v.
to go to work; to be at work
上班
Entering your shift, starting the workday, being on duty.
上 (ascend/enter) + 班 (shift). It marks the daily transition into productive professional life.
Common Usage & Traps
- 上午八点上班 — start work at 8 AM
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去上班工作去上班上班 already implies going to work; do not add redundant 工作.
Why does Chinese say 上班 (ascend the shift) for starting work?
Historical origins: officials "ascended" the platform to join their administrative ranks.
Today, 上班 is the universal term for clocking into work at any modern company.
Appears in Stories 6 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
Meet Dr. Mi, a doctor and teacher at Sichuan University. This simple HSK 1 story shows his daily routine from morning to night, helping you learn time expressions and everyday activities.
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他星期一到星期五都要 上班 。
Is four years to reach HSK 5 fast or slow? Follow a conversation between two learners as they compare study hours and share realistic strategies for busy adults.
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A:你不是在北京 上班 吗？
Follow a day from waking at six-thirty to coming home at eight, then leap across days, months, and years. This simple story helps you practice speaking about routines and life changes with clear time words.
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上午九点去 上班 。
Step through a full day—from morning routines to bedtime—and pick up practical phrases for telling time and talking about your own schedule with a typical Chinese rhyme.
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下午还 上班 。
This playful poem will make you smile as you explore how Chinese words like 'computer' and 'phone' can be funnier than they seem. Get ready to enjoy simple HSK 1 vocabulary and a twist of logic!
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上班 和下班，上课和下课，上午和下午。
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.
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他天天上午八点 上班 ，晚上九点下班。
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