职责

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 维护安全是警察的职责。▶ —
   Maintaining safety is the police’s duty.
2. 每个人都要尽到自己的职责。▶ —
   Everyone must fulfill their own duties.

Collocations

Mnemonic

职 zhí "office, post" + 责 zé "responsibility, to reproach": the responsibility attached to one’s post, i.e. duty, the obligations of one’s office. Same as the Korean word jik-chaek (職責). The obligations that properly come with a position or job (尽职责 to fulfill one’s duty, 履行职责 to discharge one’s duties). Unlike the sacred calling 使命, 职责 is the due responsibility attached to a held post, more concrete and everyday. 职 means "office, occupation" (职业, 职务); 责 means "responsibility" (责任, 负责).

Related

Quick check

1. What is the nuance of 职责 versus 使命?

   • due responsibility attached to one’s post
   • a sacred, momentous calling
   • a personal hobby
   • a passing mood