4 · 40 words
Communication at work in Chinese
Reporting, arranging, confirming and keeping a project moving in an office.
Practise this list
From these 40 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
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.
Noun (16)
报告report; to reportNoun4
这份报告明天上午要交给老板。This report has to be handed to the boss tomorrow morning.
Measure word: 份.
截止日期deadlineNoun4
报名的截止日期是这个月三十号。The deadline for applications is the thirtieth of this month.
进度progress; rate of progressNoun4
按现在的进度，我们下周就能完成。At the current rate of progress, we can finish next week.
效率efficiencyNoun4
开太多的会会影响工作效率。Holding too many meetings hurts efficiency.
日程schedule; agendaNoun4
我看一下日程，下周二下午有空。Let me check my schedule — I’m free next Tuesday afternoon.
附件attachmentNoun4
报告在附件里，请查收。The report is attached — please check that you have received it.
请查收 is the standard closing line when sending something.
下属subordinate; member of one’s staffNoun4
好的经理会认真听下属的意见。A good manager listens carefully to the views of their staff.
职责duty; responsibility (of a post)Noun4
检查质量是我的职责。Checking quality is my responsibility.
进展progress; developmentNoun4
谈判有什么新进展吗？Has there been any progress in the negotiations?
Whether things have moved on; 进度 is how far along the plan they are.
例会regular meetingNoun4
每周一上午九点是部门例会。The department’s regular meeting is at nine on Monday mornings.
草稿draftNoun4
这只是草稿，你看完再提意见。This is only a draft — read it through and then give me your comments.
期限time limit; deadlineNoun4
合同的期限是两年。The contract runs for two years.
备忘录memo; memorandumNoun4
我把要做的事都写在手机的备忘录里。I write everything I need to do in the notes app on my phone.
指示instruction; to instructNoun4
没有经理的指示，我们不能自己决定。Without the manager’s instructions, we can’t decide for ourselves.
幻灯片slides (for a presentation)Noun4
明天开会要用的幻灯片我还没做完。I still haven’t finished the slides for tomorrow’s meeting.
视频会议video conferenceNoun4
客户在国外，我们只能开视频会议。The client is abroad, so we can only hold a video conference.
Missing a word? Look it up in the dictionary
This list belongs to Work and jobs — seven lists and 279 words that can also be practised as a whole.