How do you say "boss" in Chinese?

老板

lǎo bǎn

Noun Hanzi

In Chinese, "boss" is 老板 (lǎo bǎn).

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Pronunciation

This word sounds like "lǎo bǎn" — "lǎo" is dipping down and curling back up (tone 3), then "bǎn" is dipping down and curling back up (tone 3).

Writing and usage

老板 is written using hanzi. It's a noun, part of the vocabulary taught in the Noun Town language learning game.

Example sentence

我的老板称赞了团队的工作。

wǒ de lǎo bǎn chēng zàn le tuán duì de gōng zuò 。

My boss praised the team's work.

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How to remember 老板

Whisper "lǎo bǎn" to yourself while picturing the word in action — that pairing helps "老板" (lǎo bǎn) stay put.

Related words

Browse all Chinese words in the glossary.

Questions about 老板

How do you pronounce 老板?

This word sounds like "lǎo bǎn" — "lǎo" is dipping down and curling back up (tone 3), then "bǎn" is dipping down and curling back up (tone 3).

Is 老板 formal or casual?

老板 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech.

How is 老板 used in Chinese?

老板 is used the same way as the equivalent English noun. For example: 我的老板称赞了团队的工作。 (My boss praised the team's work.).

Where can I practice Chinese words for free?

You can play free Chinese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, no sign-up required. Every word in the Chinese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.

"Boss" in other languages

Curated by Jack Ratcliffe

This word is part of the vocabulary taught in the Chinese language learning game Noun Town, where words are introduced through play rather than memorisation. Want to play the full game? Get Noun Town on Steam.

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