办公室

• Pinyin: bàn gōng shì
• Hanzi breakdown: 办 (bàn) — to handle; 公 (gōng) — public, official; 室 (shì) — room, chamber

Meaning

Office. The room or space where office work is carried out.

Can refer to a single person's office, an open-plan workspace, or an administrative office within a school or institution.

Examples

1. 老师不在教室，可能在办公室里。 The teacher isn't in the classroom — she's probably in the office.
2. 我每天早上八点到办公室。 I arrive at the office every morning at eight o'clock.
3. 办公室里有很多人在开会。 There are many people having a meeting in the office.

Usage Guide

Context: workplace, school administration, professional settings

Tone: neutral, professional

Do Say

• 请去办公室找王老师。(Please go to the office to find Teacher Wang.)
• 他在办公室工作。(He works in an office.)

Don't Say

• Do not use 办公室 to refer to a home office or study — use 书房 (study room) for a home-based workspace.

Origin & History

Compound of 办公 (to work/conduct official business) and 室 (room). Literally 'room for conducting official work'.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal