办公室 en 30 segundos
- 办公室 (bàngōngshì) means 'office,' a physical room for work.
- It combines 'handle business' (办公) and 'room' (室).
- Used in corporate, educational, and government contexts.
- Measure words: '个' (general) or '间' (specific for rooms).
The term 办公室 (bàngōngshì) is the standard Chinese word for 'office.' To understand its full weight, one must look at the individual characters. 办 (bàn) means to handle, manage, or do business. 公 (gōng) refers to public, official, or collective matters. 室 (shì) simply means a room or chamber. Together, they describe a 'room for handling official or public business.' In the modern context, this has expanded from strictly government or administrative buildings to any professional workspace, including private corporate offices, school faculty rooms, and even home offices.
- Professional Context
- In a corporate environment, it refers to the physical location where employees perform their duties. It can refer to a specific room or the general office area.
- Educational Context
- In schools, students use this word to refer to the teacher's office or the administration office. '去办公室' (going to the office) often implies meeting with a superior or authority figure.
他在他的办公室里开会。 (He is having a meeting in his office.)
Historically, the concept of an 'office' in China has evolved significantly. During the imperial era, official business was conducted in 'yamen' (government offices). Following the establishment of the People's Republic, the 'danwei' (work unit) system defined the office not just as a place of work, but as a social and political hub. Today, in the era of globalization, the Chinese 办公室 looks much like those in New York or London, featuring open-plan layouts, coffee stations, and high-tech infrastructure. However, the cultural nuances of hierarchy remain; the size and location of one's 办公室 still carry significant social capital and status implications in many traditional Chinese firms.
Furthermore, the word is often used in the context of 'office politics' (办公室政治), reflecting the complex interpersonal dynamics that occur within these spaces. Whether you are a student looking for a professor or an employee reporting to a manager, understanding the physical and social boundaries of the 办公室 is crucial for navigating Chinese professional life. It is more than just four walls; it is the stage upon which professional reputations are built and destroyed.
这个办公室非常宽敞明亮。 (This office is very spacious and bright.)
Using 办公室 (bàngōngshì) correctly requires an understanding of basic Chinese sentence structures, particularly regarding location and direction. As a noun, it frequently follows the verb '在' (zài - to be at) or '去' (qù - to go to). Because it is a physical space, it often takes measure words like '个' (gè - general) or '间' (jiān - for rooms). '一间办公室' is the most formal and accurate way to count offices.
- Indicating Location
- Subject + 在 + 办公室 (+ 里/内). Example: 老师在办公室里。 (The teacher is in the office.) Adding '里' (lǐ) or '内' (nèi) emphasizes being *inside* the room.
请把这份文件送到我的办公室。 (Please deliver this document to my office.)
When describing the office, you can use adjectives before the noun. Common descriptors include '安静的' (ānjìng de - quiet), '乱的' (luàn de - messy), or '现代化的' (xiàndàihuà de - modernized). In more complex sentences, 办公室 can act as an attribute, such as in '办公室主任' (Office Director) or '办公室设备' (Office Equipment). In these cases, it functions similarly to an adjective modifying the subsequent noun.
For A1 learners, focus on '去办公室' (go to the office) and '在办公室' (at the office). As you progress to B1/B2, you might use it in passive structures or as part of compound phrases like '家庭办公室' (home office). The word is highly versatile and appears in almost every formal dialogue involving work or school life. Pay attention to the tone: 'bàngōngshì' uses fourth, first, and fourth tones. Pronouncing these clearly is essential for being understood in a professional setting.
我们的办公室在三楼。 (Our office is on the third floor.)
In mainland China, Taiwan, and Singapore, 办公室 (bàngōngshì) is ubiquitous. You will hear it in the morning when colleagues discuss their commute ('去办公室的路上' - on the way to the office). You will hear it in television dramas, particularly the 'office romance' or 'corporate struggle' genres which are immensely popular. In these shows, the 办公室 is a site of drama, gossip, and career advancement.
- Corporate Environment
- Managers often say, '到我办公室来一下' (Come to my office for a moment), which can be a neutral request or a sign of impending trouble.
