交谈

• Pinyin: jiāo tán
• Hanzi breakdown: 交 = mutual, exchange; 谈 = 讠(speech) + 炎 — to talk, discuss

Meaning

To converse; to talk with each other. A two-way conversation or discussion between people.

More formal than 聊天 (to chat) and emphasizes mutual exchange of ideas. Often used in professional, diplomatic, or semi-formal contexts. Implies a substantive conversation rather than casual small talk.

Examples

1. 他们在咖啡厅交谈了整整两个小时，话题从工作聊到人生。 They conversed for a full two hours at the cafe, topics ranging from work to life.
2. 初次见面时，我们交谈甚欢，发现有很多共同爱好。 When we first met, we had a delightful conversation and discovered many shared interests.
3. 领导与员工定期交谈，有助于了解基层的真实情况。 Regular conversations between leaders and employees help understand the real situation at the grassroots level.

Usage Guide

Context: professional, social, formal

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我们进行了一次深入的交谈。(We had an in-depth conversation.)
• 请坐下来，我们好好交谈一下。(Please sit down, let's have a proper talk.)

Don't Say

• 用'交谈'描述与宠物或自己说话 (Don't use 交谈 for talking to your pet or yourself — it requires two human participants; use 说话 or 自言自语 instead)

Origin & History

Composed of 交 (mutual; to exchange) + 谈 (to talk). Emphasizes the reciprocal nature of conversation.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Educated speakers