加班
jiā bān · HSK 4
to work overtime
⏰💼 加 (add) + 班 (shift/work shift) = add a shift = overtime
加 means add or increase; 班 means a work shift or class. Together: adding an extra shift onto your normal hours, i.e. working overtime.
加 — force 力 + mouth 口
加 is traditionally analyzed as a compound of 力 (strength) and 口 (mouth), suggesting boasting or exaggerating one's effort with words. From this it extended to the meaning 'to add' or 'increase'. Today it is used broadly for addition, both literal and figurative.
班 — two jade 玨 + knife 刂 in the middle
班 originally depicted a knife (刂) dividing a pair of jade pieces (玨), showing the act of splitting jade between people. From this 'dividing' sense it came to mean 'distribute,' then 'a group formed by division,' giving modern meanings like class, team, or shift.
jiā bān · HSK 4
to work overtime
💼 加 (add) + 班 (work shift) = add an extra shift = work overtime
加 means add or increase; 班 means a work shift or class period. Together they literally mean adding extra shift time beyond normal hours — the standard Chinese term for working overtime.
加 — force 力 + mouth 口
加 is traditionally analyzed as a compound of 力 (strength) and 口 (mouth), suggesting boasting or exaggerating one's effort with words. From this it extended to the meaning 'to add' or 'increase'. Today it is used broadly for addition, both literal and figurative.
班 — two jade 玨 + knife 刂 in the middle
班 originally depicted a knife (刂) dividing a pair of jade pieces (玨), showing the act of splitting jade between people. From this 'dividing' sense it came to mean 'distribute,' then 'a group formed by division,' giving modern meanings like class, team, or shift.