部门

• Pinyin: bù mén
• Hanzi breakdown: 部 = 咅 (phonetic) + 阝(division); 门 = simplified from 門, pictograph of a door

Meaning

Department; branch; section. A division within an organisation or government responsible for specific functions.

Used for organisational units in companies, governments, and institutions. Common in phrases like 人事部门 (HR department), 政府部门 (government department), and 相关部门 (relevant authorities).

Examples

1. 我们公司的市场部门有二十多个人。 Our company's marketing department has over twenty people.
2. 这件事需要几个部门一起合作才能完成。 This matter requires several departments to cooperate to get it done.
3. 他刚被调到了一个新的部门工作。 He was just transferred to a new department.

Usage Guide

Context: work, government, business

Tone: professional

Do Say

• 你是哪个部门的？(Which department are you in?)
• 这个问题应该由相关部门来处理。(This issue should be handled by the relevant department.)

Don't Say

• 我家的部门 (Don't use 部门 for household divisions — it refers to organisational or governmental units, not family sections)

Origin & History

Compound of 部 (section/division) and 门 (door/gate, extended to mean category or branch), together meaning a defined division within a larger organisation.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal