专断 (zhuān duàn) — to act arbitrarily, to make decisions without consultation

Definition

A negative word for a leader/manager who decides alone and ignores others' input. Stronger than 独断 (deciding alone) and harsher than 独裁 (authoritarian) because it highlights the lack of consultation.

verb
to act arbitrarily, to make decisions without consultation

Examples

  • 专断，。
    Tā zuò jué dìng zǒng shì hěn zhuān duàn, cóng bù tīng qǔ bié rén de yì jiàn.
    He always makes decisions arbitrarily and never listens to others' opinions.
  • 专断，。
    Zhè ge lǐng dǎo fēi cháng zhuān duàn, xià shǔ men dōu hěn bù mǎn.
    This leader is very arbitrary, and his subordinates are very dissatisfied.
  • 专断。
    Gōng sī lǐ zhuān duàn de guǎn lǐ fāng shì dǎo zhì le rén cái liú shī.
    The arbitrary management style in the company led to brain drain.

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.

专zhuānarbitrarily
断duàndecide

专 'arbitrarily' and 断 'decide' mean to decide without consultation.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 專; 专 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 專 shows 又, a hand, turning 叀, a spindle; this came to mean gathering several things into one.

Open 专 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 斷; 断 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 斷 uses 𢇍 (to cut) and 斤 (axe) together.

Open 断 →

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