yùhuìzhě: 与会者 - Participant, Attendee, Conferee

• Keywords: yuhuizhe, 与会者, what does yuhuizhe mean, Chinese for participant, Chinese for attendee, meeting participant in Chinese, conference attendee Chinese, formal Chinese words, HSK 5 vocabulary.
• Summary: Learn the meaning and usage of 与会者 (yùhuìzhě), the formal Chinese word for 'participant,' 'attendee,' or 'conferee.' This guide breaks down the characters, explains its use in business meetings and academic conferences, and provides practical example sentences. Understand the key difference between 与会者 and the more general word 参加者 to sound more professional and accurate in formal Mandarin Chinese settings.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): yù huì zhě
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: A person who participates in or attends a formal meeting or conference.
• In a Nutshell: 与会者 (yùhuìzhě) is a formal, specific term for someone attending an official gathering like a business meeting, academic symposium, or press conference. Think of it as a professional label. You wouldn't use it for guests at a party or friends meeting for coffee; it's reserved for structured, official events.

• 与 (yù): While often meaning “and” or “with,” in this context, it takes on its more classical and formal meaning: “to participate in” or “to attend.”
• 会 (huì): This character means “meeting,” “conference,” or “gathering.” It's the core of words like `会议 (huìyì)` (meeting) and `开会 (kāihuì)` (to hold a meeting).
• 者 (zhě): This is a very useful suffix that turns a verb or action into a noun for a person. It's similar to adding “-er,” “-ist,” or “-or” in English. For example, `工作 (gōngzuò)` is “to work,” and `工作者 (gōngzuòzhě)` is a “worker.”

By combining them, 与 (attend) + 会 (meeting) + 者 (person) literally means “a person who attends a meeting.”

The use of 与会者 (yùhuìzhě) highlights the importance of formality and clear role-definition in Chinese professional culture. In many Western contexts, especially in more casual business environments, one might simply refer to “everyone at the meeting” or “the people who came.” While English has formal equivalents like “attendee” or “conferee,” 与会者 is the default and expected term in any formal written or spoken communication regarding a conference or meeting in China. Using this term signals that you understand the formal nature of the event and show respect for the established structure. It's less of a stylistic choice and more of a procedural necessity in professional contexts. This reflects a cultural inclination towards using specific, role-based language to maintain order and clarity in formal settings. Failure to use it in, for example, a company-wide email, might be seen as overly casual or even unprofessional.

与会者 is almost exclusively used in formal situations. Its usage is straightforward but context-dependent.

• Business Meetings (商业会议): In agendas, meeting minutes, and official announcements, this term is standard. “Please provide all attendees (与会者) with a copy of the report.”
• Academic Conferences (学术会议): Used in calls for papers, conference programs, and during presentations. “The attendees (与会者) came from over 20 different universities.”
• News and Media (新闻媒体): Journalists use this term when reporting on press conferences, government briefings, or international summits.
• Formal Speeches (正式演讲): A speaker will often address the audience as `各位与会者 (gèwèi yùhuìzhě)` — “all attendees present.”

It is a neutral term, simply describing a person's role at a specific event. It is never used informally. For a party, you would use `客人 (kèrén)` (guests) or `朋友 (péngyou)` (friends). For a casual get-together, you might say `来的人 (lái de rén)` (the people who came).

