Speaking in Business Meetings Basics in Chinese

Greeting Colleagues and Starting a Meeting

When you enter a meeting room in China, a polite greeting is essential. You can start by acknowledging everyone politely and introducing yourself if necessary.

Example sentences:
大家好，我是李明，今天我们来讨论项目进展。
Dàjiā hǎo, wǒ shì Lǐ Míng, jīntiān wǒmen lái tǎolùn xiàngmù jìnzhǎn.
Hello everyone, I am Li Ming, today we are here to discuss the project progress.

早上好，各位，我希望今天的会议能高效进行。
Zǎoshang hǎo, gèwèi, wǒ xīwàng jīntiān de huìyì néng gāoxiào jìnxíng.
Good morning everyone, I hope today’s meeting will run efficiently.

Asking for Opinions During Meetings

In business meetings, asking for opinions is common. Use polite phrasing to encourage participation.

你对这个方案有什么看法？
Nǐ duì zhège fāng’àn yǒu shénme kànfǎ?
What are your thoughts on this plan?

大家有什么建议可以分享吗？
Dàjiā yǒu shénme jiànyì kěyǐ fēnxiǎng ma?
Does anyone have suggestions to share?

我想听听你的意见，你怎么看？
Wǒ xiǎng tīng tīng nǐ de yìjiàn, nǐ zěnme kàn?
I would like to hear your opinion, what do you think?

Presenting Information Clearly

When giving presentations or sharing updates, clarity is crucial. Use simple sentences to make sure everyone understands.

根据上个月的数据，销售额增长了15%。
Gēnjù shàng ge yuè de shùjù, xiāoshòu’é zēngzhǎng le 15%.
According to last month’s data, sales increased by 15%.

我们的目标是在下季度完成这个项目。
Wǒmen de mùbiāo shì zài xià jìdù wánchéng zhège xiàngmù.
Our goal is to complete this project in the next quarter.

我来总结一下会议的重点。
Wǒ lái zǒngjié yíxià huìyì de zhòngdiǎn.
Let me summarize the key points of the meeting.

Agreeing and Disagreeing Politely

In meetings, you may need to express agreement or disagreement without causing offense.

我同意你的看法，这个方案很合理。
Wǒ tóngyì nǐ de kànfǎ, zhège fāng’àn hěn hélǐ.
I agree with your point, this plan is very reasonable.

我理解你的想法，但我觉得我们可以考虑另一种方案。
Wǒ lǐjiě nǐ de xiǎngfǎ, dàn wǒ juéde wǒmen kěyǐ kǎolǜ lìng yī zhǒng fāng’àn.
I understand your idea, but I think we could consider another approach.

这个意见很有价值，我们可以进一步讨论。
Zhège yìjiàn hěn yǒu jiàzhí, wǒmen kěyǐ jìnyībù tǎolùn.
This suggestion is valuable, we can discuss it further.

Clarifying and Asking Questions

If you don’t understand something, it’s important to ask politely.

请你再解释一下这个数据好吗？
Qǐng nǐ zài jiěshì yíxià zhège shùjù hǎo ma?
Could you explain this data again, please?

这个术语是什么意思？我能再问一下吗？
Zhège shùyǔ shì shénme yìsi? Wǒ néng zài wèn yíxià ma?
What does this term mean? Can I ask again?

你能举个例子说明吗？
Nǐ néng jǔ ge lìzi shuōmíng ma?
Can you give an example to explain?

Ending the Meeting Professionally

When concluding a meeting, summarize the main points and next steps clearly.

今天的会议到此结束，谢谢大家的参与。
Jīntiān de huìyì dào cǐ jiéshù, xièxiè dàjiā de cānyù.
Today’s meeting is over, thank you all for participating.

我们下周再开一次会议，跟进进展。
Wǒmen xià zhōu zài kāi yícì huìyì, gēnjìn jìnzhǎn.
We will have another meeting next week to follow up on progress.

请大家把会议纪要发给我，好吗？
Qǐng dàjiā bǎ huìyì jìyào fā gěi wǒ, hǎo ma?
Please send me the meeting minutes, okay?

Vocabulary

1. 会议 (huìyì) – meeting
2. 项目 (xiàngmù) – project
3. 方案 (fāng’àn) – plan
4. 数据 (shùjù) – data
5. 建议 (jiànyì) – suggestion
6. 重点 (zhòngdiǎn) – key point
7. 目标 (mùbiāo) – goal
8. 术语 (shùyǔ) – terminology
9. 纪要 (jìyào) – minutes
10. 参与 (cānyù) – participation