契约

• Pinyin: qì yuē
• Hanzi breakdown: 契 = 丰 + 刀 + 大 (carve marks into wood to record a binding agreement); 约 = 糸 (silk/thread) + 勺 (spoon) (bind/promise)

Meaning

Contract; agreement; covenant. A formal, legally or morally binding agreement between parties, often carrying a sense of solemnity.

More formal and literary than 合同. Implies a solemn or weighty agreement, sometimes with moral or philosophical force. Used in law, history, philosophy, and politics. 社会契约 (social contract), 契约精神 (rule of law/spirit of contract) are important modern concepts.

Examples

1. 双方签署了一份具有法律约束力的商业契约，明确规定了各自的权利义务与违约责任条款。 The two parties signed a legally binding business contract that clearly set out each side’s rights and obligations, as well as liability for breach of contract.
2. 卢梭的社会契约论深刻影响了近代西方政治哲学的发展走向与民主制度的理论建构基础。 Rousseau’s Social Contract profoundly influenced the development of modern Western political philosophy and the theoretical foundations of democratic institutions.
3. 企业与员工之间存在一种超越书面条款的隐性契约，关乎相互间的信任、承诺与共同价值观。 Between a company and its employees, there is an implicit contract beyond the written terms, involving mutual trust, commitment, and shared values.

Usage Guide

Context: law, philosophy, business, history

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这份跨国并购的契约条款极为复杂，双方法律团队历经半年艰苦谈判方才达成最终协议。(The contractual terms of this cross-border acquisition were extraordinarily complex — both legal teams required six months of arduous negotiations to reach a final agreement.)
• 契约精神是市场经济的基石——只有参与者都信守承诺，整个商业社会才能有序正常运转。(The spirit of contract is the cornerstone of a market economy — the commercial world can only function properly when all participants honour their commitments.)

Don't Say

• 我们有个契约，你要帮我买咖啡 — 契约 is for formal, weighty agreements; use 约定/说好了 for casual arrangements between friends

Origin & History

契 (engrave/agree — carving marks into wood to record an agreement) + 约 (agreement/promise) — an engraved, binding covenant

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal