会面

• Pinyin: huì miàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 会 = 人 + 云 (to meet/gather); 面 = 囗 surrounding 目 (face containing an eye, face/surface)

Meaning

To meet face to face; a deliberate, arranged in-person meeting between two or more parties. Less formal than 会晤 but more purposeful than 见面.

Suggests a planned, purposeful meeting rather than a chance encounter. Used in diplomatic, business, and personal contexts where the encounter is arranged in advance. More formal than casual 见面 but accessible enough to describe personal reunions as well.

Examples

1. 两国外长在峰会期间安排了一次双边会面，就当前的地区局势交换了意见。 During the summit, the two countries’ foreign ministers arranged a bilateral meeting to exchange views on the current regional situation.
2. 阔别十年后，他终于与童年好友在异乡意外会面，两人感慨万千。 After ten years apart, he unexpectedly ran into his childhood friend in a foreign land, and the two were overwhelmed with emotion.
3. 这次会面是在极为低调的情况下进行的，没有媒体在场，双方也未发表任何正式声明。 The meeting was held under very low-key circumstances, with no media present, and neither side issued any formal statement.

Usage Guide

Context: diplomacy, business, personal relations

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 双方代表在谈判陷入僵局之后，在第三方的协调下安排了一次非正式会面，为重启对话创造了条件。(After negotiations reached a deadlock, representatives from both sides arranged an informal meeting under the coordination of a third party, creating conditions for the resumption of dialogue.)
• 他专程从外地赶来，只为与多年未见的恩师会面，亲口表达对当年悉心栽培之情的感谢。(He made a special trip from out of town just to meet his mentor whom he had not seen for many years, and to personally express his gratitude for the careful guidance he had received back then.)

Don't Say

• 会面 for a chance, unplanned encounter — use 偶遇 or 碰到; 会面 implies a deliberate, arranged in-person meeting, not an accidental one

Origin & History

会 (meet/gather) + 面 (face/surface) — to meet face to face

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal