原班人马 (yuán bān rén mǎ) — the original cast, crew, or team (unchanged from before)

Definition

Idiom meaning 'the same original cast or team' — used when familiar people return or stay together across projects. Implies continuity and proven chemistry.

idiom
the original castcrewor team (unchanged from before)

Examples

  • 原班人马，。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng yóu yuán bān rén mǎ chū yǎn, zhì liàng yǒu bǎo zhàng.
    This movie is performed by the original cast, so the quality is guaranteed.
  • 原班人马，。
    Xīn xiàng mù hái shì yuán bān rén mǎ lái fù zé, dà jiā hé zuò hěn mò qì.
    The new project is still handled by the original team, and everyone works together very smoothly.
  • 原班人马，。
    Dì èr jì de yuán bān rén mǎ zhī shèng sān gè rén le, qí tā dōu huàn le.
    Only three people from the original cast remain in season two; the rest have been replaced.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

原班original troupe
原yuánoriginal班bāntroupe
偏正Modifier + head
人马people and horses
人rénpeople马mǎhorses
联合Side by side

原班 (original troupe) describes the 人马 (team) that remains unchanged.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

原 combines 泉 (spring) and 厂 (cliff), picturing a spring bursting from a cliff-side, which gives the sense of origin or source.

Open 原 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 珏珏juépieces of jade
  • 刀刀dāoknife

班 shows 珏, pieces of jade, and 刀, a knife, cutting them into pieces.

Open 班 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 人 shows a side view of a standing person, with an arm and a leg.

Open 人 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 馬; 马 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 馬 shows a horse with its head facing left, a flowing mane, and two legs standing vertically.

Open 马 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.