5 · 40 words

Business and management

Strategy, brands and markets, boards and founders, mergers and profit.

The language of running a company is one of the most formal registers in everyday Chinese, and much of it is international business vocabulary rebuilt from Chinese parts: a 品牌(pǐnpái) is a brand, 营销(yíngxiāo) marketing, 战略(zhànlüè) strategy. Several words are contractions that only exist in the short form — 研发(yánfā) is made from 研究(yánjiū) and 开发(kāifā), 并购(bìnggòu) from 合并(hébìng) and 收购(shōugòu) — so a learner who knows the long words can often work out the short one.

The words

Verb (10)

运营(yùnyíng)to operate; operationsVerb5

这(zhè)条(tiáo)地铁(dìtiě)线(xiàn)明年(míngnián)开始(kāishǐ)运营(yùnyíng)。This metro line will start operating next year.

创业(chuàngyè)to start a businessVerb5

大学(dàxué)毕业(bìyè)后(hòu)，他(tā)和(hé)两(liǎng)个(ge)同学(tóngxué)一起(yìqǐ)创业(chuàngyè)。After university he started a business with two classmates.

销售(xiāoshòu)to sell; salesVerb4

她(tā)在(zài)一(yì)家(jiā)汽车(qìchē)公司(gōngsī)做(zuò)销售(xiāoshòu)。She works in sales at a car company.

外包(wàibāo)to outsourceVerb5

公司(gōngsī)把(bǎ)客服(kèfú)工作(gōngzuò)外包(wàibāo)给(gěi)了(le)别的(biéde)公司(gōngsī)。The company outsourced its customer service to another firm.

转型(zhuǎnxíng)to change course; to transform; transitionVerb5

这(zhè)家(jiā)老(lǎo)书店(shūdiàn)正在(zhèngzài)向(xiàng)网上(wǎngshàng)销售(xiāoshòu)转型(zhuǎnxíng)。This old bookshop is moving over to selling online.

扩张(kuòzhāng)to expandVerb5

公司(gōngsī)扩张(kuòzhāng)得(de)太(tài)快(kuài)，结果(jiéguǒ)出现(chūxiàn)了(le)资金(zījīn)问题(wèntí)。The company expanded too fast and ran into cash problems.

收购(shōugòu)to acquire; to buy upVerb5

一(yì)家(jiā)大(dà)公司(gōngsī)收购(shōugòu)了(le)我们(wǒmen)的(de)工厂(gōngchǎng)。A large company bought up our factory.

推广(tuīguǎng)to promote; to populariseVerb5

公司(gōngsī)花(huā)了(le)很(hěn)多(duō)钱(qián)推广(tuīguǎng)新(xīn)产品(chǎnpǐn)。The company spent a lot of money promoting the new product.

经营(jīngyíng)to run (a business); to manageVerb5

这(zhè)家(jiā)小(xiǎo)饭馆(fànguǎn)由(yóu)一(yí)对(duì)夫妻(fūqī)经营(jīngyíng)。This little restaurant is run by a married couple.

执行(zhíxíng)to carry out; to implementVerb5

计划(jìhuà)定好(dìnghǎo)了(le)，关键(guānjiàn)是(shì)怎么(zěnme)执行(zhíxíng)。The plan is settled; the key is how to carry it out.

This list belongs to The economy, business and finance — four lists and 161 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.