志愿队 (zhì yuàn duì) literally combines 志 (aspiration, will), 愿 (wish, desire), and 队 (team, group). Together, it means a group of people who voluntarily come together to serve a common purpose without pay — a 'volunteer team'. It emphasizes collective action driven by goodwill and social responsibility, not professional obligation or financial reward.

This term is widely used in community service, disaster relief, environmental protection, education support, and public events. While individual volunteers are called 志愿者 (zhì yuàn zhě), 志愿队 refers specifically to an organized, coordinated unit — often registered with schools, NGOs, or local governments. The word carries positive connotations of dedication, cooperation, and civic engagement, and is commonly heard in news reports, school announcements, and public service campaigns.