办公室

The Chinese word 办公室 (bàngōngshì) is a compound of two characters: 办 (bàn), meaning "to handle" or "to manage," and 公 (gōng), meaning "public" or "official." Together, these characters form the term "office," which refers to a place where official or professional work is conducted.The character 办 (bàn) has a long history in Chinese, dating back to the oracle bone script of the Shang dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BCE). In its original form, the character depicted a hand holding a brush, symbolizing the act of writing or recording. Over time, the character evolved to take on its current form, which is composed of the radical 扌 (shǒu), meaning "hand," and the phonetic component 办 (bàn).The character 公 (gōng) also has a rich history in Chinese, dating back to the oracle bone script of the Shang dynasty. In its original form, the character depicted a person standing with their arms outstretched, symbolizing the idea of fairness and impartiality. Over time, the character evolved to take on its current form, which is composed of the radical 厶 (sī), meaning "private," and the phonetic component 公 (gōng).When combined, the characters 办 (bàn) and 公 (gōng) form the term 办公室 (bàngōngshì), which refers to a place where official or professional work is conducted. This term is commonly used in Chinese to refer to offices in government buildings, businesses, and other organizations.