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老板 (lǎo bǎn) — boss, proprietor

Definition

老板 is everyday spoken 'boss' — typically the owner of a small business or your direct superior. 上司 is the formal term for one's workplace superior, while 雇主 means 'employer' in business or legal contexts.

noun
bossproprietor
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 老板。
    Wǒ lǎo bǎn rén hěn hǎo.
    My boss is a very nice person.
  • 老板。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī de lǎo bǎn xìng wáng.
    The boss of this company is surnamed Wang.
  • 老板。
    Tā gěi lǎo bǎn gōng zuò le hěn duō nián.
    He has worked for the boss for many years.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
前缀qiánzhuìPrefix

A fixed syllable in front that adds a shade of meaning but carries none of its own.

老lǎoprefix
板bǎnboard

老 gives the familiar form, and 板, linked to a board or counter, suggests the shopkeeper.

Characters in this word

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

The shape 老 combines 人 (man), 毛 (hair), and 匕 (cane), showing a man with long hair leaning on a cane.

Open 老 →

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
木木mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
反
反fǎn板bǎn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

板 pairs 木 (tree) with 反 as a sound part.

Open 板 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 51000 Most Frequent Chinese WordsSocial Roles & Status2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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