僚 (liáo) - Official, bureaucrat & colleague, companion

僚Tone 2

liáo ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

梁嘹

僚 · liáo

Official, bureaucrat;

colleague, companion;

a member of the same group or organization.

Official, bureaucratcolleague, companiona member of the same group or organization.

Usage highlights

Government officialColleagueStaff officerSubordinate officialOfficialdomBureaucratic style

Synonyms

  • 官— official, government officer
  • 吏— government clerk, minor official
  • 同事— colleague, coworker

Antonyms

  • 民— common people, civilian
  • 百姓— common people, populace

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He works as a government official (官僚).
  • They are my colleagues at work (同僚).
  • The minister met with his staff (幕僚).
  • We belong to the same social group (僚属).

Collocations

  • Government official(官僚)
  • Colleague(同僚)
  • Staff officer(幕僚)
  • Subordinate official(僚属)
  • Officialdom(僚友)
  • Bureaucratic style(僚气)

Idioms

  • Bureaucratic style(僚气十足)
  • Officialdom's ways(僚友之道)
  • Collegial harmony(僚谊深厚)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally referred to government officials during imperial China, particularly those serving in administrative positions.
  • The term carries connotations of bureaucracy and officialdom, sometimes with negative implications of red tape.
  • In modern usage, it can refer to colleagues or companions in professional settings.

FAQ