paihangbang: 排行榜 - Ranking List, Charts, Leaderboard

• Keywords: paihangbang, 排行榜, Chinese ranking list, Chinese charts, Chinese leaderboard, music charts in China, movie box office China, top 10 list Chinese, what does paihangbang mean, HSK 5
• Summary: Discover the meaning of 排行榜 (pái háng bǎng), the essential Chinese word for any “ranking list,” “chart,” or “leaderboard.” From music and movie charts to university rankings and gaming leaderboards, this term is everywhere in modern China. This guide breaks down its characters, cultural significance rooted in imperial history, and practical use in daily conversation, helping you understand why rankings hold such a special place in Chinese culture.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): pái háng bǎng
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: A list of items or people arranged in order of rank or achievement; a chart or leaderboard.
• In a Nutshell: 排行榜 (pái háng bǎng) is the word you use for any kind of ranked list. Think “Top 10,” “Bestsellers,” “Billboard Charts,” or a video game leaderboard—they are all types of 排行榜. It's a straightforward and widely used term that captures the universal concept of organizing things or people by performance, popularity, or success.

• 排 (pái): To arrange, to line up, a row. Imagine people lining up for a bus; this action is called 排队 (páiduì). This character gives the sense of putting things in a specific order.
• 行 (háng): A row or a line. When combined with 排, it reinforces the idea of items being organized into structured rows based on their rank. (Note: This character can also be pronounced xíng, meaning “to go” or “to walk,” but here it is háng).
• 榜 (bǎng): A posted list or public notice. Historically, this character was most famously used for the 金榜 (jīnbǎng), the “golden list” where the names of scholars who passed the highest imperial examinations were posted. This historical weight gives the word a sense of officiality and importance.

Together, 排 (arrange) + 行 (rows) + 榜 (on a list) creates the logical and vivid meaning of “a list with arranged rows,” or a ranking list.

The concept of a 排行榜 is deeply embedded in the Chinese cultural psyche, carrying more weight than a simple “Top 10 list” might in the West. Its significance is tied to the historical 科举 (kējǔ), the imperial examination system that was the primary path to social mobility and prestige for over a thousand years. The ultimate goal for a scholar was to have their name posted on the final list, an act known as 金榜题名 (jīnbǎng tímíng)—“to have one's name inscribed on the golden list.” This brought immense honor (or 面子, miànzi) not just to the individual but to their entire family and hometown. This historical emphasis on public ranking and achievement echoes in modern China. There is an intense focus on 排行榜 in many areas:

• Education: University rankings are scrutinized by parents and students.
• Business: Companies vie for positions on industry leadership and revenue lists.
• Wealth: Annual rich lists like the Hurun Report (胡润百富榜, Húrùn Bǎifùbǎng) are national news.

While Western culture certainly has its share of lists and rankings, the Chinese 排行榜 is often viewed with a greater sense of collective honor, competition, and validation, a modern reflection of the ancient imperial dream.

排行榜 is a neutral, everyday term used across all forms of media and conversation.

• Entertainment: This is the most common context. You'll constantly hear about music, movie, and book charts.
  • 音乐排行榜 (yīnyuè páihángbǎng): Music charts
  • 票房排行榜 (piàofáng páihángbǎng): Box office rankings
  • 畅销书排行榜 (chàngxiāoshū páihángbǎng): Bestseller list for books
• Technology & Gaming: App stores and video games rely heavily on leaderboards to show popularity and player skill.
  • 下载排行榜 (xiàzài páihángbǎng): Download chart (for apps)
  • 游戏排行榜 (yóuxì páihángbǎng): Game leaderboard
• Social Media: Trending topics on platforms like Weibo are displayed on a 热搜榜 (rèsōu bǎng), a “hot search list,” which functions as a real-time popularity 排行榜.
• Business and Academia: It's used formally to discuss performance and prestige.
  • 大学排行榜 (dàxué páihángbǎng): University rankings
  • 销售排行榜 (xiāoshòu páihángbǎng): Sales leaderboard