- Public Service
- In government buildings, signs will direct you to various '办公室' based on the specific function, such as '财务办公室' (Finance Office).
In a school setting, students frequently use the word when they are summoned by a teacher or need to hand in homework. '去老师的办公室' is a phrase every Chinese student knows well. Interestingly, with the rise of remote work, you now hear the term '居家办公室' (home office) or '远程办公' (remote work) more frequently in urban centers like Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. Despite the shift to digital spaces, the physical 'office' remains the primary reference point for professional life.
你在哪个办公室？ (Which office are you in?)
The word also appears in news reports concerning government policy or corporate announcements, such as '国务院办公厅' (General Office of the State Council). In these contexts, it carries a heavy sense of administrative authority. For a learner, recognizing this word in public signage is an important milestone in functional literacy. Whether it is a small room in a factory or a glass-walled suite in a skyscraper, the 办公室 remains the heart of the Chinese economic engine.
One of the most frequent mistakes English speakers make is confusing 办公室 (bàngōngshì) with 公司 (gōngsī). While 'office' can sometimes mean 'the company' in English (e.g., 'The office is closed today'), in Chinese, 办公室 almost always refers to the physical room or specific administrative unit. If you mean the entire business entity, use 公司.
- Measure Word Errors
- Using '一个' is acceptable, but '一间' is more precise for rooms. Avoid using '一位' which is for people.
- Redundancy
- Saying '在办公室里面工作' is fine, but '在办公室办公' is more idiomatic. Learners often over-complicate the verb phrase.
Incorrect: 我去我的公司找我的钥匙。 (I'm going to my *company* to find my keys.)
Correct: 我去我的办公室找我的钥匙。
Another mistake involves the tones. 'Bàn' (4th) and 'shì' (4th) are sharp falling tones. If you mispronounce them as 1st tones, it can sound like other words or simply be unintelligible. Furthermore, beginners sometimes forget the 'shì' and just say '办公,' which is a verb. You cannot 'go to a 办公;' you must 'go to a 办公室.'
Finally, be careful with possessives. In English, we say 'the office's rules.' In Chinese, it is more common to say '办公室的规定' (bàngōngshì de guīdìng). However, if the rules belong to the company, use '公司的规定.' Distinguishing between the physical site and the legal organization is key to sounding natural.
While 办公室 (bàngōngshì) is the most common term, several other words occupy similar semantic space. Understanding the differences between them will help you choose the right word for the right context.
- 写字楼 (xiězìlóu)
- Refers to a commercial office building. You work in a 办公室 located inside a 写字楼.
- 工作室 (gōngzuòshì)
- A 'studio' or 'workshop.' This is used for creative professionals like photographers, artists, or small design teams. It feels more intimate and less 'corporate' than a 办公室.
- 办事处 (bànshìchù)
- An 'agency' or 'representative office.' This is often used for a branch office or a specific functional bureau in a different city.
他在一家摄影工作室工作，而不是在正式的办公室。 (He works in a photography studio, not a formal office.)
For government or institutional contexts, you might encounter 办公厅 (bàngōngtīng), which refers to a 'general office' or 'secretariat' of a large organization. This is much higher in the hierarchy than a standard 办公室. Another related term is 书房 (shūfáng), which means 'study.' If you are working from home in a dedicated room for reading and writing, you might call it your 书房 rather than your 办公室, though the latter is becoming more common for 'home offices' (家庭办公室).
In summary, while 办公室 is your 'safe' bet for any workplace room, using 写字楼 for the building or 工作室 for a creative space will make your Chinese sound much more nuanced and professional.
How Formal Is It?
Dato curioso
The character '办' (bàn) originally depicted two people exerting strength together to manage a task. The '公' (gōng) character depicts something shared or divided among the public.
Guía de pronunciación
- Pronouncing 'bàn' with a flat first tone.
- Mumbling the 'shì' so it sounds like 'shí' (time).
- Confusing 'gōng' with 'gòng' (common/total).
- Stressing the middle syllable too much.
- Forgetting the sharp drop on the final syllable.
