HSK 3, ng, 11 strokes, radical 耳, rank #2930, Hard
职
zhí
duty
HSK 3, ng, 11 strokes, radical 耳, rank #2930, Hard
职
zhí
duty, profession; office, post
HSK 3, ng, 11 strokes, radical 耳, rank #2930, Hard
zhí(zhi2) T2
1office
2duty
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
职(職)zhí(zhi2)
The character 职 (zhí) primarily refers to a position or duty within an organization, often related to one's job or profession. It is commonly used in formal contexts to describe roles and responsibilities, such as in job titles or official duties.
Strokes11Radical耳Frequency#2930DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 职 (zhí) is deeply tied to one's identity and societal status, often influencing social interactions and respect. Job titles are not just roles but reflect honor and prestige in various settings.
Memory Tip
Think of 职 (zhí) as a 'job' where you 'stand' (the radical '职' resembles a person standing firm in their role). Imagine someone proudly wearing a badge with their job title, showcasing their duty and profession.
Meanings of 职
zhí(zhi2)
1office
2duty
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 职
职Simplified
職Traditional
11Strokes
耳Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#2930Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L3
Podcast: 职
Podcast: 职
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 职
Quick Contrast
职 (zhí) vs 业 (yè) — use 职 for specific roles or duties, while 业 refers to a broader field of work or profession.
Memory Mnemonic
Think of 职 (zhí) as a 'job' where you 'stand' (the radical '职' resembles a person standing firm in their role). Imagine someone proudly wearing a badge with their job title, showcasing their duty and profession.
Usage Notes
Be mindful to use 职 (zhí) in formal contexts, as it may not fit well in casual conversations. Common collocations include 职位 (zhíwèi, position) and 职责 (zhízé, responsibility). Remember that the tone is crucial; mispronouncing it can lead to confusion.
HSK Study Tips
Although 职 (zhí) may not appear in the HSK exams, understanding it can help enhance vocabulary related to work and professions. It connects to other words like 职位 (position) and 职责 (responsibility), which are also important in professional discussions.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 职 (zhí) is deeply tied to one's identity and societal status, often influencing social interactions and respect. Job titles are not just roles but reflect honor and prestige in various settings.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 职 (zhí) with 责 (zé) and use them interchangeably, as in '我的责是经理,' which is incorrect. The correct phrase is '我的职务是经理.'
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 职
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 职 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 职 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 职
职 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
tā zǎo xiē shí hòu cí qù le méi nèi mǔ zǒng tǒng zhù lǐ yī zhí。
She had earlier resigned her post as President Menem's assistant.
10
他由于患轻度眼疾而不再担任队长一职。
tā yóu yú huàn qīng dù yǎn jí ér bù zài dān rèn duì cháng yī zhí。
His captaincy of the team was ended by mild eye trouble.
Cultural Notes for 职
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, the concept of duty ('职') is often deeply intertwined with Confucian values, emphasizing one's role in society and responsibilities towards family and community.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of 职 (zhí) is deeply tied to one's identity and societal status, often influencing social interactions and respect. Job titles are not just roles but reflect honor and prestige in various settings.
🌏Cross-cultural Insight
In Western cultures, job titles may hold less significance in social contexts compared to Chinese culture, where they can dictate social hierarchy and respect.
Word Family of 职
Words Containing This Character20
职业zhíyèoccupation職業
职工zhígōngworkers職工
职zhíoffice職
辞职cízhíto resign辭職
职责zhízéduty職責
职位zhíwèipost職位
职务zhíwùpost職務
职能zhínéngfunction職能
职员zhíyuánoffice worker職員
兼职jiānzhíconcurrent job兼職
任职rènzhíto hold an office or post任職
称职competent稱職
职权zhíquánauthority職權
停职to suspend (sb) from duties停職
离职lízhíto retire離職
专职zhuānzhíspecial duty專職
就职jiùzhíto take office就職
职场workplace職場
求职qiúzhíto seek employment求職
在职zàizhíto be employed在職
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 职业 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 职
While 职 (zhí) refers to an office or duty, 职业 (zhí yè) specifically means 'profession' or 'occupation.' 职业 encompasses the broader concept of a career or field of work, whereas 职 can refer to any specific role or duty someone holds in a job.
To remember the character 职 (zhí), you can associate it with the concept of an office or position. Visualizing a workplace or thinking about your own job can help reinforce its meaning. Practicing writing the character and using it in sentences will also aid in memorization.
职 (zhí) means 'office' or 'duty' in Chinese. It refers to a position or profession that someone holds, indicating their responsibilities or role within an organization. This character is commonly used in words like 职业 (zhí yè), which means 'profession' or 'occupation'.
You can use 职 (zhí) in a sentence to refer to someone's job or role. For example, '他的职务是经理' translates to 'His position is manager.' This illustrates how 职 can denote a specific office or duty within a workplace.
You can say '我的职务是经理' (wǒ de zhíwù shì jīnglǐ) meaning 'My position is manager.'
职位 (zhíwèi) refers to a position or job title, while 职责 (zhízé) refers to the responsibilities associated with that position.
It's best to use 职 in more formal settings, as it may sound out of place in casual discussions.
