僚 liáo colleague
colleague; companion; officials
How to remember 僚: 亻 person + 尞 bonfire = colleague. At the office summer party every person gathers round the bonfire, and Tom finally chats with his shy new colleague.
Component breakdown
僚 = 亻 person + 尞 bonfire
- 亻 person
- 尞 bonfire
At the office summer party every person gathers round the bonfire, and Tom finally chats with his shy new colleague.
How it is used
- A fellow official / colleague in officialdom - 同僚 (tóngliáo) a colleague (in government), 官僚 (guānliáo) bureaucrat.
- 官僚 and 官僚主义 (bureaucratism) carry a critical tone - red tape, officious box-ticking.
- The 'colleague' sense (同僚) is more formal than everyday 同事.