Nivel de dificultad
Characters are slightly complex but very common.
Writing '办' and '室' requires practice with stroke order.
Tones (4-1-4) are distinct and easy to learn with practice.
Very easy to recognize in context.
Qué aprender después
Requisitos previos
Aprende después
Avanzado
Gramática que debes saber
Measure words for rooms
一**间**办公室
Locative particles
办公室**里**
Directional verbs
**去**办公室 / **回**办公室
Possessive marker '的'
经理**的**办公室
Preposition '在' for location
**在**办公室工作
Ejemplos por nivel
我去办公室。
I go to the office.
Subject + Verb + Object.
他在办公室吗？
Is he in the office?
Question with 吗.
这是我的办公室。
This is my office.
Pronoun + 是 + Possessive + Noun.
办公室里有人。
There is someone in the office.
Location + 里 + 有 + Person.
我的办公室不远。
My office is not far.
Negative adjective.
老师在办公室。
The teacher is in the office.
Subject + 在 + Location.
我们要去办公室。
We need to go to the office.
Use of 要 (want/need).
办公室很大。
The office is big.
Noun + 很 + Adjective.
办公室在三楼。
The office is on the third floor.
Location phrase.
这是一间很漂亮的办公室。
This is a very beautiful office.
Measure word 间.
他在办公室办公。
He is working in the office.
Verb 办公 vs Noun 办公室.
请在办公室等我。
Please wait for me in the office.
Imperative with 请.
我的办公室没有电话。
There is no phone in my office.
Negative possession.
办公室的门是关着的。
The office door is closed.
State with 着.
他每天都去办公室。
He goes to the office every day.
Adverbial of frequency.
办公室里有很多书。
There are many books in the office.
Existential sentence.
办公室主任还没回来。
The office director hasn't returned yet.
Compound noun: 办公室主任.
由于装修，我们暂时不在办公室。
Due to renovations, we are temporarily not in the office.
Cause and effect with 由于.
办公室的氛围非常紧张。
The atmosphere in the office is very tense.
Abstract noun 氛围.
你需要买一些办公室用品。
You need to buy some office supplies.
Compound noun: 办公室用品.
他在办公室里忙着写报告。
He is busy writing a report in the office.
忙着 + Verb.
我们的办公室离地铁站很近。
Our office is very close to the subway station.
A 离 B + Adjective.
经理的办公室在走廊尽头。
The manager's office is at the end of the hallway.
Directional phrase.
办公室里的空调坏了。
The air conditioner in the office is broken.
Noun + 坏了.
办公室政治有时会影响工作效率。
Office politics sometimes affects work efficiency.
Abstract concept: 办公室政治.
这家公司提倡开放式办公室设计。
This company promotes open-plan office design.
Verb 提倡.
他在办公室拥有一个独立的隔间。
He has an independent cubicle in the office.
Noun 隔间.
新搬的办公室采光非常好。
The newly moved office has excellent natural lighting.
Noun 采光.
办公室的租金每年都在上涨。
The office rent is rising every year.
Progressive change.
他在办公室里总是保持着职业化的态度。
He always maintains a professional attitude in the office.
Adjective 职业化.
为了节省开支，公司缩小了办公室规模。
To save costs, the company downsized the office.
Purpose clause with 为了.
办公室的安保系统非常严格。
The office security system is very strict.
Noun 安保系统.
办公室的布局反映了公司的层级结构。
The layout of the office reflects the company's hierarchical structure.
Verb 反映.
这种琐碎的办公室杂务浪费了大量时间。
These trivial office chores wasted a lot of time.
Noun 杂务.
他试图通过改善办公室环境来提高士气。
He tried to boost morale by improving the office environment.
Through... to... structure.
办公室自动化已经成为现代企业的标配。
Office automation has become a standard feature of modern enterprises.
Noun 标配.
那个办公室成了谣言的集散地。
That office became a hub for rumors.
Metaphorical use: 集散地.
他在办公室的权力斗争中败下阵来。
He lost out in the office power struggle.
Idiomatic verb phrase 败下阵来.
