下班
xiàbān
get off work / finish work
下班 is the opposite of 上班 and means to finish work for the day. It is a high-frequency daily-life phrase that every working learner should know.
Example sentences
你几点下班？
Nǐ jǐ diǎn xiàbān?
What time do you get off work?
我六点下班。
Wǒ liù diǎn xiàbān.
I get off work at six.
How to use 下班 in practice
下班 is a work & study item that is easiest to learn inside a complete sentence. Read it with the pinyin xiàbān, then connect it to the meaning “get off work / finish work” before trying to use it from memory. The examples on this page show the phrase in context: 你几点下班？ / 我六点下班。.
When you practice 下班, do not stop at recognition. Say one example aloud, swap in a new person, place, object, or time word, and then use the phrase in a short answer. This turns a glossary entry into real Mandarin output and exposes word-order or pronunciation mistakes quickly.
Common learner mistake
A common learner mistake is to memorize 下班 only as “get off work / finish work” and then translate word by word from English. Instead, learn the whole chunk with the words around it. Notice which nouns, verbs, measure words, or polite markers appear before and after the phrase, and copy that pattern in your own sentence.
Mini practice prompt
Practice prompt: open Workplace office phrases guide, start a short conversation, and use 下班 naturally in your first or second reply. If the sentence feels awkward, compare it with the examples above and try again with a smaller sentence.
Memory tip: review 下班 tomorrow by covering the English meaning, reading only xiàbān, and producing a sentence before checking the examples. Active recall helps this word survive beyond one reading session.
Practice related pages
FAQ
What is the opposite of 下班?
上班 means to go to work or start work. 上下班 together means the daily commute or work routine.
How can I remember 下班 faster?
Say 下班 inside a full sentence, change one detail, and repeat it in a realistic prompt. The combination of sound, meaning, and context is stronger than memorizing the translation alone.
Can I use 下班 in conversation practice?
Yes. Start with the example sentence, then use 下班 in a short AI conversation so you can see whether the surrounding word order and tone feel natural.
Published by AI Chinese Coach