会长

• Pinyin: huì zhǎng
• Hanzi breakdown: 会 = 人 (person) + 云 (cloud, phonetic), gathering; 长 = pictograph of long hair, meaning chief or elder

Meaning

President; chairman. The head of an association, society, or organization.

Specifically for leaders of non-governmental organizations, chambers of commerce, academic societies, clubs, etc. Different from 总裁 (CEO of a company) or 主席 (political chairman). Common collocations: 商会会长 (chamber of commerce president), 学会会长 (society president), 当选会长 (elected as president).

Examples

1. 他刚被选为市工商联合会的新一任会长。 He was just elected as the new president of the city's Federation of Industry and Commerce.
2. 作为协会会长，她需要协调各方利益，工作压力很大。 As president of the association, she needs to balance various interests, which creates a lot of work pressure.
3. 会长亲自主持了今天的年度大会。 The president personally presided over today's annual conference.

Usage Guide

Context: organizations, business associations, societies

Tone: respectful

Do Say

• 请问会长什么时候有空？(When is the president available?)
• 我们邀请会长致开幕词。(We invite the president to deliver the opening remarks.)

Don't Say

• 用会长称呼公司总裁 (Don't use 会长 for a company CEO — use 总裁 or 董事长; 会长 is for associations, not corporations)

Origin & History

Compound of 会 (association, meeting) + 长 (head, chief). The leader of a 会 (society/association).

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal