合作社

• Pinyin: hé zuò shè
• Hanzi breakdown: 合作 = 合 (join) + 作 (work/do) — to cooperate; 社 = 礻(spirit/community radical) + 土 (earth) — community/organization

Meaning

Cooperative; cooperative society. A member-owned organization operated for the mutual benefit of its members.

Particularly associated with agricultural cooperatives in China's rural economy. During the collective farming era of the 1950s–70s, agricultural cooperatives played a central role in Chinese rural life. Today they refer to modern rural cooperative organizations that help farmers pool resources, market produce collectively, and access credit.

Examples

1. 村里成立了一个蔬菜种植合作社，帮助农民统一采购农资、集中销售产品。 The village set up a vegetable-growing cooperative to help farmers buy supplies together and sell their products as a group.
2. 加入合作社后，农民不仅降低了生产成本，还获得了更稳定的销售渠道。 After joining the cooperative, farmers not only reduced production costs but also gained more stable sales channels.
3. 该合作社已发展成为当地规模最大的农业经营主体，带动了数百户农民增收致富。 The cooperative has grown into the area’s largest agricultural operator, helping hundreds of households increase their income and build better lives.

Usage Guide

Context: agriculture, rural economy, business, social organization

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 农民通过合作社抱团取暖，有效抵御了市场价格波动的冲击。(Farmers banded together through the cooperative to effectively withstand the impact of market price fluctuations.)
• 政府积极鼓励农村发展各类专业合作社，以提升整体农业竞争力。(The government actively encourages rural areas to develop various professional cooperatives to enhance overall agricultural competitiveness.)

Don't Say

• 合作社 for general corporate partnerships or joint ventures — use 合资企业 or 合伙企业; 合作社 specifically refers to member-owned cooperative organizations

Origin & History

合作 (cooperation; to cooperate) + 社 (organization; community; society)

Cultural Context

Era: Modern (post-1949)

Generation: All ages

Social background: Rural / Universal