1. 工作 gōngzuò
VERB。To work; operate
我每天都要工作
Wǒ měitiān dōu yào gōngzuò.
I need to work every day.
NOUN。Work; job
為什麼我的工作永遠做不完
为什么我的工作永远做不完
Wèishénme wǒ de gōngzuò yǒngyuǎn zuò bù wán.
Why my work is never finished.
2. 上班 shàngbān
VERB + OBJECT。Go to work; start work; work
我每天早上九點上班
我每天早上九点上班
Wǒ měitiān zǎoshang jiǔ diǎn shàngbān.
I start work at 9 every morning.
你上幾個小時的班？
你上几个小时的班？
Nǐ shàng jǐ ge xiǎoshí de bān？
How many hours do you work?
3. 下班 xiàbān
VERB + OBJECT。Get off work
你下班後喜歡做什麼？
你下班后喜欢做什么？
Nǐ xiàbānhòu xǐhuān/xǐhuan zuò shénme？
What do you like to do after work?
4. 加班 jiābān
VERB + OBJECT。Work overtime; work an extra shift
今天晚上我們得加班
今天晚上我们得加班
Jīntiān wǎnshang wǒmen děi jiābān.
We have got to work overtime tonight.
我週末加了五個小時的班
我周末加了五个小时的班
Wǒ zhōumò jiāle wǔ ge xiǎoshí de bān.
I worked 5 hours of overtime over the weekend.
5. 開會/开会 kāihuì
VERB + OBJECT。Hold or attend a meeting
我今天開了五個小時的會
我今天开了五个小时的会
Wǒ jīntiān kāile wǔ ge xiǎoshí de huì.
I had a five-hour meeting today.
6. 會議/会议 huìyì
NOUN。Meeting; conference
你在會議中提出的想法很好
你在会议中提出的想法很好
Nǐ zài huìyìzhōng tíchū de xiǎngfǎ hěnhǎo.
The ideas you presented in the meeting were great.
我今天有兩場會議
我今天有两场会议
Wǒ jīntiān yǒu liǎngchǎng huìyì.
I have two meetings today.
7. 報告/报告 bàogào
VERB。To report; to inform
這事得跟李先生報告
这事得跟李先生报告
Zhè shì děi gēn Lǐ xiānshen bàogào.
This must be reported to Mr. Lee.
NOUN。Report; speech
請你做一份簡短的報告
请你做一份简短的报告
Qǐng nǐ zuò yífèn jiǎnduǎn de bàogào.
Please give a brief report (or lecture.)
8. 出差 chūchāi
VERB + OBJECT。Go on a business trip
我明天要去日本出差
Wǒ míngtiān yào qù Rìběn chūchāi.
I’m going to Japan tomorrow for business.
9. 老闆/老板 lǎobǎn
NOUN。Boss; shopkeepers
老闆請你進她辦公室
老板请你进她办公室
Lǎobǎn qǐng nǐ jìn tā bàngōngshì.
The boss asks you to enter her office.
Titles are important in Chinese culture, and they are used more frequently than in most Western countries. If you are working in a high-tech or similar place normally don’t directly use this word to call your boss, but you call them by their titles plus their surnames. However, it’s absolutely normal to use lǎobǎn when chatting with your colleague.
10. 同事 tóngshì
NOUN。Colleague
你同事好相處嗎？
你同事好相处吗？
Nǐ tóngshì hǎo xiāngchǔ ma？
Do you get along with your colleagues?
11. 公司 gōngsī
NOUN。Company
我在化妝品公司上班
我在化妆品公司上班
Wǒ zài huàzhuāngpǐn gōngsī shàngbān.
I work for a cosmetics company.
12. 客戶 kèhù
NOUN。Customer; client
她是我們公司的大客戶
她是我们公司的大客户
Tā shì wǒmen gōngsī de dà kèhù.
She is a big client of our company.
13. 電郵/电邮 diànyóu
NOUN。E-mail
請你發一封電郵通知大家下午的會議
请你发一封电邮通知大家下午的会议
Qǐng nǐ fā yìfēng diànyóu tōngzhī dàjiā xiàwǔ de huìyì.
Please send an email to notify everyone of the afternoon meeting.
In Taiwan, we say jì e-mail, not fā diànyóu.
請你寄一封email通知大家下午的會議
请你寄一封email通知大家下午的会议
Qǐng nǐ jì yìfēng email tōngzhī dàjiā xiàwǔ de huìyì.
14. 資料/资料 zīliào
NOUN。Data; information; material
剛剛給的資料大家都看過了嗎？
刚刚给的资料大家都看过了吗？
Gānggāng gěi de zīliào dàjiā dōu kànguòle ma？
Have you all read the information just given?
15. 列印/打印 lièyìn/dǎyìn
VERB。To print out (with a printer)
把李先生需要的報告列印出來給我 (Taiwan)
把李先生需要的报告打印出来给我 (China)
Bǎ Lǐ xiānshen xūyàode bàogào lièyìn chūlái gěi wǒ. (Taiwan)
Bǎ Lǐ xiānshen xūyàode bàogào dǎyìn chūlái gěi wǒ. (China)
Print out the report that Mr. Lee needs and give it to me.
16. 影印/复印 yǐngyìn/fùyìn
VERB。To photocopy
請你把這資料影印三份 (Taiwan)
请你把这资料复印三份 (China)
Qǐng nǐ bǎ zhè zīliào yǐngyìn sānfèn. (Taiwan)
Qǐng nǐ bǎ zhè zīliào fùyìn sānfèn. (China)
This must be reported to Mr. Lee.
17. 組長/组长 zǔzhǎng
NOUN。Team leader; group leader
你們組長同意你這樣做嗎？
你们组长统一你这样做吗？
Nǐmen zǔzhǎng tóngyì nǐ zhèyàng zuò ma？
Did your group leader agree with you to do this?
18. 經理/经理 jīnglǐ
NOUN。Manager; director
王經理真的很討人厭！
王经理真的很讨人厌！
Wáng jīnlǐ zhēnde hěn tǎorényàn!
Manager Wang is really annoying!
As I have mentioned, titles are very important in Chinese culture. We usually do not call any of our superiors by their names. Instead, we address them by their job title and surname. Like, Wáng jīnglǐ, Lǐ lǎoshī.
19. 薪水 xīnshuǐ
NOUN。Salary
你們公司一般幾號發薪水？
你们公司一般几号发薪水？
Nǐmen gōngsī yìbān jǐhào fā xīnshuǐ？
What is your company’s typical payday?
20. 請假/请假 qǐngjià
VERB + OBJECT。To request leave of absence
我身體不太舒服，我要請半天的假
我身体不太舒服，我要请半天的假
Wǒ shēntǐ bútài shūfu, wǒ yào qǐng bàntiān de jià.
I don’t feel well, I need to take a half day off.
病假 bìngjià。sick leave
公假 gōngjià。leave of absence for public (or official) affairs
事假 shìjià。leave of absence (to attend to private affairs); compassionate leave
生理假 shēnglǐjià。menstrual leave (in Taiwan, every woman can apply it once a month without showing any testimonial)
婚假 hūnjià。wedding leave
產假/产假 chǎnjià。maternity leave
喪假/丧假 sāngjià。funeral leave
