主管
zhǔguǎn
The English phrase supervisor is translated into Chinese as 主管 (zhǔguǎn). Wiktionary also lists 監督者 / 监督者 (jiāndūzhě) and 管理者 (guǎnlǐzhě).
Meaning: a person with the official task of overseeing the work of a person or group etc. (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 主管 | zhǔguǎn |
| 監督者 / 监督者 | jiāndūzhě |
| 管理者 | guǎnlǐzhě |
In a workplace, you can use 主管 as a title or a noun to refer to your direct boss or department head.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 主管 is composed of 主 (zhǔ), meaning 'to be in charge of' and 管 (guǎn), meaning 'to manage or control'.
Which one should you use?
主管 is the most common term for a functional supervisor or department head in a corporate setting. 管理者 refers more broadly to a 'manager' or 'administrator' of a system or organization, rather than a direct person-to-person supervisor.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Cantonese, the term 經理 can be used to refer to a supervisor. In Taiwanese Mandarin, the term 主任 is often used to mean 'supervisor'.
How do you pronounce it?
zhǔguǎn
Did you know?
- The character 管 in 主管 originally referred to a 'bamboo pipe'. Over time the meaning shifted from the physical object to the act of 'controlling the flow' or managing things.
- While 主管 is the standard term, employees often use the informal word 老大 (lǎodà), meaning 'big boss' or 'eldest brother', to refer to their supervisor in a friendly way.
- While 主管 is standard in many mainland offices, in Hong Kong, the English loanword 'boss' is frequently used in colloquial Cantonese even when speaking Chinese.
Examples in context
- 他是我们公司销售部的主管。(Tā shì wǒmen gōngsī xiāoshòu bù de zhǔ guǎn.)He is the supervisor of our company's sales department.
- 这位管理者对团队的发展抱有积极的态度。(Zhè wèi guǎn lǐ zhě duì tuánduì de fāzhǎn bàoyǒu jījí de tàidu.)This supervisor holds a positive attitude towards the team's development.
- 我的老板总是鼓励我们发挥创造力。(Wǒ de lǎo bǎn zǒng shì gǔlì wǒmen fāhuī chuàngzào lì.)My supervisor always encourages us to unleash our creativity.
- 我的领导经验丰富，总能给予我们明智的建议。(Wǒ de lǐng dǎo jīngyàn fēngfù, zǒng néng jǐyǔ wǒmen míngzhì de jiànyì.)My supervisor has extensive experience and always offers us wise advice.
- 他是我們公司行銷部的主任。(Tā shì wǒmen gōngsī xíngxiāo bù de zhǔ rèn.)He is the supervisor of our company's marketing department.
- 他是这个部门的主管。Tā shì zhège bùmén de zhǔguǎn.He is the supervisor of this department.
- 请问主管在办公室吗？Qǐngwèn zhǔguǎn zài bàngōngshì ma?Excuse me, is the supervisor in the office?
- 我们需要和主管商量一下。Wǒmen xūyào hé zhǔguǎn shāngliáng yīxià.We need to discuss this with the supervisor.
Example conversation
At the office, a junior staff member asks a colleague about a manager.
- 伟 Wei雨婷，我们的主管今天请假了吗？Yǔtíng, wǒmen de zhǔguǎn jīntiān qǐngjià le ma?Yuting, is our supervisor on leave today?
- 雨婷 Yuting是的，伟，他今天下午不在。Shì de, Wěi, tā jīntiān xiàwǔ bù zài.Yes, Wei, he is not here this afternoon.
- 伟 Wei那这件事情我该找谁？Nà zhè jiàn shìqing wǒ gāi zhǎo shéi?Then who should I look for regarding this matter?
- 雨婷 Yuting你可以先找经理。Nǐ kěyǐ xiān zhǎo jīnglǐ.You can look for the manager first.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “supervisor” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
