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经理 (jīng lǐ) — manager, director

Definition

A 经理 is a company/business manager — the person who runs day-to-day operations. More specific than 主管 ('person in charge' of any unit) and lower-ranking than 董事 (board director).

noun
managerdirector
Measure word · 个, 位, 名

Examples

  • 经理。
    Wǒ men bù mén xīn lái le yí wèi jīng lǐ.
    Our department has a new manager.
  • 经理。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī de jīng lǐ hěn yǒu jīng yàn.
    The manager of this company is very experienced.
  • 经理？
    Nǐ rèn shi nà wèi nǚ jīng lǐ ma?
    Do you know that female manager?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

经jīngmanage
理lǐadminister

经 and 理 both carry senses of managing and ordering, together naming someone who runs affairs.

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 經; 经 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mìsilk; thread
Sound part声符shēngfú
巠
巠jīng經jīng
Same sound today

The traditional form 經 combines 糹 (silk; thread) with 巠, which gives the sound.

Open 经 →

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
里
里lǐ理lǐ
Same sound today

理 pairs 玉 (jade) with 里, which shows how to say it; the jade part points to the old sense of polishing jade.

Open 理 →
Appears in
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