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兼任 (jiān rèn) — to hold a concurrent position; to serve in multiple roles simultaneously

Definition

兼任 means holding multiple official positions at once (e.g. CFO and VP). 兼 is the short verb form; 兼职 focuses on a part-time job, usually outside one's main role.

verb
to hold a concurrent positionto serve in multiple roles simultaneously
Easily confused

Examples

  • 兼任。
    Tā jiān rèn gōng sī de cái wù zǒng jiān hé fù zǒng jīng lǐ.
    He concurrently serves as the company's CFO and deputy general manager.
  • ，兼任。
    Chú le jiào xué, tā hái jiān rèn xué shēng huì de gù wèn.
    Besides teaching, she also serves as a consultant for the student union.
  • 兼任，。
    Wǒ bù xiǎng jiān rèn tài duō zhí wù, huì yǐng xiǎng běn zhí gōng zuò.
    I don't want to hold too many concurrent positions; it will affect my main job.

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.

兼jiānconcurrently
任rènhold a post

兼 means at the same time, and 任 means to hold a post, so the idea is holding one role alongside another.

Characters in this word

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

The shape of 兼 pictures a hand holding two grain stalks, showing two things together.

Open 兼 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
壬
壬rén任rèn
Same sound today

任 pairs 亻, a person, with 壬, which may picture a shoulder pole turned sideways.

Open 任 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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