中班 (zhōng bān) — middle shift, swing shift (work schedule); middle class in kindergarten (for ages 4–5)

Definition

Used in two unrelated contexts: a work shift (usually afternoon/evening, between the day and night shifts) and the middle class of kindergarten (ages ∼4–5). In the work sense, think 'swing shift'.

noun
middle shiftswing shift (work schedule)middle class in kindergarten (for ages 4–5)

Examples

  • 中班，。
    Tā jīn tiān shàng zhōng bān, xià wǔ sì diǎn cái shàng bān.
    He works the swing shift today and doesn't start until 4 PM.
  • 中班。
    zhōng bān De gōng rén yì bān gōng zuò dào bàn yè.
    Workers on the middle shift usually work until midnight.
  • 中班，。
    Wǒ nǚ ér jīn nián shàng zhōng bān, yǐ jīng wǔ suì le.
    My daughter is in the middle class of kindergarten this year; she's already five.

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.

中zhōngmiddle
班bānclass

中 means middle, and 班 is a class or shift, so 中班 is the middle shift or middle class.

Characters in this word

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

The original picture showed a flagpole with a drum in the middle, set up in the center of a field.

Open 中 →

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 →

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