• Example 1:
  • 会议开始前，请所有与会者在签到表上签名。
  • Pinyin: Huìyì kāishǐ qián, qǐng suǒyǒu yùhuìzhě zài qiāndào biǎo shàng qiānmíng.
  • English: Before the meeting starts, all attendees are requested to sign the sign-in sheet.
  • Analysis: A very common and practical instruction given at the start of any formal event.
• Example 2:
  • 主办方为与会者准备了午餐和茶歇。
  • Pinyin: Zhǔbànfāng wèi yùhuìzhě zhǔnbèi le wǔcān hé cháxiē.
  • English: The organizers have prepared lunch and a tea break for the attendees.
  • Analysis: This sentence shows how 与会者 is used as the object of a sentence, referring to the group receiving a service.
• Example 3:
  • 今天的与会者来自世界各地。
  • Pinyin: Jīntiān de yùhuìzhě láizì shìjiè gèdì.
  • English: Today's attendees come from all over the world.
  • Analysis: A typical sentence used to describe the diversity of participants at an international conference.
• Example 4:
  • 演讲结束后，与会者向发言人提出了很多问题。
  • Pinyin: Yǎnjiǎng jiéshù hòu, yùhuìzhě xiàng fāyánrén tíchū le hěn duō wèntí.
  • English: After the speech, the attendees asked the speaker many questions.
  • Analysis: This example shows the attendees as the active subject of a verb (提出 - to raise/ask).
• Example 5:
  • 会议手册已经分发给每一位与会者。
  • Pinyin: Huìyì shǒucè yǐjīng fēnfā gěi měi yī wèi yùhuìzhě.
  • English: The conference handbook has already been distributed to every attendee.
  • Analysis: Note the use of the measure word `位 (wèi)`, which is a polite measure word for people, fitting the formal nature of 与会者.
• Example 6:
  • 我们收到了大部分与会者的积极反馈。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen shōudào le dàbùfen yùhuìzhě de jījí fǎnkuì.
  • English: We received positive feedback from most of the participants.
  • Analysis: A common phrase used in post-event summaries or reports.
• Example 7:
  • 各位与会者，下午的会议将于两点准时开始。
  • Pinyin: Gèwèi yùhuìzhě, xiàwǔ de huìyì jiāng yú liǎng diǎn zhǔnshí kāishǐ.
  • English: Dear attendees, the afternoon session will begin promptly at 2 o'clock.
  • Analysis: `各位 (gèwèi)` is a polite way to address a group, often used at the beginning of an announcement.
• Example 8:
  • 这次峰会的与会者包括了多位政府官员和企业领袖。
  • Pinyin: Zhè cì fēnghuì de yùhuìzhě bāokuò le duō wèi zhèngfǔ guānyuán hé qǐyè lǐngxiù.
  • English: The attendees of this summit included several government officials and business leaders.
  • Analysis: This shows how you can describe the composition of the attendee group.
• Example 9:
  • 由于天气原因，一些与会者可能会迟到。
  • Pinyin: Yóuyú tiānqì yuányīn, yīxiē yùhuìzhě kěnéng huì chídào.
  • English: Due to the weather, some attendees might be late.
  • Analysis: A practical sentence dealing with event logistics.
• Example 10:
  • 公司的目标是确保每一位与会者都能有所收获。
  • Pinyin: Gōngsī de mùbiāo shì quèbǎo měi yī wèi yùhuìzhě dōu néng yǒu suǒ shōuhuò.
  • English: The company's goal is to ensure that every participant can gain something from the event.
  • Analysis: This sentence expresses the purpose or goal of a meeting from the perspective of the attendees' experience.

The most common mistake for learners is confusing 与会者 with the more general term 参加者 (cānjiāzhě).

• 与会者 (yùhuìzhě): Specifically for meetings and conferences (things with an agenda, speeches, etc.). It implies a more passive role of attending and listening, though Q&A is possible.
• 参加者 (cānjiāzhě): A much broader term for a “participant” or “joiner” in any kind of event or activity. This can be a competition, a tour group, a workshop, a protest, or a summer camp. It often implies more active participation.

Incorrect Usage Example:

• Incorrect: 马拉松的与会者都完成了比赛。(Mǎlāsōng de yùhuìzhě dōu wánchéng le bǐsài.) - “The attendees of the marathon all finished the race.”
• Why it's wrong: A marathon is a sporting event, not a meeting. The people are actively participating by running.
• Correct: 马拉松的参加者都完成了比赛。(Mǎlāsōng de cānjiāzhě dōu wánchéng le bǐsài.) - “The participants of the marathon all finished the race.”

Rule of Thumb: If you could call the event a “meeting” or “conference,” use 与会者. For almost any other activity, 参加者 is the safer and more appropriate choice.

• 参加者 (cānjiāzhě) - Participant/joiner. The broader, more general term. 与会者 is a specific type of 参加者.
• 会议 (huìyì) - Meeting, conference. The event where you find 与会者.
• 出席 (chūxí) - (Verb) To attend, to be present. This is the action an 与会者 performs.
• 缺席 (quēxí) - (Verb) To be absent. The opposite of `出席`.
• 主办方 (zhǔbànfāng) - Organizer, host. The group or company that organizes the meeting for the 与会者.
• 嘉宾 (jiābīn) - Honored guest, guest speaker. A special, often high-profile, type of 与会者 who is invited to speak or attend.
• 听众 (tīngzhòng) - Audience, listeners. This term emphasizes the act of listening, typically for a concert, lecture, or radio show. It can overlap with 与会者, but focuses on the receptive role.
• 代表 (dàibiǎo) - Representative, delegate. An 与会者 who is officially attending on behalf of a company, organization, or country.