班

Core sense is division or partitioning. This manifests as:

• Administrative/Military: A partitioned group, squad, or grade; a structural unit defined by rank or function.
• Temporal: A shift, turn of duty, or assigned time-slot.

Can function as a verb meaning to divide, distribute, allocate, or assign.

The sense of a "work shift" or "job" is more characteristic of later usage (e.g., Tang period). Earlier texts lean toward the verbal sense (to distribute) or the structural unit (squad/grade).

Avoid translating as "class" in the modern pedagogical sense (a school classroom) unless the context explicitly supports it; in ancient texts, this is almost always an administrative, military, or functional designation.