zhízé: 职责 - Duty, Responsibility, Obligation

• Keywords: zhize, zhízé, 职责, duty in Chinese, responsibility in Chinese, job description Chinese, professional obligation, 责任 vs 职责, Chinese for role, fulfill your duty in Chinese
• Summary: Learn the Chinese word 职责 (zhízé), which means “duty” or “responsibility” specifically tied to a professional role or position. This page breaks down the characters, explains its cultural significance in the workplace, and contrasts it with the more general term `责任 (zérèn)`. Master its use with 10 practical example sentences for business and formal situations.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): zhí zé
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: The set of duties, responsibilities, or functions that are inherent to a specific job, role, or position.
• In a Nutshell: Think of 职责 (zhízé) as your “job description” brought to life. It's not just a general sense of responsibility; it's the specific list of what you are supposed to do because of your title or role. It's formal, professional, and clearly defined. If you're a teacher, your `职责` includes teaching students and grading papers. If you're a guard, your `职责` is to ensure safety.

• 职 (zhí): This character relates to a post, office, or profession. The left side, 耳 (ěr), means “ear,” and the right side, 只 (zhī), provides the sound. One can imagine an official “listening” (耳) to their assigned duties. It fundamentally means “duty” or “job.”
• 责 (zé): This character means “responsibility,” “duty,” or “to blame.” The top part originally depicted a thorn (朿) over a shell/money (貝), symbolizing a burden or a debt you are required to repay. This conveys the weight of an obligation.
• Together, 职责 (zhízé) literally translates to “the responsibilities (责) of one's post/profession (职).” The combination creates a specific and formal term for the duties defined by a role.

In Chinese culture, roles within a hierarchy (be it a company, family, or society) are often more clearly defined than in the West. The concept of 职责 (zhízé) is central to this structure. It reflects the value placed on fulfilling one's prescribed part to ensure the smooth functioning of the collective. This can be contrasted with the more individualistic Western idea of “taking on responsibility.” While in the West, an employee might be praised for “taking initiative” far outside their role, in a traditional Chinese context, sticking to one's 职责 (zhízé) is often seen as the primary virtue. Overstepping one's defined duties can sometimes be viewed as disruptive, while failing to meet them is a serious lapse. Fulfilling your `职责` is a sign of professionalism, reliability, and respect for the system you are a part of. It's less about personal ambition and more about contributing to the harmony and efficiency of the group by doing your part, and doing it well.

职责 (zhízé) is a formal term used almost exclusively in professional, legal, or official contexts.

• In the Workplace: This is its most common habitat. It appears in job descriptions (`岗位职责`), employment contracts (`合同`), performance reviews, and daily management conversations. When a manager says, “这不是你的职责 (This is not your duty),” they are drawing a clear line about your professional responsibilities.
• Formal Connotation: You would not use `职责` to talk about household chores or favors between friends. For example, you wouldn't say it's your `职责` to walk the dog. Instead, you'd use the more general term `责任 (zérèn)` or simply say “我应该…” (I should…).
• Connotation: The term is neutral. It simply states a fact about a role. However, fulfilling one's `职责` (`履行职责`) is highly positive, while neglecting it (`玩忽职守`) is very negative.

