班主任 (bān zhǔ rèn) — homeroom teacher; class teacher

Definition

noun
homeroom teacherclass teacher
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • 班主任。
    Wǒ men de bān zhǔ rèn hěn fù zé.
    Our homeroom teacher is very responsible.
  • 班主任。
    bān zhǔ rèn Měi tiān dōu yào jiǎn chá xué shēng de zuò yè.
    The homeroom teacher checks the students' homework every day.
  • 班主任。
    bān zhǔ rèn Hé tóng xué men yì qǐ cān jiā le yùn dòng huì.
    The homeroom teacher participated in the sports meet with the students.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

班bānclass
主任person in charge
主zhǔmanage任rènduty
动宾Verb + object

“班” means class and “主任” means person in charge: the person in charge of a class.

Characters in this word

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 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The old forms that became 主 showed a lamp or torch with a flame at the top; other forms showed wood on fire or a spirit tablet.

Open 主 →

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
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
HSK 2.0 Level 5Professions & JobsSchool & Education

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