司长

• Pinyin: sī zhǎng
• Hanzi breakdown: 司 = department, bureau; 长 = chief, head — director-general of a department

Meaning

Director-general; department head. A senior official who heads a department (司) within a Chinese government ministry.

In China's government hierarchy, a 司 is a department within a ministry (部). The 司长 ranks below the 部长 (minister) and 副部长 (vice minister). Examples: 外交部亚洲司司长 (Director-General of the Asian Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs). A formal bureaucratic title.

Examples

1. 外交部发言人由新闻司司长担任。 The Foreign Ministry spokesperson position is held by the Director-General of the Information Department.
2. 这位司长在部里工作了二十多年。 This director-general has worked in the ministry for over twenty years.
3. 教育部高等教育司司长出席了这次会议。 The Director-General of Higher Education at the Ministry of Education attended this meeting.

Usage Guide

Context: government, bureaucracy, official

Tone: formal

Do Say

• 请问司长什么时候有空？(When is the Director-General available?)
• 这件事需要司长批准。(This matter requires the Director-General's approval.)

Don't Say

• 公司部门经理不叫'司长' (Company department managers aren't called 司长 — use 经理 or 总监; 司长 is specifically for government)

Origin & History

Compound of 司 (department, bureau) + 长 (chief, head). The head of a government department.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Bureaucratic