• Example 1:
  • 保护环境是每个公民的职责。
  • Pinyin: Bǎohù huánjìng shì měi ge gōngmín de zhízé.
  • English: Protecting the environment is the duty of every citizen.
  • Analysis: This shows `职责` used in a broad, civic sense, treating “citizen” as a formal role with inherent duties.
• Example 2:
  • 这份工作的职责范围很广，压力也很大。
  • Pinyin: Zhè fèn gōngzuò de zhízé fànwéi hěn guǎng, yālì yě hěn dà.
  • English: The scope of responsibilities for this job is very wide, and the pressure is also great.
  • Analysis: A common way to discuss the nature of a job, especially during an interview or when describing your work to others.
• Example 3:
  • 对不起，处理客户投诉不属于我的职责范围。
  • Pinyin: Duìbuqǐ, chǔlǐ kèhù tóusù bù shǔyú wǒ de zhízé fànwéi.
  • English: I'm sorry, handling customer complaints is not part of my duties.
  • Analysis: A polite but firm way to clarify the boundaries of your job role. The phrase `职责范围 (zhízé fànwéi)` means “scope of responsibility.”
• Example 4:
  • 作为经理，他的首要职责是带领团队完成目标。
  • Pinyin: Zuòwéi jīnglǐ, tā de shǒuyào zhízé shì dàilǐng tuánduì wánchéng mùbiāo.
  • English: As a manager, his primary duty is to lead the team to achieve its goals.
  • Analysis: `首要职责 (shǒuyào zhízé)` means “primary/foremost duty,” highlighting the most important part of a role.
• Example 5:
  • 他因为没有履行自己的职责而被解雇了。
  • Pinyin: Tā yīnwèi méiyǒu lǚxíng zìjǐ de zhízé ér bèi jiěgù le.
  • English: He was fired for not fulfilling his duties.
  • Analysis: `履行职责 (lǚxíng zhízé)` is a very common and formal collocation meaning “to fulfill/carry out one's duties.”
• Example 6:
  • 在面试时，面试官会详细说明这个岗位的职责。
  • Pinyin: Zài miànshì shí, miànshìguān huì xiángxì shuōmíng zhège gǎngwèi de zhízé.
  • English: During the interview, the interviewer will explain the duties of this position in detail.
  • Analysis: `岗位职责 (gǎngwèi zhízé)` is the standard term for “job responsibilities” you'd see on a job posting.
• Example 7:
  • 明确每个人的职责可以提高团队的效率。
  • Pinyin: Míngquè měi ge rén de zhízé kěyǐ tígāo tuánduì de xiàolǜ.
  • English: Clarifying everyone's duties can improve the team's efficiency.
  • Analysis: This highlights the organizational function of defining `职责`.
• Example 8:
  • 医生的职责是救死扶伤。
  • Pinyin: Yīshēng de zhízé shì jiù sǐ fú shāng.
  • English: The duty of a doctor is to save the dying and heal the injured.
  • Analysis: A classic set phrase (`救死扶伤`) used to describe the noble `职责` of the medical profession.
• Example 9:
  • 这完全超出了我的职责，我需要向我的上司报告。
  • Pinyin: Zhè wánquán chāochū le wǒ de zhízé, wǒ xūyào xiàng wǒ de shàngsi bàogào.
  • English: This is completely beyond my responsibilities; I need to report it to my superior.
  • Analysis: A useful phrase for when you are asked to do something you don't have the authority or a mandate for.
• Example 10:
  • 我们的职责就是确保产品质量。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen de zhízé jiùshì quèbǎo chǎnpǐn zhìliàng.
  • English: Our duty is precisely to ensure product quality.
  • Analysis: `就是 (jiùshì)` is used here for emphasis, framing quality assurance as the core, non-negotiable duty.

The most common point of confusion for learners is the difference between 职责 (zhízé) and 责任 (zérèn). They both translate to “responsibility,” but are not interchangeable.

• 职责 (zhízé): The “What” of a Role
  • Refers to the scope of duties assigned to a position. It's about the tasks and functions.
  • Think: Job Description, Function, Mandate.
  • Example: A pilot's `职责` is to fly the plane safely from A to B.
• 责任 (zérèn): The “Who” of Accountability
  • Refers to the broader, often moral, accountability for an outcome. It's about taking the credit or the blame.
  • Think: Accountability, Liability, Burden.
  • Example: If the plane crashes due to pilot error, it is the pilot's `责任`.

A Simple Analogy: Imagine a building is on fire.

• The firefighter's 职责 (zhízé) is to put out the fire. That is their job function.
• If the firefighter fails and the building burns down, they bear the 责任 (zérèn) for the loss. That is their accountability.

Incorrect Usage:

• Wrong: 妈妈说打扫我的房间是我的职责。 (Māma shuō dǎsǎo wǒ de fángjiān shì wǒ de zhízé.)
• Why it's wrong: This is too formal. A family chore is a personal responsibility, not a professional duty.
• Correct: 妈妈说打扫我的房间是我的责任。 (Māma shuō dǎsǎo wǒ de fángjiān shì wǒ de zérèn.)

• 责任 (zérèn) - The general concept of “responsibility” or “accountability,” covering moral, legal, and personal spheres. It's the “consequence” part of an action.
• 义务 (yìwù) - An “obligation” or “duty,” often in a legal or moral sense that applies to everyone in a certain category (e.g., `服兵役的义务` - the obligation to do military service). More about civic/legal duty than job duty.
• 任务 (rènwù) - A specific, assigned “task” or “mission.” Your `职责` might include completing many different `任务`.
• 岗位 (gǎngwèi) - A “post” or “position” in an organization. Your `岗位` determines your `职责`.
• 本分 (běnfèn) - One's proper role or duty, often with a strong moral or traditional expectation. It's about “knowing your place” and acting accordingly.
• 履行 (lǚxíng) - A formal verb meaning “to fulfill” or “to carry out.” It pairs perfectly with `职责` (e.g., `履行职责`).
• 职能 (zhínéng) - “Function” or “role,” often used to describe the purpose of a department or a position in an abstract way.
• 玩忽职守 (wán hū zhí shǒu) - A formal idiom meaning “to neglect one's duty” or “dereliction of duty.”