办公室的隔音效果极差，毫无隐私可言。
The office soundproofing is terrible; there is no privacy to speak of.
Structure 毫无...可言.
他在这间办公室里度过了大半辈子的时光。
He spent most of his life in this office.
Duration of time.
办公室不仅仅是劳动的场所，更是社会关系的缩影。
The office is not just a place of labor, but a microcosm of social relations.
Not only... but also... (更).
随着数字化转型的深入，传统的办公室正面临瓦解。
With the deepening of digital transformation, the traditional office is facing disintegration.
Formal preposition 随着.
他在那间逼仄的办公室里，构思出了宏大的商业蓝图。
In that cramped office, he conceived a grand business blueprint.
Literary adjective 逼仄.
办公室政治的诡谲多变往往令初入职场者措手不及。
The treacherous and volatile nature of office politics often catches newcomers off guard.
Four-character idiom 措手不及.
这种开放式办公室的设计初衷是促进沟通，结果却适得其反。
The original intention of this open office design was to promote communication, but it had the opposite effect.
Idiom 适得其反.
他习惯于在清晨的办公室里寻找那一丝难得的静谧。
He is accustomed to seeking that rare sliver of tranquility in the early morning office.
Literary noun 静谧.
办公室文化的异化导致了员工普遍的职业倦怠。
The alienation of office culture has led to widespread professional burnout among employees.
Sociological term 异化.
这间办公室见证了这家初创公司从无到有的艰辛历程。
This office witnessed the arduous journey of this startup from nothing to something.
Personification 见证.
Colocaciones comunes
Frases Comunes
— To return to the office.
我半小时后回到办公室。
— To leave the office.
他已经离开办公室了。
— An office romance.
公司禁止办公室恋情。
— A home office.
我的家庭办公室很小。
— Office rent.
这里的办公室租金很贵。
— An open-plan office.
开放式办公室有利于沟通。
— Administrative office.
请去行政办公室咨询。
— A co-working space or shared office.
很多初创公司选择共享办公室。
— A private office.
他晋升后有了私人办公室。
— Office culture.
健康的办公室文化很重要。
Se confunde a menudo con
Company (the entity) vs. Office (the room).
Office building vs. individual office room.
Personal study room vs. professional office.
Modismos y expresiones
— To do business in an official way without personal bias.
我们在这里公事公办，不讲私情。
Formal— Literally 'building a cart behind closed doors'; metaphor for working in isolation without considering reality.
在办公室里闭门造车是行不通的。
Literary— To go on a business trip for official reasons.
他最近因公出差了。
Formal— An 'iron rice bowl' – a secure government office job.
过去人们都想要个铁饭碗。
Colloquial— Nine-to-five; typical office hours.
他过着朝九晚五的办公室生活。
Neutral— A mountain of documents and a sea of meetings; common office frustration.
办公室里的文山会海让人疲惫。
Critical— Handling heavy responsibilities as if they were light; often used for capable office leaders.
办公室主任处理问题举重若轻。
Appreciative— To give all sorts of excuses; common in bureaucratic office settings.
那个办公室的人总是推三阻四。
Critical— Everyone does their own duty.
办公室里大家各司其职，井然有序。
Formal— To work hard despite criticism or hardship.
他在办公室里任劳任怨，深受好评。
AppreciativeFácil de confundir
It's the verb form.
办公 is 'to work'; 办公室 is 'the place to work'.
他在办公室办公。
Both involve 'doing business'.
办事处 is a branch or agency; 办公室 is a general room.
这是我们在北京的办事处。
Both refer to office rooms.
写字间 is slightly more formal/dated or refers to a rented unit.
这栋楼有很多写字间。
Both are workspaces.
工作室 is for creative/small teams; 办公室 is for general corporate work.
我的工作室很乱。
Both end in 'shì' (room).
教室 is a classroom; 办公室 is an office.
老师
Patrones de oraciones
我在办公室。
I am in the office.
去办公室。
Go to the office.
这是[Adjective]的办公室。
This is a big office.
办公室在[Floor/Location]。
The office is on the 2nd floor.
