Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 老闆 / 老板 | lǎobǎn |
| 主管 | zhǔguǎn |
In Chinese, the term used for 'boss' depends heavily on the setting and the person's role. 老闆 / 老板 is a popular way to refer to a boss and is used in both Mainland China and Taiwan for bosses of any gender. It often refers to the owner of a business or a person in charge of a small shop. In a professional corporate environment, one might use 主管 to refer to a manager or supervisor or 总经理 specifically for a general manager or CEO. To refer to a superior in a formal professional setting, the term 上司 is used.
Which one should you use?
The choice between terms depends on the organizational structure. 老闆 / 老板 (lǎobǎn) typically refers to a business owner or someone in charge of a small establishment. In contrast, 主管 (zhǔguǎn) is a more professional term used within a corporate hierarchy to denote a manager, supervisor or department head.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term 头儿 is a casual expression commonly used in northern China, especially in Beijing.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
lǎobǎn
When do people say it?
In many Chinese-speaking regions, it is common to address a small business owner directly as 老闆 / 老板 as a respectful form of address.
Did you know?
- In China, calling a stranger 老闆 is a common social strategy used by shoppers or customers to flatter a shopkeeper to get a better price.
- The prefix 老 in 老闆 is used here to show respect, even though the word literally means 'old'.
- In many Chinese workplaces, employees avoid using 上司 or 主管 when speaking to their boss's face, instead using the person's surname and their specific job title.
Examples in context
- 雅雯昨天提案超穩，主管一直點頭。Ya-wen nailed her proposal yesterday. The boss kept nodding.This example shows how the term 主管 is used to describe a manager reacting to a proposal.Tatoeba #13523785 by LeviHighway, translation #13523810 by LeviHighway
- 我的老板人很好。My boss is a very kind person.
- 我上司的领导能力很强。My boss has strong leadership skills.
- 总经理对公司的发展有很大的影响。The general manager has a significant impact on the company's development.
- 老大，我们今天工作做得很顺利。Boss, today's work went smoothly.
- 领导您好，这是我的报告。Hello, boss. Here is my report.
- 明天的会议安排好了，头儿。The meeting for tomorrow has been arranged, boss.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “boss” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
