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    Chinese Grammar

    Using 任 (rèn) to express 'serving in a position'

    Actions & Events
    Topic & Focus

    Structure

    在任 + Role/Title

    Explanation

    任 means 'to serve as' or 'to hold the position of,' used to indicate that someone occupies an official role. It is a formal verb common in political, corporate, and institutional contexts, and often appears with 在任 (currently serving) or 现任 (incumbent).

    Examples

    • 她现任公司副总裁，负责国际业务。

      Tā xiànrèn gōngsī fù zǒngcái, fùzé guójì yèwù.

      She currently serves as the company's vice president, in charge of international business.

    • 他曾任北京大学的客座教授。

      Tā céng rèn Běijīng Dàxué de kèzuò jiàoshòu.

      He once served as a visiting professor at Peking University.

    • 张先生在任期间推动了多项重要改革。

      Zhāng xiānshēng zài rèn qījiān tuīdòng le duō xiàng zhòngyào gǎigé.

      During Mr. Zhang's tenure, he promoted several important reforms.

    Using 任 (rèn) to express 'serving in a position' | Chinese Grammar