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在编 (zài biān) — to be a regular employee (on the payroll)

Definition

在编 means someone is a regular, officially listed employee (on the permanent payroll), as opposed to a temporary or contract worker. It functions more as a workplace/administrative label than an action verb.

verb
to be a regular employee (on the payroll)

Examples

  • 在编，。
    Tā shì zài zài biān yuán gōng, bú shì lín shí gōng.
    He is a regular employee, not a temporary worker.
  • ？
    Tā zài bú zài biān?
    Is he on the regular payroll?
  • 在编。
    zài biān Rén yuán kě yǐ xiǎng shòu dài xīn xiū jià.
    Regular staff can enjoy paid leave.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

在zàibe at; in
编biānroster; establishment

Being 在 on the staff roster 编 means holding a regular place in the establishment.

Characters in this word

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

The early form of 在 used 才 for its sound; a second sound part 士 was added later, and that 士 became the 土 seen in 在.

Open 在 →

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 編; 编 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìthread
Sound part声符shēngfú
扁
扁biǎn編biān
Same sound today

The traditional form 編 pairs 糸 (thread), for knitting a book together, with 扁 as the sound part; the simplified 编 is only a shorthand.

Open 编 →
Appears in
Professions & JobsWorkplace & Office

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