署长 (shǔ cháng) — section chief; department head | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

署长 (shǔzhǎng) is the head of a government bureau or office (署), a specific titled rank. 署 is not a synonym: it names the office itself.

noun

section chiefdepartment head

Measure word · 位

Examples

署长。
Wǒ men gōng sī de xīn shǔ cháng shàng rèn le.
Our company's new section chief has taken office.
署长。
shǔ cháng Ràng wǒ men xià zhōu yī tí jiāo bào gào.
The section chief told us to submit the report next Monday.
署长。
Zhè wèi shǔ cháng zài dān wèi gōng zuò le hěn duō nián.
This section chief has worked at the unit for many years.

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.

署 (office) + 长 (chief) names the chief of a bureau.

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.

罒者署

Meaning part形符xíngfú

罒Written in full as网wǎngnet

Sound part声符shēngfú

者

者zhě署shǔ

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

署 shows a net 罒 for its meaning, and uses 者 to give its sound.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 長; 长 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 長 pictures an old man with long hair. The simplified 长 is a later shorthand, so its strokes do not show that original picture.

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