上班
HSK 1 (exam 2025)HSK 1 (2021)Old HSK 2
上班 (shàngbān) · to go to work
上班 (shàngbān) means “to go to work”. It is written with 2 characters: 上 (on) + 班 (class). It is an HSK 1 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
How 上班 is built
The characters
上 shàng · on
What 上 is made of
- ⺊ — structural part
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
Origin hint: One stroke on top of another; compare 下 (below) (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
班 bān · class
What 班 is made of
- 王wáng — king
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 土tǔ — earth
- 十 — ten
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 刂dāo — knife
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 亅 — hook
- 王wáng — king
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 土tǔ — earth
- 十 — ten
- 一 — horizontal stroke
Origin hint: Cutting 刂 a piece of jade 王 in two, symbolizing two classes (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
我爸爸八点上班。Wǒ bàba bā diǎn shàngbān.My dad starts work at eight.
你今天上班吗？Nǐ jīntiān shàngbān ma?Are you working today?
Questions about 上班
What does 上班 mean?
上班 (shàngbān) means “to go to work”.
How do you pronounce 上班?
上班 is pronounced shàngbān.
Which HSK level is 上班?
上班 is in HSK 1 (exam 2025) and HSK 1 (2021) and Old HSK 2.
Related words
- 车上chēshàngon the bus
- 地上dìshangon the ground
- 关上guānshàngto close
- 楼上lóushàngupstairs
- 路上lùshangon the road
- 马上mǎshàngimmediately
- 上边shàngbianabove
- 上车shàngchēto get on a vehicle
- 上次shàngcìlast time
- 上课shàngkèto have class
Learn 上班 with its group
It is part of HSK 1 (2021) · Group 5: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.