Language in use

Chinese for work

Business cards, meetings and polite requests: the phrases a Chinese workplace runs on.

Why this field

Working with Chinese colleagues or partners, a few phrases of Chinese build goodwill quickly — especially at the start of a relationship, when first impressions count.

Workplace Chinese is polite through set phrases and through 您(nín), the respectful "you". Learning the phrases as whole units is the fastest way in.

Sentences to say aloud

The label says where a sentence belongs. The speaker next to it reads it aloud.

1. 您好(nínhǎo)，我(wǒ)是(shì)新(xīn)来(lái)的(de)同事(tóngshì)。Hello, I’m the new colleague.

   polite

2. 这(zhè)是(shì)我(wǒ)的(de)名片(míngpiàn)。Here is my business card.

   formal Hand it over with both hands, text facing the other person.

3. 请(qǐng)多(duō)关照(guānzhào)。I look forward to working with you.

   formal A set phrase for the beginning of working together.

4. 我们(wǒmen)几(jǐ)点(diǎn)开会(kāihuì)？What time is the meeting?

   neutral

5. 这个(zhège)问题(wèntí)我(wǒ)需要(xūyào)再(zài)确认(quèrèn)一下(yíxià)。I need to check this question once more.

   neutral

6. 麻烦(máfan)您(nín)把(bǎ)文件(wénjiàn)发(fā)给(gěi)我(wǒ)。Could I trouble you to send me the file?

   polite 麻烦(máfan)您(nín) — "may I trouble you" — makes a request polite.

7. 我(wǒ)明天(míngtiān)给(gěi)您(nín)回复(huífù)。I will get back to you tomorrow.

   polite

8. 不(bù)好意思(hǎoyìsi)，我(wǒ)来(lái)晚(wǎn)了(le)。Sorry I’m late.

   neutral

9. 辛苦(xīnkǔ)了(le)！Thank you for all your hard work!

   neutral Said to someone who has worked hard for you — colleagues, drivers, staff.

10. 祝(zhù)我们(wǒmen)合作(hézuò)愉快(yúkuài)！Here’s to working well together!

    formal A typical toast at a business dinner.

What matters here

• Use 您(nín) with superiors, clients and anyone older; 你(nǐ) among colleagues of the same level.
• A business card is given and received with both hands, and looked at before it is put away.
• 一下(yíxià) after a verb makes a request softer: 确认(quèrèn)一下(yíxià), "check briefly".

Try it yourself

Read the meaning, say the sentence aloud in Chinese, then open it to compare.

1. Hello, I’m the new colleague.

   您好(nínhǎo)，我(wǒ)是(shì)新(xīn)来(lái)的(de)同事(tóngshì)。

2. I look forward to working with you.

   请(qǐng)多(duō)关照(guānzhào)。

3. I need to check this question once more.

   这个(zhège)问题(wèntí)我(wǒ)需要(xūyào)再(zài)确认(quèrèn)一下(yíxià)。

4. I will get back to you tomorrow.

   我(wǒ)明天(míngtiān)给(gěi)您(nín)回复(huífù)。

More fields

Every sentence on this page was written for EveryLingua. There are no quotations from films, series, books or songs here, and no titles or names of artists — the page shows how people talk in this field, not what somebody once said.