议

• Pinyin: yì
• Hanzi breakdown: 议 = 言 (speech radical — words, speech) + 义 (righteousness — principled moral reasoning)

Meaning

To discuss; to deliberate; to confer on matters formally. Often appears in compound words and formal written contexts.

As a standalone verb 议 is literary and formal, appearing mainly in set phrases like 议定 (agree upon after deliberation), 议价 (negotiate a price), and 提议 (make a proposal). In everyday speech, 讨论 or 商量 are more natural. 议 emphasises structured, institutional discussion rather than casual exchange.

Examples

1. 董事会就公司战略转型方向反复议了三轮，最终形成了一份凝聚各方共识的改革决议。 The board deliberated over the company’s strategic transformation in three rounds and ultimately produced a reform resolution that reflected broad consensus.
2. 双方代表就合同条款逐条议定，历时两个月，方才草签了合作协议。 The two sides negotiated the contract clauses one by one for two months before initialing a cooperation agreement.
3. 村民们自发聚集在广场上，就即将修建的公路走向展开热烈讨论，各抒己见，据理力议。 Villagers gathered spontaneously in the town square to debate the planned highway route, each offering their own view and arguing their case with reasons and evidence.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, business, law, formal deliberation

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 专家委员会将于下周召开专题研讨会，就修订后的城市规划草案逐条议定，并向主管部门提交最终意见报告。(The expert committee will convene a thematic symposium next week to deliberate clause by clause on the revised urban planning draft and submit a final opinion report to the competent authority.)
• 劳资双方经过数轮集体谈判，就薪酬调整幅度和带薪年假天数议定了新的三年协议，将于下月正式生效。(After several rounds of collective bargaining, labour and management have deliberated upon a new three-year agreement on the scale of wage adjustments and the number of paid annual leave days, which will come into formal effect next month.)

Don't Say

• 我们来议一议今晚吃什么 — 议 is formal/literary; for everyday decisions use 商量 such as 商量一下吃什么 or 讨论

Origin & History

议 = 言 (speech/words — the speech radical) + 义 (righteousness/meaning — 羊 sheep + 我 I; principled deliberation based on moral reasoning)

Cultural Context

Era: Classical–Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal