Chinese word

人手

Pronunciation

Pinyinrén shǒu

Meaning

  • nounstaff

Example

我们现在缺少人手。wǒ men xiàn zài quē shǎo rén shǒu

We do not have enough staff right now.

Illustration for 人手 (staff)

More examples

节假日商场为了应付客流，常常需要临时的人手。jié jià rì shāng chǎng wèi le yìng fù kè liú cháng cháng xū yào lín shí de rén shǒu

Shopping malls often need temporary staff during holidays to cope with customer traffic.

Core concept

Available people viewed as the hands that keep a task, activity, or workplace running.

Common phrases

  • 人手不足rén shǒu bù zú

    shortage of staff

  • 缺少人手quē shǎo rén shǒu

    be short-staffed

  • 招聘人手zhāo pìn rén shǒu

    recruit staff

Similar words

人力rén lì: Human labor used to support and carry out work.
劳动力láo dòng lì: The people able to work and the available supply of workers.
人员rén yuán: People assigned to work for an organization, task, or service.

Definition in Chinese

用于表示某一工作、活动或场所可用的人力或帮手，既可指临时的助力也可指常设的人员。yòng yú biǎo shì mǒu yì gōng zuò huó dòng huò cháng suǒ kě yòng de rén lì huò bāng shǒu jì kě zhǐ lín shí de zhù lì yě kě zhǐ cháng shè de rén yuán

Word origin

人 (rén, "person") + 手 (shǒu, "hand") uses 手 for a working helper, giving the compound its sense of people available to do a job.

Usage tips

  • English often separates regular employees from temporary help, but this word can cover both, so context decides whether a workplace team or extra help for one task is meant.

Other meanings

  • helping handsnoun
  • workforcenoun

Related words

  • 人手不足rén shǒu bù zúshortage of staffnoun
  • 人手短缺rén shǒu duǎn quēstaff shortagenoun

Word lists with this word