单位

• Pinyin: dān wèi
• Hanzi breakdown: 单 (dān) — single, alone; 位 (wèi) — position, place, unit

Meaning

Work unit; employer; organization. Also a unit of measurement.

In everyday usage, 单位 most commonly refers to one's workplace or employer. It can also mean a unit of measurement. The workplace meaning is a uniquely Chinese concept with roots in the state-run work unit system.

Examples

1. 你在哪个单位工作？ Which workplace do you work at?
2. 他的单位离家很近。 His workplace is very close to home.
3. 这个单位有三百多个员工。 This organization has over three hundred employees.

Usage Guide

Context: work, formal, daily life

Tone: neutral, professional

Do Say

• 你的单位在哪儿？(Where is your workplace?)
• 这是什么单位的？(What unit is this in?)

Don't Say

• 跟年轻人聊天时，不要总问'你在什么单位' — younger people and those in private sector often say 公司 (company) instead; 单位 can feel old-fashioned to some.

Origin & History

Compound of 单 (single) and 位 (position, place). Originally a measurement term meaning 'unit,' it expanded to mean 'work unit' during the planned economy era when workplaces were organized by the state.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal