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下级 (xià jí) — subordinate; lower-level (person or unit)

Definition

下级 is the abstract 'lower level' of an organization or hierarchy (the side that takes orders from 上级). Concrete people are called 下属. Use 下级 for levels/units; 下属 for the people.

noun
subordinatelower-level (person or unit)
Measure word · 个
Easily confused

Examples

  • 下级。
    xià jí Bì xū fú cóng shàng jí de mìng lìng.
    Subordinates must obey orders from above.
  • 下级。
    Tā zài zhè jiā gōng sī zuò le sān nián xià jí.
    He worked as a subordinate at this company for three years.
  • 下级，。
    Zuò wéi xià jí, nǐ yào zhǔ dòng xiàng shàng jí huì bào.
    As a subordinate, you should proactively report to your superior.

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.

下xiàlower
级jírank/level

下 (lower) and 级 (level/rank) combine to refer to a lower rank or subordinate unit.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

下 is drawn as a short horizontal line below a long curved line.

Open 下 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 級; 级 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mìthread
Sound part声符shēngfú
及
及jí級jí
Same sound today

The traditional form 級 has 糹 (thread) and 及 as a sound part; its original sense was a sequence related to silk. The simplified 级 is a later shorthand.

Open 级 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Social Roles & StatusWorkplace & Office

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