官僚

• Pinyin: guān liáo
• Hanzi breakdown: 官 = 宀 + 㠯 (authority); 僚 = 亻 + 尞 (companion/colleague)

Meaning

Bureaucrat; apparatchik. Refers to an official who rigidly follows procedures and prioritises self-interest over public service, often with a critical tone.

Carries a strong negative connotation of inefficiency, red tape, and indifference to ordinary people's needs. Used in political criticism, journalism, and social commentary. The associated ism (官僚主义) is a common target of political reform campaigns.

Examples

1. 这些官僚只知道照章办事，根本不考虑群众的实际困难。 These bureaucrats do nothing but follow the rules, without any regard for people’s real difficulties.
2. 改革的目的就是要打破官僚体制，提高行政效率。 The goal of reform is to break the bureaucratic system and improve administrative efficiency.
3. 他虽然身居要职，却从不摆官僚架子，平易近人。 Even though he holds a high post, he never puts on bureaucratic airs and is always approachable.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, criticism, journalism

Tone: critical

Do Say

• 一些官僚对群众的诉求置若罔闻，严重损害了政府公信力。(Some bureaucrats turn a deaf ear to the public's grievances, seriously undermining government credibility.)
• 要推进改革，首先必须克服官僚惰性。(To advance reform, bureaucratic inertia must first be overcome.)

Don't Say

• 他是一名优秀的官僚 — 官僚 is inherently pejorative; use 官员 or 干部 to refer positively to government officials

Origin & History

官 (official) + 僚 (colleague, official). The compound originally meant government colleague but evolved to describe the bureaucratic class, often pejoratively.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal