ENTIRE AGREEMENT 

The Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding between the Executive and the Company regarding the terms of the Employment
and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous oral or written agreements concerning such subject matter. The Executive acknowledges that he/she has not entered into the Agreement in reliance upon any representation, warranty or undertaking which is
not set forth in the Agreement. 
  

	16.	 GOVERNING LAW 

The Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, U.S.A. 

 

	17.	 AMENDMENT 

The Agreement may not be amended, modified or changed (in whole or in part), except by a formal, definitive written agreement expressly
referring to the Agreement, which agreement is executed by both of the parties hereto. 
  

	18.	 WAIVER 

Neither the failure nor any delay on the part of a party to exercise any right, remedy, power or privilege under the Agreement shall operate as
a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege preclude any other or further exercise of the same or of any right, remedy, power or privilege, nor shall any waiver of any right, remedy, power or
privilege with respect to any occurrence be construed as a waiver of such right, remedy, power or privilege with respect to any other occurrence. No waiver shall be effective unless it is in writing and is signed by the party asserted to have
granted such waiver. 
  

	19.	 NOTICES 

All notices, requests, demands, and other communications required or permitted under the Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to
have been duly given and made if (i) delivered by hand, (ii) otherwise delivered against receipt therefor, (iii) sent by a recognized courier with next-day or
second-day delivery to the last known address of the other party; or (iv) sent by e-mail with confirmation of receipt. 

  
 11 

	20.	 COUNTERPARTS 

The Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original as against any party whose signature
appears thereon, and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. The Agreement shall become binding when one or more counterparts hereof, individually or taken together, shall bear the signatures of all of the parties
reflected hereon as the signatories. Photographic copies of such signed counterparts may be used in lieu of the originals for any purpose. 
  

	21.	 NO INTERPRETATION AGAINST DRAFTER 

Each party recognizes that the Agreement is a legally binding contract and acknowledges that such party has had the opportunity to consult with
legal counsel of choice. In any construction of the terms of the Agreement, the same shall not be construed against either party on the basis of that party being the drafter of such terms. 

[Remainder of the page intentionally left blank.] 

  
 12 

 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Agreement has been executed as of the date first written
above. 
  

							
	COMPANY:	 		 	 Zhihu Inc.
 a Cayman
Islands exempted company

				
		 		 	By:	 	
                     
                            

		 		 	Name:	 	
		 		 	Title:	 	
	EXECUTIVE:	 		 	
			
		 		 	  

		 		 	Name:	 	
		 		 	Address:	 	

 Schedule A 

Cash Compensation 
  

					
	 	  	 Amount
	  	 Pay Period

	Base Salary	  		  	
	 Cash Bonus
	  		  	

 Schedule B 

List of Prior Inventions 
  

					
	 Title
	 	 Date
	 	 Identifying Number

or Brief Description

  

	
	 ______ No inventions or
improvements
 ______ Additional Sheets Attached

Signature of Executive: ________________

Print Name of Executive: _______________

Date: ____________

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