就任 (jiù rèn) — to take office, to assume a post

Definition

就任 is a formal written word for assuming a post, often used with an official title. Compared to 上任, it emphasizes the act of entering office rather than the role itself.

verb

to take officeto assume a post

Examples

就任。
Tā jiù rèn zǒng tǒng hòu lì jí tuī xíng gǎi gé.
He immediately pushed for reforms after taking office as president.
就任。
Xīn bù zhǎng jiāng yú xià zhōu yī jiù rèn.
The new minister will assume office next Monday.
就任。
Zhè wèi jiào shòu jiù rèn xì zhǔ rèn yǐ yǒu wǔ nián.
This professor has been the department head for five years.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

就jiùgo to

任rènpost

就 means to go to and 任 means post, naming the act of taking office.

Characters in this word

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

享享xiǎng
京京jīng

An older form paired 享, a temple, with 京, a tower, showing sacrifice at a high place; in 就 the temple part was dropped and a right part for going upward was added.

Open 就 →

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

亻壬任

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