总裁

• Pinyin: zǒng cái
• Hanzi breakdown: 总 = 心 (heart) + 囱 (window) — overall, general; 裁 = 衣 (clothes) + 戈 (weapon) — to cut, decide

Meaning

President; CEO; chief executive. The highest-ranking executive in a company or organization.

Commonly used for corporate leaders, especially in large companies. In Chinese internet culture, 霸道总裁 (domineering CEO) is a popular romance novel trope. Distinct from 总经理 (general manager) which is typically a lower position.

Examples

1. 公司总裁亲自出席了这次发布会。 The company's CEO personally attended this press conference.
2. 她年仅三十五岁就成为了集团总裁。 She became the group's president at only thirty-five years old.
3. 总裁宣布了公司的新战略方向。 The CEO announced the company's new strategic direction.

Usage Guide

Context: business, corporate

Tone: respectful

Do Say

• 请问总裁什么时候有空开会？(When is the president available for a meeting?)
• 新任总裁将在下月正式上任。(The new CEO will officially take office next month.)

Don't Say

• 对小公司老板称总裁 (Don't address small business owners as 总裁 — it's typically reserved for large corporations; use 老板 or their actual title)

Origin & History

总 (overall, chief) + 裁 (to decide, to judge). Together they mean the chief decision-maker.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal