总部 from HSK Level 6 Vocabulary List

The Chinese word 总部 (zǒng bù) for "headquarters" is composed of two characters: 总 (zǒng), meaning "general" or "overall", and 部 (bù), meaning "department" or "section". Together, they form the compound word 总部, which literally means "general department" or "headquarters".The character 总 (zǒng) has a long history in Chinese, dating back to the oracle bone script of the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC). In its original form, 总 was a pictograph of a person standing on top of a hill, symbolizing someone who has a commanding view of the surroundings. Over time, the character evolved to take on its current form, and its meaning expanded to include the ideas of "general", "overall", and "total".The character 部 (bù) also has a long history in Chinese, dating back to the oracle bone script of the Shang dynasty. In its original form, 部 was a pictograph of a hand holding a weapon, symbolizing a warrior or a soldier. Over time, the character evolved to take on its current form, and its meaning expanded to include the ideas of "department", "section", and "part".When the two characters 总 (zǒng) and 部 (bù) are combined to form the compound word 总部 (zǒng bù), the resulting meaning is "headquarters". This is because the character 总 (zǒng) represents the idea of "general" or "overall", while the character 部 (bù) represents the idea of "department" or "section". Together, they form the concept of a "general department" or "headquarters", which is the central office or command center of an organization.