组长

• Pinyin: zǔ zhǎng
• Hanzi breakdown: 组 = 纟 (silk radical) + 且 (phonetic); 长 = pictograph of a person with long hair, meaning 'long' or 'elder/leader'

Meaning

Group leader; team leader. The person in charge of a small group or team.

Very common in Chinese schools and workplaces. In schools, each small study group (小组) has a 组长 who helps the teacher manage group activities. In workplaces, a 组长 leads a small work team.

Examples

1. 老师选了小明当组长。 The teacher chose Xiao Ming to be group leader.
2. 组长说明天要开会。 The group leader said there's a meeting tomorrow.
3. 我们组长很负责任。 Our group leader is very responsible.

Usage Guide

Context: school, work

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 谁是你们的组长？(Who is your group leader?)
• 组长帮我们分了工作。(The group leader assigned our tasks.)

Don't Say

• 他是我们的班组长。(Don't combine 班长 and 组长 — they are different roles. 班长 is class monitor, 组长 is group leader.)

Origin & History

Compound of 组 (group) and 长 (leader/elder), literally 'group leader.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal