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主管 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
主管zhǔguǎnin chargeHSK 6, n, 19 strokes, rank #2976, Hard
主管zhǔguǎnresponsible forHSK 6, n, 19 strokes, rank #2976, Hard
主管zhǔguǎnperson in chargeHSK 6, n, 19 strokes, rank #2976, Hard
主管zhǔguǎnmanagerHSK 6, n, 19 strokes, rank #2976, Hard
zhǔguǎn(zhu3guan3)zhu guan T3
  1. 1in charge
  2. 2responsible for
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March 24, 2026

主管zhǔguǎn(zhu3guan3)

主管 (zhǔguǎn) refers to a person who is in charge of a specific department or area within an organization. This term is commonly used in business and management contexts to denote someone who has responsibility for overseeing operations and making decisions. It conveys authority and accountability.

Strokes19Frequency#2976DifficultyHard
Cultural note

In Chinese corporate culture, the role of a 主管 is critical, as hierarchy and clear lines of authority are highly valued. This reflects the broader Confucian influence on organizational structure in China, where respect for authority and seniority is paramount.

Memory tip

Imagine a 'zoo guardian' (主管 sounds a bit like 'zoo guardian') who is responsible for taking care of all the animals. The character 主管 includes the '主' (zhǔ) which means 'master' or 'main' and '管' (guǎn), which means 'to manage' or 'to control', symbolizing someone who manages and oversees responsibilities.

Meanings of 主管

zhǔguǎn(zhu3guan3)
1in charge
2responsible for
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 主管

主管Simplified
19Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#2976Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3BCT✓CEFRB2

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Podcast: 主管

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AI study notes for 主管

Quick Contrast

经理 (jīnglǐ) refers to a manager with broader responsibilities across multiple departments, while 主管 (zhǔguǎn) specifies a role focused on a particular area.

Usage Notes

Be mindful that 主管 is a formal term and typically used in professional contexts. Common mistakes include using it in casual conversation, where simpler terms like '老板' (lǎobǎn, boss) might be more appropriate. It's also important to remember the correct pronunciation of both syllables to convey the term accurately.

HSK Study Tips

As a Level 6 word, 主管 connects to other business-related terms you may encounter in HSK 6, such as '管理' (guǎnlǐ, management) and '决策' (juécè, decision-making). Focus on understanding its usage in formal writing and conversations to enhance your business vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 主管 with similar words like '管理者' (guǎnlǐzhě, manager), which can lead to incorrect usage. Remember that 主管 specifically refers to a person in charge, while 管理者 can denote a broader category of managers.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 主管

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Component characters

主zhǔowner
HSK 75 strokes丶
View full entry
管guǎnto take care (of)
HSK 414 strokes⺮
View full entry

How to say in charge in Chinese

“in charge” in Chinese is主管zhǔguǎn

主管 (zhǔguǎn) refers to a person who is in charge of a specific department or area within an organization. This term is commonly used in business and management contexts to denote someone who has responsibility for overseeing operations and making decisions. It conveys authority and accountability.

When to use 主管

Be mindful that 主管 is a formal term and typically used in professional contexts. Common mistakes include using it in casual conversation, where simpler terms like '老板' (lǎobǎn, boss) might be more appropriate. It's also important to remember the correct pronunciation of both syllables to convey the term accurately.

主管 or something close to it

经理 (jīnglǐ) refers to a manager with broader responsibilities across multiple departments, while 主管 (zhǔguǎn) specifies a role focused on a particular area.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 主管 with similar words like '管理者' (guǎnlǐzhě, manager), which can lead to incorrect usage. Remember that 主管 specifically refers to a person in charge, while 管理者 can denote a broader category of managers.

Write 主管

主
管

Practice writing 主管 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar patterns of 主管

主管 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 4 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.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

一名石油公司____从其公司骗取了5万英镑。

An oil executive swindled £50,000 out of his firm.

Example sentences for 主管 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
一名石油公司主管从其公司骗取了5万英镑。

yī míng shíyóu gōngsī zhǔguǎn cóng qí gōngsī piàn qǔ le5 wàn yīngbàng。

An oil executive swindled £50,000 out of his firm.
2
一名前主管挪用了3,400万美元的公司资金。

yī míng qián zhǔguǎn nuó yòng le3,400 wàn měiyuán de gōngsī zījīn。

One former director embezzled $34 million in company funds.
3
这家公司的主管们觉得他值得栽培。

zhè jiā gōngsī de zhǔguǎn men juéde tā zhídé zāipéi。

The directors of this company feel he's worth every penny.
4
你任命为主管的那个家伙是个十足的蠢材。

nǐ rènmìng wéizhǔ guǎn de nàge jiāhuo shì gè shízú de chǔn cái。

The guy you put in charge is a complete pillock.
5
他是一位锐意进取、竞争意识很强的主管,颇受尊敬。

tā shì yī wèi ruì yì jìnqǔ、 jìngzhēng yìshí hěn jiàng de zhǔguǎn, Pō shòu zūnjìng。

He is respected as a very aggressive and competitive executive.
6
主管们不允许对他们生产的产品以所有者自居。

zhǔguǎn men bù yǔnxǔ duì tāmen shēngchǎn de chǎnpǐn yǐ suǒyǒu zhě zì jī。

Directors weren't allowed any proprietary airs about the product they made.
7
被解雇的管理人员包括前销售经理、主管和会计。

bèi jiěgù de guǎnlǐ rényuán bāokuò qián xiāoshòu jīnglǐ、 zhǔguǎn hé kuàijì。

The unemployed executives include former sales managers, directors and accountants.
8
公司主管说销售规划改进后应该能够帮助梅西公司提高收益。

gōngsī zhǔguǎn shuō xiāoshòu guīhuà gǎijìn hòu yīnggāi nénggòu bāngzhù méi xī gōngsī tígāo shōuyì。

Company executives say revamped merchandising should help Macy's earnings to grow.
9
1966年,帕斯特·艾伯茨接替他担任主管市长。

1966 nián, pà Sī tè· ài bà cí jiētì tā dānrèn zhǔguǎn shìzhǎng。

In 1966, Pastor Albertz took over from him as governing mayor.
10
谁是这里的主管?

shéi shì zhèlǐ de zhǔguǎn?

Who is in charge here?

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Frequently asked questions about 主管

主管 generally refers to someone in a specific managerial role focused on operations, while 经理 (jīnglǐ) is a broader term for a manager that may include upper management.

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