玩忽职守 (wán hū zhí shǒu) — to neglect one's duty; dereliction of duty (formal/legal term)

Definition

A formal/legal term meaning 'to neglect one's duty', usually with serious consequences (firing, criminal liability). Almost always used in workplace, disciplinary, or judicial contexts.

verb
to neglect one's dutydereliction of duty (formal/legal term)

Examples

  • 玩忽职守。
    Tā yīn wèi wán hū zhí shǒu bèi gōng sī kāi chú le.
    He was fired by the company for dereliction of duty.
  • 玩忽职守。
    Zhè míng guān yuán yīn wán hū zhí shǒu shòu dào le yán lì chǔ fèn.
    This official received severe punishment for neglecting his duty.
  • 玩忽职守。
    wán hū zhí shǒu Shì yì zhǒng yán zhòng de zhí yè cuò wù.
    Neglecting one's duty is a serious professional mistake.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

玩忽neglect
玩wáncareless忽hūneglect
联合Side by side
职守duties
职zhíduty守shǒuresponsibility
联合Side by side

玩忽 expresses careless neglect and 职守 expresses one's duties, so 玩忽职守 means failing to carry out duties.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
元
元yuán玩wán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

玩 pairs 玉 (jade) with 元 (yuán) for sound. The jade part points to toys made of jade.

Open 玩 →

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
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
勿
勿wù忽hū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

忽 combines 心, meaning heart, and 勿, used for its sound.

Open 忽 →

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 職; 职 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
耳耳ěrear
Sound part声符shēngfú
戠
戠zhí職zhí
Same sound today

The traditional form 職 pairs 耳 (ear) with 戠, which gives its sound; the simplified 职 is a shorthand, so its parts are not the historical parts.

Open 职 →

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

  • 宀宀miánroof; building
  • 寸寸cùnhand

守 pairs 宀, a roof or building, with 寸, a hand, to show a hand guarding a place.

Open 守 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set PhrasesWorkplace & Office

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