• Example 1:
  • 这首歌在音乐排行榜上已经连续三周排名第一了。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shǒu gē zài yīnyuè páihángbǎng shàng yǐjīng liánxù sān zhōu páimíng dì yī le.
  • English: This song has been number one on the music charts for three consecutive weeks.
  • Analysis: A classic example showing how 排行榜 is used in the context of popular music. 排名 (páimíng) is the verb “to rank.”
• Example 2:
  • 我们来看看上周的电影票房排行榜。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen lái kànkan shàng zhōu de diànyǐng piàofáng páihángbǎng.
  • English: Let's take a look at last week's movie box office rankings.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the common collocation with 票房 (piàofáng), meaning “box office.” This is a very frequent phrase in entertainment news.
• Example 3:
  • 他的目标是进入公司销售排行榜的前十名。
  • Pinyin: Tā de mùbiāo shì jìnrù gōngsī xiāoshòu páihángbǎng de qián shí míng.
  • English: His goal is to get into the top ten on the company's sales leaderboard.
  • Analysis: Shows the term's use in a professional or business context. 前十名 (qián shí míng) means “the top 10 places.”
• Example 4:
  • 这本小说最近登上了畅销书排行榜。
  • Pinyin: Zhè běn xiǎoshuō zuìjìn dēng shàng le chàngxiāoshū páihángbǎng.
  • English: This novel recently got on the bestseller list.
  • Analysis: 登上 (dēng shàng) literally means “to ascend” or “mount,” and is often used metaphorically for getting onto a list or chart.
• Example 5:
  • 你查一下这所大学在世界排行榜上的位置。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ chá yīxià zhè suǒ dàxué zài shìjiè páihángbǎng shàng de wèizhì.
  • English: Could you check this university's position on the world rankings?
  • Analysis: A practical example related to education and academic prestige.
• Example 6:
  • 这个排行榜的数据是从哪里来的？可靠吗？
  • Pinyin: Zhège páihángbǎng de shùjù shì cóng nǎlǐ lái de? Kěkào ma?
  • English: Where does the data for this ranking list come from? Is it reliable?
  • Analysis: A useful question for thinking critically about any list. 可靠 (kěkào) means “reliable” or “trustworthy.”
• Example 7:
  • 我在游戏排行榜上终于超过你了！
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zài yóuxì páihángbǎng shàng zhōngyú chāoguò nǐ le!
  • English: I finally surpassed you on the game's leaderboard!
  • Analysis: A common, informal use among friends in the context of gaming.
• Example 8:
  • 今天的微博热搜榜你看了吗？
  • Pinyin: Jīntiān de Wēibó rèsōu bǎng nǐ kàn le ma?
  • English: Did you see today's Weibo hot search list?
  • Analysis: An important example showing how 榜 (bǎng) is often used as a shorthand for 排行榜, especially in established compound words like 热搜榜 (rèsōu bǎng).
• Example 9:
  • 根据最新的财富排行榜，他又成了首富。
  • Pinyin: Gēnjù zuìxīn de cáifù páihángbǎng, tā yòu chéng le shǒufù.
  • English: According to the latest wealth rankings, he has become the richest person again.
  • Analysis: This shows its use for financial rankings. 首富 (shǒufù) means “richest person.”
• Example 10:
  • 这个应用在苹果商店的下载排行榜上名列前茅。
  • Pinyin: Zhège yìngyòng zài Píngguǒ shāngdiàn de xiàzài páihángbǎng shàng mínglièqiánmáo.
  • English: This app ranks among the best on the Apple Store's download chart.
  • Analysis: 名列前茅 (mínglièqiánmáo) is a chengyu (idiom) meaning “to rank among the best,” which is a more formal and descriptive way to say something is at the top of a list.

• “Ranking List” (Noun) vs. “To Rank” (Verb):
  • A common mistake for learners is to use 排行榜 as a verb. 排行榜 is always a noun (the list itself). The verb “to rank” is 排名 (páimíng).
  • Incorrect: ~~我排行榜你第一。~~ (I leaderboard you first.)
  • Correct: 你在我的排行榜上排名第一。 (Nǐ zài wǒ de páihángbǎng shàng páimíng dì yī.) - You rank first on my list.
• The Shorthand `榜 (bǎng)`:
  • As seen in 热搜榜 (rèsōu bǎng), the character 榜 (bǎng) can act as a suffix meaning “list” or “chart.” This is common in fixed expressions. You cannot, however, shorten 排行榜 to just 榜 in regular conversation.
  • Correct: 我们看看排行榜。(Let's look at the ranking list.)
  • Incorrect: ~~我们看看榜。~~ (This sounds incomplete and unnatural.)
• Not just for serious stuff:
  • While 排行榜 has deep cultural roots and is used in formal contexts, it's also used playfully. Friends might create a 排行榜 of the best spicy food restaurants in town or joke about their internal “laziness 排行榜.” The context determines the formality.

• 排名 (páimíng) - The verb “to rank” or the noun for a specific rank/position on a list. It's the action associated with a 排行榜.
• 名次 (míngcì) - The noun for a specific place or position in a ranking (e.g., first place, second place, etc.).
• 榜首 (bǎngshǒu) - The very top of the list, number one. Literally “list head.”
• 冠军 (guànjūn) - Champion; first place. Typically used for sports or other direct competitions rather than passive charts.
• 畅销 (chàngxiāo) - Bestselling. A common adjective used to describe items on a product 排行榜.
• 票房 (piàofáng) - Box office revenue. The key metric used to create movie 排行榜.
• 热搜 (rèsōu) - “Hot search.” Refers to trending topics on social media, which are always presented in a list format, the 热搜榜.
• 科举 (kējǔ) - The imperial examination system. Understanding this concept is key to understanding the cultural weight of the 榜 in 排行榜.
• 光荣榜 (guāngróng bǎng) - An honor roll or a public list of names recognized for achievements (e.g., in a school or company).