Translation and Meaning of: 班 - han

The Japanese word 「班」 (han) has a rich etymology and historical significance. The Kanji 「班」 is composed of the radicals 「王」, which means "king" or "royalty," and 「刂」 which is a radical associated with blades or knives. Historically, this ideogram has its roots in the administration and organization of groups, as it was used to represent something that was divided or separated under a central command, similar to an allocation or distribution of responsibilities within a group established by a higher authority.

In modern Japanese, 「班」 is commonly used to designate organizational groups or teams. Examples of usage include school groups or work teams, such as 「班長」 (hanchou), which refers to the leader of a group. The word is also widely used in military and social contexts to indicate a small number of people gathered with a common purpose or task. This practical utility reflects the importance of collaboration and organization in Japanese culture, which is valued both in the past and in the present.

Although the use of 「班」 in the modern context may seem limited to group management, its history reveals a deep sense of structure and order. In ancient societies, the ability to organize individuals into cohesive groups was essential for survival and efficiency, whether in times of peace or war. Today, the idea of 「班」 still resonates in educational and business systems, where groups are formed to maximize effectiveness and foster teamwork, keeping a tradition of community importance alive through generations.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• クラス (kurasu) - Class, generally used in educational contexts.
• チーム (chīmu) - Team, used in sports or teamwork contexts.
• グループ (gurūpu) - Group, a more generic term that can refer to any set of people coming together for a common purpose.
• 部署 (busho) - Department, used in corporate and organizational environments.
• 分隊 (buntai) - Team or squad, often used in military or security contexts.

班

Romaji: han
Kana: はん
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n1

Translation / Meaning: group; part; Section (thousand)

Meaning in English: group;party;section (mil)

Definition: A group organized to perform a specific task or purpose.

Example Sentences - (班) han

See below some example sentences:

私は学校のクラスで班長を務めています。

Watashi wa gakkou no kurasu de hancho wo tsutomete imasu

I am the team leader in my school class.

I'm a group leader in the school class.

• 私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - partícula que marca o tópico da frase, indicando que o assunto é "eu"
• 学校 (gakkou) - noun meaning "school"
• の (no) - particle indicating ownership, i.e. "of the school"
• クラス (kurasu) - noun meaning "class", in the sense of a group of students
• で (de) - particle indicating the place where the action takes place, in this case, "in class"
• 班長 (hanchou) - noun meaning "group leader", in this case the class leader
• を (wo) - particle indicating the direct object of the sentence, i.e. "I am playing the role of group leader"
• 務めています (tsutometeimasu) - verb meaning "I am performing" or "I am exercising"