当班 (dāng bān) — to be on duty; to work a shift

Definition

A work/shift term meaning 'to be on duty, to work one's shift', emphasizing the scheduled, rotating roster (often paired with 轮流). Compare 上班 (the general daily act of going to work).

verb
to be on dutyto work a shift

Examples

  • 当班。
    Tā jīn tiān dāng bān.
    He is on duty today.
  • 。
    Wǒ zuó tiān dāng le yì tiān bān.
    I worked a day shift yesterday.
  • 当班。
    Zhè ge yuè wǒ men lún liú dāng bān.
    This month we take turns on duty.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

当dāngtake charge
班bānshift

“当” means to take charge and “班” means a shift, so the word means to be on duty.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 當; 当 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
田田tiánfield
Sound part声符shēngfú
尚
尚shàng當dāng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 當 combines 田 (field) with 尚; the evidence describes fields facing each other.

Open 当 →

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 →
Appears in
Workplace & Office

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.