校长

xiào zhǎng

head teacher; principal

HSK Level 2

Example Sentences

校长在礼堂发表了讲话。

xiàozhǎng zài lǐtáng fābiǎo le jiǎnghuà.

The principal gave a speech in the auditorium.

校长正在办公室里工作。

xiàozhǎng zhèngzài bàngōngshì lǐ gōngzuò.

The principal is working in the office.

校长是一位非常有经验的教育家。

xiàozhǎng shì yī wèi fēicháng yǒu jīngyàn de jiàoyùjiā.

The principal is a very experienced educator.

Synonyms

校长 (xiàozhǎng)

principal

校董 (xiàodǒng)

school director

Antonyms

教师 (jiàoshī)

teacher

学生 (xuéshēng)

student

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Etymology & Components

The Chinese word 校长 (xiàozhǎng) for "principal" is composed of two characters: 校 (xiào), meaning "school," and 长 (zhǎng), meaning "head" or "leader." Together, these characters form the compound word 校长, which literally means "head of the school."The character 校 (xiào) has a long history in Chinese, dating back to the Shang dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BCE). It was originally used to refer to a place of learning, such as a school or academy. Over time, the meaning of 校 expanded to include other types of institutions, such as military camps and government offices.The character 长 (zhǎng) is also an ancient Chinese character, dating back to the Zhou dynasty (c. 1046-256 BCE). It was originally used to refer to a person who was in charge of something, such as a leader or a chief. Over time, the meaning of 长 expanded to include other types of leaders, such as parents and teachers.The compound word 校长 (xiàozhǎng) first appeared in the Chinese language during the Qing dynasty (1644-1912). It was used to refer to the head of a school or university. Today, 校长 is the standard Chinese word for "principal."