'伍长' (wǔ zhǎng) is a historical Chinese military rank meaning 'squad leader'—specifically, the commander of a 'wu', a traditional unit of five soldiers. The character 伍 (wǔ) originally meant 'five' and later came to denote a small military or administrative unit; 长 (zhǎng) means 'leader' or 'chief'. Together, they form a compound noun denoting the person in charge of such a unit. This term dates back to ancient China (e.g., Warring States and Han dynasties) and appears in classical texts and historical dramas.

While no longer used in modern People's Liberation Army structure, 伍长 remains common in historical fiction, academic discussions of pre-modern Chinese military organization, and martial arts literature. It carries formal, archaic connotations and is rarely used metaphorically in contemporary speech. Learners should recognize it as a fixed historical title—not a general word for 'team leader' in modern contexts.