Reporting, arranging, confirming and keeping a project moving in an office.
Office Chinese leans on a handful of formal verbs where English would often just say “send” or “tell”: you 汇报 to the person above you, 提交 a document and 确认 a time. Direction matters. Instructions come down as a 指示 and are 传达, passed on, to the 下属; asking for permission goes up, and has a verb of its own, 请示.
The words
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Verb (24)
汇报to report (to a superior)Verb4
每个周五我要向经理汇报工作。Every Friday I report on my work to the manager.
Usually upwards, with 向: 向上级汇报.
安排to arrange; arrangementVerb4
会议的时间和地点由小李安排。Xiao Li is arranging the time and place of the meeting.
协调to coordinateVerb4
两个部门的意见不一样，需要有人来协调。The two departments disagree, so someone needs to coordinate.
调 is read tiáo here, as in 空调.
记录to take notes; written recordVerb4
开会的时候请你把大家的意见记录下来。During the meeting, please write down what everyone says.
The minutes of a meeting are 会议记录.
确认to confirmVerb4
出发以前请再确认一下开会的时间。Please confirm the meeting time once more before you set off.
提交to submit; to hand inVerb4
所有的计划必须在周五以前提交。All plans must be submitted before Friday.
主持to chair; to hostVerb4
今天的会议由张经理主持。Today’s meeting will be chaired by Manager Zhang.
参与to take part in; to be involved inVerb4
这个计划我从一开始就参与了。I’ve been involved in this plan from the very start.
优先to have priority; to come firstVerb4
先做急的事，这个项目要优先处理。Urgent things first — this project needs to be dealt with as a priority.
抄送to copy (someone) in on an e-mailVerb4
这封邮件也请抄送给王经理。Please copy Manager Wang in on this e-mail too.
分配to assign; to allocateVerb4
新同事被分配到了我们部门。The new colleague has been assigned to our department.
答复to reply (formally); replyVerb4
我们会在三天内答复您。We will give you an answer within three days.
A considered answer to a request; 回答 answers a question.
跟进to follow upVerb4
这个客户的事由你来跟进。You will be the one to follow up with this client.
汇总to gather together; to compileVerb4
请把大家的意见汇总一下，明天发给我。Please collect everyone’s comments and send them to me tomorrow.
交接to hand over (work to a successor)Verb4
她下个月离职，这周要把工作交接好。She leaves next month, so she has to hand over her work this week.
请示to ask (a superior) for instructions or approvalVerb4
这么大的事，我得先请示一下上级。Something this big — I’ll have to check with my superiors first.
传达to pass on (instructions or a decision)Verb4
经理让我把会议的决定传达给大家。The manager asked me to pass on the meeting’s decision to everyone.
协作to collaborate; collaborationVerb4
这项工作需要几个部门协作完成。This piece of work needs several departments to complete it together.
通报to inform officially; to circulate (a notice)Verb4
公司把这次事故的原因通报给了全体员工。The company informed all staff of the cause of the accident.
回电to call backVerb4
王经理在开会，他开完会给您回电。Manager Wang is in a meeting; he’ll call you back when it’s over.
约定to agree on (a time or arrangement); agreementVerb4
我们约定下周三再见一次面。We agreed to meet again next Wednesday.
推进to push forward; to move alongVerb4
项目推进得很顺利。The project is moving forward smoothly.
改进to improve (a method or service)Verb4
根据客户的意见，我们改进了服务。Based on customers’ comments, we have improved our service.
演示to demonstrate; to presentVerb4
下午我要给客户演示新产品。This afternoon I’m demonstrating the new product to a client.
This list belongs to Work and careers — seven lists and 279 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.