HSK · Level 123
47 words
Chinese word
官僚
Pronunciation
Pinyinguān liáo
Meaning
- nounbureaucrat
Example
官僚不关心普通人的生活。guān liáo bù guān xīn pǔ tōng rén de shēng huó
Bureaucrats do not care about ordinary people's lives.
More examples
反腐运动强调要切断官僚网络和利益链条。fán fǔ yùn dòng qiáng diào yào qiē duàn guān liáo wǎng luò hé lì yì liàn tiáo
The anti-corruption campaign emphasizes cutting off the bureaucratic network and chain of interests.
Core concept
A member of the administrative machinery that applies public rules and policies, with attention often focused on the machinery rather than on the person.
Common phrases
官僚利益guān liáo lì yì
bureaucratic interests
官僚网络guān liáo wǎng luò
bureaucratic network
官僚阶层guān liáo jiē céng
bureaucratic class
Similar words
公务员gōng wù yuán: A government or public-institution employee responsible for administrative work.
官僚主义guān liáo zhǔ yì: An administrative system or mindset that follows official procedures too rigidly.
官员guān yuán: A person with a public administrative position who performs official duties.
Definition in Chinese
指在国家机关或行政系统中从事事务管理、政策执行或专业职能的人员，作为群体称呼时常含有体制化或脱离民意的负面意味。zhǐ zài guó jiā jī guān huò xíng zhèng xì tǒng zhōng cóng shì shì wù guán lǐ zhèng cè zhí xíng huò zhuān yè zhí néng de rén yuán zuò wéi qún tǐ chēng hū shí cháng hán yǒu tǐ zhì huà huò tuō lí mín yì de fù miàn yì wèi
Word origin
The word combines 官 (guān, "official office") with 僚 (liáo, "colleague or aide"), linking official service with a group of people who work within the same administration.
Usage tips
- English speakers may hear a neutral job title in this word, but its group use in Chinese often suggests rigid procedures or excessive concern with official systems.
Other meanings
- government officialnoun
- civil servantnoun
Opposites
- 公仆gōng púpublic servantnoun
Related words
- 官僚主义guān liáo zhǔ yìbureaucratismnoun
- 官僚化guān liáo huàbureaucratizeverb