虽然我在办公室，但是...
Although I am in the office, but...
请把[Object]送到办公室。
Please deliver the object to the office.
办公室里充满了[Atmosphere]。
The office is filled with tension.
办公室布局体现了...
The office layout reflects...
Familia de palabras
Sustantivos
Verbos
Adjetivos
Relacionado
Cómo usarlo
Extremely high in daily and professional speech.
Memorízalo
Mnemotecnia
Imagine you are 'BANning' (bàn) 'GONGs' (gōng) in a 'SHIny' (shì) room. You can't have loud gongs in a quiet office!
Asociación visual
Picture a sharp downward arrow for 'bàn', a long flat line for 'gōng', and another sharp downward arrow for 'shì'. This mirrors the tones: 4-1-4.
Word Web
Desafío
Try to say '我在办公室办公' (wǒ zài bàngōngshì bàngōng) five times fast without messing up the tones.
Origen de la palabra
The term 办公室 is a modern compound. '办公' (bàngōng) dates back to the late 19th/early 20th century as China modernized its administrative structures. '室' (shì) is a classical character for room.
Significado original: A room for public/official management.
Sino-Tibetan (Sinitic).Contexto cultural
Be aware that calling someone into an office (去办公室) can sound intimidating to subordinates.
In the West, offices are increasingly casual and remote-friendly. In China, physical presence in the office still carries a strong weight of commitment.
Practica en la vida real
Contextos reales
At School
- 老师的办公室
- 去办公室交作业
- 办公室在哪？
- 在办公室谈话
At Work
- 我的办公室
- 搬办公室
- 装修办公室
- 办公室会议
Real Estate
- 租办公室
- 办公室面积
- 高档办公室
- 办公室租金
Supplies
- 买办公室用品
- 办公室设备
- 办公室里的电脑
- 办公室打印机
Social
- 办公室政治
- 办公室恋情
- 办公室聚会
- 办公室氛围
Inicios de conversación
"你的办公室在哪儿？ (Where is your office?)"
"你喜欢你的办公室吗？ (Do you like your office?)"
"你们办公室有多少人？ (How many people are in your office?)"
"我可以在你的办公室等你吗？ (Can I wait for you in your office?)"
"你们办公室几点关门？ (What time does your office close?)"
Temas para diario
描述一下你理想中的办公室。 (Describe your ideal office.)
你今天在办公室做了什么？ (What did you do in the office today?)
你觉得在办公室工作好还是在家里工作好？ (Do you think working in an office is better or working from home?)
描述你办公室里的一位同事。 (Describe a colleague in your office.)
如果你的办公室可以重新装修，你会怎么做？ (If your office could be renovated, what would you do?)
Summary
The word 办公室 (bàngōngshì) is the standard term for a physical office space. Remember to distinguish it from 公司 (gōngsī), which refers to the company as a whole. Example: 我在办公室工作，但我爱我的公司。 (I work in the office, but I love my company.)
- 办公室 (bàngōngshì) means 'office,' a physical room for work.
- It combines 'handle business' (办公) and 'room' (室).
- Used in corporate, educational, and government contexts.
- Measure words: '个' (general) or '间' (specific for rooms).
Contenido relacionado
Esta palabra en otros idiomas
Gramática relacionada
Más palabras de work
充裕的
B2Abundant, ample, or sufficient in quantity.
事故
A2Un accidente o percance; un evento desafortunado que causa daño o lesión. Un accidente de tráfico es un 交通事故.
依照
A2依照 significa 'según' o 'de acuerdo con'.
准确地
A21. Ella describió la escena con precisión (准确地). 2. El sistema localizó el coche con exactitud (准确地).
做到
A2lograr; cumplir
积极地
A2Activamente; con entusiasmo. El equipo está trabajando activamente en el proyecto.
应变
B2Adaptive; capable of dealing with emergencies.
行政
A2La administración; el manejo de asuntos gubernamentales o corporativos.
过后
A2Afterwards; at a later or subsequent time.
赞同
A2Aprobar, respaldar; estar de acuerdo o apoyar una idea, propuesta o acción.
