Common Usage & Traps
- 公司 — company
- 司机 — driver
-
司公司公司司 is a bound morpheme; it cannot stand alone as a noun meaning 'company'.
-
司人司机司 does not mean 'drive' by itself; the full word for driver is 司机.
司
To preside over, govern, or manage official duties. A company, bureau, or department; to take charge of an operation. A mouth (口) issuing orders inside an enclosing corner (𠃌).
What is the difference between 司 and 同?
司 appears in 公司 (company) and 司机 (driver); 同 appears in 同学 (classmate) and 相同 (same).
司 and 同 look similar because both contain 口 and a horizontal stroke, but they are different characters. 司 is used in 公司 (company) and 司机 (driver). 同 is used in 同学 (classmate) and 相同 (same).
| Dimension | 司 | 同 |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | manage, department | same, together |
| Common words | 公司, 司机 | 同学, 相同 |
| Stroke count | 5 | 6 |
Can 司 be used alone to mean 'company'?
No, 司 is a bound morpheme and cannot stand alone as a noun meaning 'company'.
司 must be combined with another character to form a word, such as 公司 (company) or 司机 (driver). Using 司 alone as a noun is not correct in modern Chinese.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Word for company | 公司 | 司 |
| Word for driver | 司机 | 司 |
Appears in Stories 5 stories
Learn the fascinating story behind the Chinese idiom '东山再起' (Dongshan Zaiji), which means to make a comeback. Discover its historical roots and modern usage.
-
比如，一个 公司 破产了，老板又重新创业赚钱，我们就可以说“他东山再起了”。
-
当年乔布斯被踢出苹果 公司 ，十年后，他又重回苹果，这件事也可以说“乔布斯东山再起了。”
Meet Gao Youpeng, a friendly Beijing coworker who welcomes the narrator with local dishes and a simple language-exchange plan. This warm HSK 2 story is perfect for first readings about work and friendship.
-
今天是我到中为 公司 工作的第五天。
-
他也在中为 公司 工作，但是因为周一我来 公司 的时候，他去上海了，所以我没有看见他。
Why would a millionaire leave a table of lobster and wagyu untouched? This story explores the hidden rules of business dining and the true cost of staying alert.
-
旁边他 公司 的一位副总赶紧抓起公筷，夹了一块儿和牛放到他碟子里。
-
他让我先上车，坐 司机 后边。
Read about a work trip to Beijing where a group of colleagues takes a very large airplane. Practice weather words and actions in a simple travel story.
-
上个星期，我们 公司的 六个人去北京开会。
Follow Dazhong, a busy worker in China, as he finds warmth and kindness at a small noodle shop. Practice everyday words for food, weather, and expressing gratitude.
-
晚上，大中去 公司 前边的一个小饭店吃饭。
Questions & Discussion 0 questions
No questions or discussions yet. Have a question about this character/word? Be the first to ask!