Difference among these terms for student clubs: 队、团、俱乐部、社和兴趣小组?

Question

In regards to their meanings as "student clubs" (at school), are there any differences in the following words: 队、团、俱乐部、社和兴趣小组？

For me, I personally find 队 to mean clubs having to do with athletics, but I hear it used in such phrases as 数学队 (math team), 科学队 (science team) etc. I also find the other terms interchangeable, even though I often hear 团 used in clubs focused on music, and the other ones don't really seem to be oriented toward any specific subject or aspect. Can you clear up my confusion?

Answer 1

These words are very similar. 队 and 团 are almost the same. For example, we can call the band that attend competitions either 乐队 or 乐团; we can call a choir either 合唱队 or 合唱团. We also often put these two words together: "团队," which means "team". For example: 我们是一个团队。 We are a team.

If you really want tell a difference between 队 and 团, according to my feeling, a 队 may contain fewer people than 团. For example, you can call a group of 3 people 小队, but you can't call it a 团. Anyway, there are still some exceptions. You just have to remember which word goes with 队, and which word goes with 团--like in English, people have to remember to say "a SCHOOL of fish", not "a FLOCK of fish".

俱乐部, 社 and 兴趣小组 are different in terms of their different professional levels.

俱乐部 sounds more professional, people in 俱乐部 are mostly professional enthusiast. Example: 足球俱乐部, 电竞俱乐部 社 sounds less professional than 俱乐部. We call a school club 社, but we never call it 俱乐部. For example: 学校的音乐社 the school's music club

兴趣小组 sounds the least professional. It seems that anyone who is interested in that activity can join a 兴趣小组. They are not required to be professional players.

Answer 2

quiet a good question you ask.

in the respect of scale and general maximum ,i incline to agree 团、俱乐部、社＞队、小组，for example，a 团 focused on music can contain components of hip hop 组、pop 组.however,pop 组 could also serve as an independent organization in the same level of music 团 as what you've found at school.

on the other hand,from my personal idea,俱乐部 sounds professional but appears a pontential impression of losing ambitious and being absent of mind in work，usually related to game and electronic items.

in comparison, 社 sounds modern as well，however with a good impression.

people would arise a feeling of unity and banding together when they meet 队 of which members accord with the high entry requirement and usually participate kinds of competition，

小组 is more casual and harmonious。