班 (bān) — (noun) class, grade (in school); (noun) shift (at work); (classifier) for scheduled groups of people or transport vehicles (e.g., a class of students, a bus/train/flight)
Definition
班 is the everyday word for a school 'class' or work 'shift', and doubles as a measure word for scheduled groups like flights, buses, and trains. For a school grade as a group of students, also see 班级.
noun
classgrade (in school)shift (at work)
classifier
for scheduled groups of people or transport vehicles (e.g., a class of students, a bus/train/flight)
Measure word · 个
Examples
- 班。Wǒ men bān yǒu shí gè xué shēng.Our class has ten students.
- 。Tā jīn tiān shàng zǎo bān.He is working the morning shift today.
- 班？Xià yī bān huǒ chē shén me shí hou dào?When does the next train arrive?
Origin
Compound ideograph六书liùshū
会意huìyìTwo 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.
Appears in
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