dānrèn: 担任 - To Hold a Post, Serve As, Assume a Position

Keywords: 担任, danren, hold a post in Chinese, serve as in Chinese, assume a position, Chinese for job title, formal Chinese verb, professional vocabulary, 担任 vs 当, HSK 4 vocabulary, take on responsibility.

Summary: Learn how to use the formal Chinese verb 担任 (dānrèn), which means “to hold a post,” “to serve as,” or “to assume a position.” This essential HSK 4 term is crucial for professional and official contexts, such as on a resume, in a news report, or when discussing job titles and formal responsibilities. Discover how it differs from the more common verb 当 (dāng) and how it reflects the importance of roles and duties in Chinese culture.

Pinyin (with tone marks): dānrèn

Part of Speech: Verb

HSK Level: HSK 4

Concise Definition: To formally hold a position, serve as, or take on an official role.

In a Nutshell: 担任 (dānrèn) is the word you use when you're talking about someone holding a specific, official title or role, like “CEO,” “committee chair,” or “project manager.” It's more formal than simply saying someone “is” a manager. Think of it as meaning “to serve in the capacity of,” carrying a sense of duty and official responsibility.

担 (dān): This character is composed of the “hand” radical (扌) on the left and a phonetic component on the right. Its core meaning is “to carry on the shoulder,” “to bear,” or “to undertake.” It vividly pictures someone taking on a heavy weight or responsibility.

任 (rèn): This character has the “person” radical (亻) on the left. It means “to appoint,” “an official post,” or “a duty.” It refers to a specific role or function assigned to a person.

Combined Meaning: When you put them together, 担任 (dānrèn) literally translates to “to carry a post” or “to undertake a duty.” This perfectly captures the modern meaning of formally accepting and performing the duties of an official position.

Emphasis on Roles and Formality: In Chinese culture, particularly in professional and official settings, titles and roles carry significant weight. Using 担任 (dānrèn) acknowledges this formality and shows respect for the position and its associated responsibilities. It frames a job not just as a personal identity (“He is a manager”) but as a functional role within a system (“He serves as the manager”).

Comparison to “To Be” vs. “To Serve As”: In English, we might say “She is the CEO” in both casual and many formal situations. While `她是CEO (Tā shì CEO)` is grammatically correct in Chinese, a news report, official company bio, or formal introduction would almost always prefer `她担任CEO (Tā dānrèn CEO)`. This highlights a subtle but important cultural difference: 担任 focuses on the *function* and *responsibility* being performed for the collective or organization, whereas the English “to be” can focus more on the individual's status or identity. It reflects a society where one's role and contribution to the group are often emphasized.

当 (dāng) - A more common and colloquial verb meaning “to work as” or “to be,” used for general professions.

职位 (zhíwèi) - A noun for “position” or “post,” the thing that one `担任`.

职责 (zhízé) - A noun for “duty” or “responsibility,” which comes with a `职位`.

负责 (fùzé) - A verb meaning “to be in charge of” or “to be responsible for.” A person who `担任` a role is `负责` its duties.

任命 (rènmìng) - A verb meaning “to appoint.” An action performed by a superior that results in someone getting to `担任` a new role.

上任 (shàngrèn) - A verb meaning “to take office” or “to assume a post.” It describes the beginning of the period when one `担任` a position.

卸任 (xièrèn) - A verb meaning “to leave office,” the opposite of `上任`. It marks the end of `担任`-ing a position.

兼任 (jiānrèn) - A verb meaning “to hold a concurrent post,” i.e., to `担任` two or more positions at the same time.