Chinese Character: 僚
1. Character Basics
Radical: 亻 (rén, person radical)
Stroke Count: 14
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: liáo (Second tone)
3. Meaning
Official; colleague; associate; government official; bureaucrat; fellow worker; companion
4. Common Words
- 官僚 (guānliáo) - bureaucrat; bureaucracy
- 同僚 (tóngliáo) - colleague; fellow official
- 幕僚 (mùliáo) - aide; assistant; staff officer
- 僚属 (liáoshǔ) - subordinates; staff members
- 僚机 (liáojī) - wingman (in aviation)
- 僚佐 (liáozuǒ) - assistant; aide; subordinate official
- 僚友 (liáoyǒu) - colleague; associate
- 僚吏 (liáolì) - minor officials; petty bureaucrats
5. Grammar & Usage
The character 僚 is primarily used in compound words to refer to officials, colleagues, or associates. It is rarely used alone.
Common Usage Patterns:
1. Referring to government officials: When combined with characters like 官 (guān, official) or 吏 (lì, official), it forms words related to bureaucracy.
Example: 官僚主义 (guānliáo zhǔyì) - bureaucracy; bureaucratic style of work
2. Referring to colleagues or associates: When combined with characters like 同 (tóng, same) or 友 (yǒu, friend), it forms words related to fellow workers.
Example: 他和他的同僚相处得很好。(Tā hé tā de tóngliáo xiāngchǔ de hěn hǎo.) - He gets along well with his colleagues.
3. In specific contexts: Such as in aviation to refer to a wingman (僚机).
6. Cultural Background
In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of 僚 (officials and colleagues) has played an important role in the bureaucratic system and social relationships:
1. Traditional Bureaucracy: In imperial China, the term 僚 was used to refer to officials at various levels of the government hierarchy. The bureaucratic system was highly developed, with detailed rules for the selection, promotion, and conduct of officials.
2. Guanxi (Relationships): The concept of 僚 is also related to the Chinese emphasis on personal relationships (guanxi). Colleagues (同僚) often form important networks that extend beyond the workplace.
3. Modern Usage: In contemporary China, while the term is still used in official contexts, it is more commonly used to refer to colleagues in general work settings.
7. Example Sentence
Chinese: 他在政府部门工作，有很多同僚。
Pinyin: Tā zài zhèngfǔ bùmén gōngzuò, yǒu hěnduō tóngliáo.
English: He works in a government department and has many colleagues.
8. Memory Tips
To remember the character 僚, you can break it down into two parts:
1. The left part is 亻 (rén), the "person" radical, indicating that this character is related to people.
2. The right part is 尞 (liáo), which gives the pronunciation and has meanings related to burning or shining.
You can think of 僚 as "people who work together" (officials or colleagues) who need to "shine" in their duties. This association can help you remember both the form and meaning of the character.