会谈

• Pinyin: huì tán
• Hanzi breakdown: 会 = to meet/gather; 谈 = to talk/discuss

Meaning

To hold talks; negotiation; conference. Formal discussions between parties.

Used for formal talks between officials, business leaders, or diplomats. More formal than 讨论 or 商量. Often used in news and political contexts. Can be a noun (the talks) or a verb (to hold talks).

Examples

1. 两国领导人将于下周举行正式会谈。 The leaders of the two countries will hold formal talks next week.
2. 这次商务会谈进行得非常顺利。 This business negotiation went very smoothly.
3. 劳资双方的会谈陷入了僵局。 The talks between labor and management have reached a deadlock.

Usage Guide

Context: diplomacy, business, politics, news

Tone: official

Do Say

• 会谈取得了积极成果。(The talks achieved positive results.)
• 双方同意继续会谈。(Both sides agreed to continue talks.)

Don't Say

• 我和朋友会谈了一下午 (会谈 is for formal official talks — for chatting with friends, use 聊天 or 谈话)

Origin & History

Compound of 会 (to meet) + 谈 (to talk), meaning to meet and talk.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal