连任

• Pinyin: lián rèn
• Hanzi breakdown: 连 = 辶 + 车 (consecutive); 任 = 亻 + 壬 (assignment/responsibility)

Meaning

To be re-elected or re-appointed to the same position; to serve consecutive terms in office.

Used in political and organisational contexts. Common collocations: 竞选连任 (run for re-election), 连任两届 (serve two consecutive terms), 成功连任 (successfully re-elected). Frequently appears in news about government officials, company executives, or heads of organisations.

Examples

1. 该党候选人在大选中以高票获胜，成功连任总统一职。 The party’s candidate won the election by a large margin and was successfully re-elected president.
2. 董事会经过表决，同意现任首席执行官连任三年。 After a vote, the board agreed to reappoint the current CEO for another three years.
3. 宪法修正案取消了总统连任的任期限制，在社会上引发了广泛争议。 A constitutional amendment removed term limits on presidential re-election, sparking widespread controversy.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, organisations, elections, corporate governance

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 现任市长在民调中支持率持续领先，被普遍看好将在下届选举中连任。(The incumbent mayor has consistently led in polls and is widely expected to win re-election in the next election.)
• 该协会章程规定，理事长最多可连任两届，每届任期三年。(The association's charter stipulates that the chairman may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms, each lasting three years.)

Don't Say

• 用'连任'描述换届后重新当选 — 连任特指在同一职位上连续任职，中断后再次当选应用'再度当选'或'重新当选'

Origin & History

连 (consecutive/continuous) + 任 (appointment/term/position)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal