上班 (shàngbān)

A verb-object compound meaning to go to work or to be on duty. The opposite is 下班 (xiàbān), to get off work. It refers to the act of starting or being at one's work shift.

Meanings

[verb] To go to work, to start work, to be at work.

Example Sentences

我每天八点上班。 Wǒ měi tiān bā diǎn shàngbān. I go to work at eight o'clock every day.

他今天不舒服，没去上班。 Tā jīntiān bù shūfu, méi qù shàngbān. He was not feeling well today and did not go to work.

你上班的地方远不远？ Nǐ shàngbān de dìfang yuǎn bu yuǎn? Is your workplace far away?

她上班很忙，没时间打电话。 Tā shàngbān hěn máng, méi shíjiān dǎ diànhuà. She is busy at work and has no time to call.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
去上班	to go to work
上班时间	working hours
上班族	office workers, working people
上班路上	on the way to work
不用上班	not need to go to work

Memory Hook

上 means "up/on" and 班 means "class/shift." Clocking on to your shift is going 上班.