接班人

• Pinyin: jiē bān rén
• Hanzi breakdown: 接班 = to take over; 人 = person

Meaning

Successor; heir. A person who takes over from a predecessor in a position or role.

Used for successors in any context: business heirs, political successors, or those carrying on a legacy. Carries a sense of continuity and responsibility. The phrase 革命事业的接班人 (successors to the revolutionary cause) was common in political discourse and educational settings.

Examples

1. 公司创始人正在物色合适的接班人。 The company founder is looking for a suitable successor.
2. 她被认为是这门传统技艺最有潜力的接班人。 She is considered the most promising successor to this traditional craft.
3. 培养下一代接班人是每个企业家的责任。 Cultivating the next generation of successors is every entrepreneur's responsibility.

Usage Guide

Context: business, succession, leadership

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 他是公司的指定接班人。(He is the company's designated successor.)
• 找到合适的接班人不容易。(Finding a suitable successor is not easy.)

Don't Say

• 把'接班人'用于日常轮换 (Don't use 接班人 for routine shift changes — it implies long-term succession; use 接班的人 for someone taking over a shift)

Origin & History

Composed of 接班 (to take over a shift/position) + 人 (person). The person who does the taking over.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal