座谈会

• Pinyin: zuò tán huì
• Hanzi breakdown: 座 = 广 (shelter) + 坐 (sit); 谈 = 讠(speech) + 炎 (fire/phonetic); 会 = meeting

Meaning

Symposium; forum; discussion meeting; roundtable discussion.

A formal meeting where participants discuss topics, share views, and exchange ideas. Common in academic, political, and professional settings. Less formal than a conference but more structured than casual discussion. Often involves invited speakers or experts.

Examples

1. 学校举办了一场关于人工智能发展的座谈会，邀请了多位行业专家参加。 The school held a symposium on AI development, inviting several industry experts to participate.
2. 政府组织了一次座谈会，听取企业家们对新政策的意见和建议。 The government organized a forum to hear entrepreneurs' opinions and suggestions on new policies.
3. 退休老教师们参加了一场座谈会，分享他们多年从教的经验和感悟。 Retired veteran teachers attended a discussion meeting to share their years of teaching experience and insights.

Usage Guide

Context: academic, political, professional

Tone: professional

Do Say

• 我要参加一个座谈会。(I'm attending a symposium.)
• 座谈会定在下周三。(The forum is scheduled for next Wednesday.)

Don't Say

• 朋友们的座谈会很开心。(For casual friend gatherings, use 聚会 not 座谈会)

Origin & History

Compound of 座谈 (to have a discussion while seated) and 会 (meeting). Describes an organized meeting for seated discussion.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Professional