# 老闆
## Chinese

* 老闆

### Etymology

From earlier 老辦／老办 or 老班, from 老 (lǎo, “a respectful prefix”) + 辦／办 (bàn, “to manage”) or 班 (bān, “group”); 闆 and 板 in 老闆／老板 are phonetic loan characters; first attested as 老辦／老办 in the 16th century (Yang, 2012).

### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): lǎobǎn
    (Zhuyin): ㄌㄠˇ ㄅㄢˇ
* Cantonese
    (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): lou$^5$ baan$^2$
    (Taishan, Wiktionary): lau$^2$ ban$^2$
* Gan (Wiktionary): lau$^3$ 'ban$^3$
* Hakka (Meixian, Guangdong): lau$^3$ ban$^3$
* Jin (Wiktionary): lau$^2$ ban$^2$
* Eastern Min (BUC): lō̤-*bēng
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): láu-pán / làu-pán / lāu-pán
    (Teochew, Peng'im): lao$^6$ bang$^2$ / lao$^2$ bang$^2$
* Wu (Northern, Wugniu): $^6$lau-pe$_5$ / $^2$lau$_6$-pe$_3$
* Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): lau$^3$ ban$^3$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: lǎobǎn [Phonetic: láobǎn]
*** Zhuyin: ㄌㄠˇ ㄅㄢˇ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: lǎobǎn
*** Wade–Giles: lao$^3$-pan$^3$
*** Yale: lǎu-bǎn
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: laobaan
*** Palladius: лаобань (laobanʹ)
*** Sinological IPA : /lɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ pän²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: lou$^5$ baan$^2$
*** Yale: lóuh báan
*** Cantonese Pinyin: lou$^5$ baan$^2$
*** Guangdong Romanization: lou$^5$ ban$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /lou̯¹³ paːn³⁵/
** (Taishanese, Taicheng)
*** Wiktionary: lau$^2$ ban$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /lau⁵⁵ pan⁵⁵/
* Gan
** (Nanchang)
*** Wiktionary: lau$^3$ 'ban$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /lau²¹³⁻²⁴ ˈpan²¹³/
* Hakka
** (Meixian)
*** Guangdong: lau$^3$ ban$^3$
*** Sinological IPA: /lau³¹ pan³¹/
* Jin
** (Taiyuan)
*** Wiktionary: lau$^2$ ban$^2$
*** Sinological IPA (old-style): /lau⁵³⁻¹¹ pæ̃⁵³/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: lō̤-*bēng
*** Sinological IPA : /l̃o³³⁻³⁵ pɛiŋ³³/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese, Tainan, Yilan)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: láu-pán
*** Tâi-lô: láu-pán
*** Phofsit Daibuun: law'parn
*** IPA (Tainan, Yilan): /lau⁵³⁻⁵⁵ pan⁵³/
*** IPA (Kaohsiung): /lau⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ pan⁴¹/
*** IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei): /lau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ pan⁵³/
** (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: làu-pán
*** Tâi-lô: làu-pán
*** Phofsit Daibuun: lao'parn
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /lau⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ pan⁵⁵⁴/
** (Hokkien: variant in Taiwan)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: lāu-pán
*** Tâi-lô: lāu-pán
*** Phofsit Daibuun: lauxparn
*** IPA (Kaohsiung): /lau³³⁻²¹ pan⁴¹/
*** IPA (Taipei): /lau³³⁻¹¹ pan⁵³/
** (Teochew)
*** Peng'im: lao$^6$ bang$^2$ / lao$^2$ bang$^2$
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: lău páng / láu páng
*** Sinological IPA : /lau³⁵⁻¹¹ paŋ⁵²/, /lau⁵²⁻³⁵ paŋ⁵²⁻²¹/
* Wu
** (Northern: Shanghai)
*** Wugniu: $^6$lau-pe$_5$
*** MiniDict: lau$^去$ pe$^去$
*** Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): $^3$lau-pe$_2$
*** Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /lɔ²² pe⁴⁴/
** (Northern: Suzhou)
*** Wugniu: $^2$lau$_6$-pe$_3$
*** MiniDict: lau$^去$ pe$^上$
*** Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /læ²² pe³³/
* Xiang
** (Changsha)
*** Wiktionary: lau$^3$ ban$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /lɒu̯⁴¹ pan⁴¹/

