警官

• Pinyin: jǐng guān
• Hanzi breakdown: 警 = 敬 (respect) + 言 (speech) — alerting speech; 官 = 宀 (roof) + 㠯 (duty) — official in charge

Meaning

Police officer; law enforcement official (often of rank).

A respectful or formal term for a police officer, particularly one with rank or authority. More formal than 警察 (police, general term). Used when directly addressing or referring to a specific officer with rank. Common in formal writing, legal contexts, and polite speech. In drama, it often signals authority or commands respect.

Examples

1. 那位警官神情严肃地向嫌疑人宣读了逮捕令。 The officer read the arrest warrant to the suspect with a stern expression.
2. 请问警官，附近有没有监控摄像头拍到可疑人员？ Excuse me, Officer — are there any nearby surveillance cameras that captured suspicious individuals?
3. 她是一名资深警官，在缉毒部门工作了整整二十年。 She is a senior police officer who worked in the narcotics division for a full twenty years.

Usage Guide

Context: law enforcement, legal, formal address

Tone: respectful

Do Say

• 报告警官，情况已得到控制。(Report, Officer — the situation is under control.)
• 警官出示了证件后才进入现场。(The officer showed his credentials before entering the scene.)

Don't Say

• 那个警官的态度真差，骂了我一顿。(Factually fine but socially risky to say in front of other officers — opt for 警察 in venting contexts)

Origin & History

警 (police, alert) + 官 (official, officer). A formal compound: an official in the police force. Parallels 军官 (military officer) in structure and register.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal