<p>The reason behind why <strong>boss/老板</strong> uses the word &quot;板&quot; is due to the simplifying of the Chinese characters for boss. To get a better understanding, we need to look at the traditional characters, that being <strong>老闆</strong>.</p>
<hr />
<p><strong>板</strong>(simplified) and <strong>闆</strong>(traditional) and  were originally two different words.
<strong>板</strong> meanings <strong>board</strong>, as we can see the <strong>木</strong> (wood) radical.</p>
<p><strong>闆</strong> is the word for a person in charge of a business.
Like @xenophōn stated, it's made up of 門(door) and 品(product), giving an image of a product behind the counter/door.</p>
<hr />
<p>As for <strong>老</strong>, it's used as a 前缀/prefix for 尊敬/Respect.
Like the following for showing respect:</p>
<ul>
<li>老王(old + lastname, Wang)</li>
<li>老公(husband), 老婆(wife)</li>
<li>老鼠(Rat), 老虎(Tiger)</li>
<li>老外(Foreigner)</li>
</ul>
<p>For <strong>老鼠(Rat)</strong> and <strong>老虎(Tiger)</strong>, it had interesting reasoning behind them. According to this: <a href="https://www.sohu.com/a/669631511_121249627" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.sohu.com/a/669631511_121249627</a></p>
<p><strong>老鼠(Rat)</strong>: Rats has a long life. To show respect, Chinese uses <strong>老鼠</strong> and avoid using the word <strong>耗子</strong>.</p>
<p><strong>老虎(Tiger)</strong>: 老 is used to show tigers being 威猛/fierce and brave. Avoiding the word <strong>大虫</strong>.</p>
<p>For 老外(Foreigner): Some would think that using the word <strong>老</strong> is used as an offense upon hearing it. However, it's actually used as a prefix for respect as stated before.</p>
<hr />
<p>老板 is originally suppose to be 老闆.
It combines the prefix for respect,&quot;老&quot; and the word for a person in charge of a business &quot;闆&quot;. To become &quot;<strong>老闆</strong>&quot;.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-11T16:42:41.270Z
2024-11-24T15:22:35.960Z
2024-11-24T15:22:35.960Z
Zorua Kuma
<p>The primary meaning of 板 is 'board'. So why does 老板 or 'old board' mean 'boss, chief'?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-12T08:58:42.200Z
search online: 老板是怎么来源的  https://zhidao.baidu.com/question/243262442.html one explanation:旧时有人在将Chairman of the board（董事长）翻译成中文时便戏称其为“板”，按中国人说话的习惯，在称谓前再加一个“老”字，于是便成了“老板”。经长期流传使用，“老板”一词早已经由最初的戏称演变为一般称呼。
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-14T02:41:43.653Z
闆 is made up with 門 and 品. 門 represents the door, 品 represents the counter or reception of a store, a restaurant, a hotel, etc.
xenophōn
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-14T02:47:24.153Z
@user6065 **老板**的**板**是**闆**字的同音替代，和 board 的翻译无关。
xenophōn
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-15T08:39:43.210Z
So it means originally the shopkeeper?
Christopher Lord
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-17T11:53:26.710Z
@ChristopherLord 老闆 means shopkeeper at first, but now the meaning expands wide. The top leaders of a company or coreration are also called 老板. 板 in simplified Chinese is the hmophonic substitution for 闆 in traditional Chinese.
xenophōn
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-11T18:03:30.477Z
[A 2012 linguistics paper](https://apps.wanfangdata.com.cn/perios/article:nkyyxk201202005) found that it was first attested in the 16th cenutry as 老辦, and then as 老班, which more obviously relate to "management" and "class/group".
Michaelyus
<etymology><expressions>
Why is the boss called 老板?
# Why is the boss called 老板?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-08-12)

The primary meaning of 板 is 'board'. So why does 老板 or 'old board' mean 'boss, chief'?

**Tags:** etymology, expressions

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: search online: 老板是怎么来源的  https://zhidao.baidu.com/question/243262442.html one explanation:旧时有人在将Chairman of the board（董事长）翻译成中文时便戏称其为“板”，按中国人说话的习惯，在称谓前再加一个“老”字，于是便成了“老板”。经长期流传使用，“老板”一词早已经由最初的戏称演变为一般称呼。  
> **username_2**: 闆 is made up with 門 and 品. 門 represents the door, 品 represents the counter or reception of a store, a restaurant, a hotel, etc.  
> **username_2**: @username_1 **老板**的**板**是**闆**字的同音替代，和 board 的翻译无关。  
> **username_0**: So it means originally the shopkeeper?  
> **username_2**: @username_0 老闆 means shopkeeper at first, but now the meaning expands wide. The top leaders of a company or coreration are also called 老板. 板 in simplified Chinese is the hmophonic substitution for 闆 in traditional Chinese.  
> **username_3**: [A 2012 linguistics paper](https://apps.wanfangdata.com.cn/perios/article:nkyyxk201202005) found that it was first attested in the 16th cenutry as 老辦, and then as 老班, which more obviously relate to "management" and "class/group".  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2024-11-11. Score: 0

The reason behind why **boss/老板** uses the word "板" is due to the simplifying of the Chinese characters for boss. To get a better understanding, we need to look at the traditional characters, that being **老闆**.

---

**板**(simplified) and **闆**(traditional) and were originally two different words.
**板** meanings **board**, as we can see the **木** (wood) radical.

**闆** is the word for a person in charge of a business.
Like @username_2 stated, it's made up of 門(door) and 品(product), giving an image of a product behind the counter/door.

---

As for **老**, it's used as a 前缀/prefix for 尊敬/Respect.
Like the following for showing respect:

* 老王(old + lastname, Wang)
* 老公(husband), 老婆(wife)
* 老鼠(Rat), 老虎(Tiger)
* 老外(Foreigner)

For **老鼠(Rat)** and **老虎(Tiger)**, it had interesting reasoning behind them. According to this: <https://www.sohu.com/a/669631511_121249627>

**老鼠(Rat)**: Rats has a long life. To show respect, Chinese uses **老鼠** and avoid using the word **耗子**.

**老虎(Tiger)**: 老 is used to show tigers being 威猛/fierce and brave. Avoiding the word **大虫**.

For 老外(Foreigner): Some would think that using the word **老** is used as an offense upon hearing it. However, it's actually used as a prefix for respect as stated before.

---

老板 is originally suppose to be 老闆.
It combines the prefix for respect,"老" and the word for a person in charge of a business "闆". To become "**老闆**".


---

