government clerk; minor official
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesnoun
minor government official; clerk in traditional government offices
archaicArchaic term used during the Qing Dynasty and Republican era to refer to middle and lower-level clerks, secretaries, and administrative staff in government yamens and offices. Not commonly used in modern Chinese.
Zhè这
wèi位
lǎo老
yuán员
sī司
zài在
yá衙
men门
lǐ里
gàn干
le了
sān三
shí十
nián年
。
This old clerk worked in the yamen for thirty years.
Yuán员
sī司
men们
měi每
tiān天
dōu都
yào要
chǔ处
lǐ理
dà大
liàng量
de的
wén文
shū书
gōng工
zuò作
。
The clerks had to handle a large amount of paperwork every day.
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Tā他
cóng从
yī一
gè个
pǔ普
tōng通
yuán员
sī司
yī一
bù步
bù步
shēng升
dào到
le了
zhī知
fǔ府
。
He rose step by step from an ordinary clerk to become a prefect.