### Noun

老闆
* shop owner; business proprietor
* boss; chief
       Lǎobǎn shēngle nǐde zhí. [Pinyin]
       The boss gave you a promotion.
       Lǎobǎn tuōqiàn wǒ de gōngzī. [Pinyin]
       My boss is behind on paying my wages.
       Lǎobǎn bù yuànyì zēngjiā diànyuán. [Pinyin]
       The boss is unwilling to increase the number of employees.
       Lǎobǎn shuō tā xiǎng xiān shìyòng nǐ liù ge yuè. [Pinyin]
       The boss said he would like to put you on six months probation first.
* (honorific) famous actor in Beijing opera

#### Synonyms

| Variety | Location | Words |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 老闆 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 掌櫃的 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 老闆, 頭家 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Harbin | 掌櫃的 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Malaysia | 老闆 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 老闆 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 老闆 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Yantai (Muping) | 老闆 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xining | 老闆 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xuzhou | 老闆兒, 老闆, 掌櫃的 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Yinchuan | 老闆 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Ürümqi | 掌櫃底 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 老闆兒, 老闆 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chongqing | 老闆兒 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 老闆 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guiyang | 老闆 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Liuzhou | 老闆 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Nanjing | 老闆 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 老闆 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 事頭, 老細, 老闆, 波士, 阿頭 boss |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 事頭, 老細, 老闆, 波士, 阿頭 boss, 老頂 boss |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Kam Tin Weitou) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Macau | 事頭, 老細 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Panyu) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Conghua) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Zengcheng) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Foshan | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shunde) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Sanshui) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming) | 老闆 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Shiqi) | 事頭, 老細 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Doumen) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Baisha) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Xinhui) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 事頭, 老細, 老闆 |
| Cantonese | Kaiping (Chikan) | 事頭, 老細 |
| Cantonese | Enping (Niujiang) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Heshan (Yayao) | 老闆, 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Dongguan | 事頭, 老細, 老闆, 波士 |
| Cantonese | Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Yangjiang | 老闆, 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Nanning | 老闆, 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) | 老闆, 事頭, 阿頭 boss |
| Cantonese | Penang (Guangfu) | 老細 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 老細, 老闆 |
| Cantonese | Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu) | 老細 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 老闆 |
| Gan | Lichuan | 老闆 |
| Gan | Pingxiang | 老闆 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 頭家, 老闆 |
| Hakka | Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua) | 老闆 |
| Hakka | Dongguan (Qingxi) | 事頭 |
| Hakka | Shenzhen (Shatoujiao) | 事頭 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Shuizhai) | 老闆 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Huacheng) | 老闆, 店家 shopkeeper |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Changbu) | 老闆 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Mianyang) | 老闆 |
| Hakka | Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua) | 老闆 |
| Hakka | Jiexi | 頭家 |
| Hakka | Luhe | 老闆 |
| Hakka | Yudu | 老闆 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 頭家 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 頭家 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 頭家 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 頭家 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 頭家 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 頭家 |
| Hakka | Kuching (Hepo) | 頭家 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 老闆, 掌櫃, 掌櫃的 |
| Jin | Xinzhou | 掌櫃子 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 老闆 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 老闆 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen (Tong'an) | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Jinjiang | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Yongchun | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Zhao'an | 頭家, 老闆 |
| Southern Min | Taipei | 老闆, 頭家 |
| Southern Min | New Taipei (Sanxia) | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Kaohsiung | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Yilan | 老闆, 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Changhua (Lukang) | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Taichung | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Tainan | 老闆, 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Hsinchu | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Kinmen | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Penghu (Magong) | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Penang (Hokkien) | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 頭家, 老大 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 頭家, 老闆 |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Shantou (Chenghai) | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Jieyang | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Bangkok (Teochew) | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Johor Bahru (Teochew) | 頭家, 阿頭 boss |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Leizhou | 老闆 |
| Southern Min | Wenchang | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Haikou | 頭家, 老闆 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hainanese) | 頭家 |
| Zhongshan Min | Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi) | 老闆 |
| Southern Pinghua | Nanning (Tingzi) | 老闆 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 老闆 |
| Wu | Shanghai (Chongming) | 老闆 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 老闆 |
| Wu | Danyang | 老闆 |
| Wu | Hangzhou | 老闆 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 老闆, 冷士 dated |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 老闆 |
| Wu | Jinhua | 老闆兒 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 老闆 |
| Xiang | Loudi | 老闆 |

#### Derived terms

* 你老闆／你老板
* 大老闆／大老板
* 小老闆／小老板
* 後臺老闆／后台老板
* 老闆娘／老板娘 (lǎobǎnniáng)
* 老闆鍵／老板键 (lǎobǎnjiàn)

### References

* “Entry #2690”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwan Minnan] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2024.