Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== cáiwù: 财务 - Finance, Financial Affairs ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** 财务, cáiwù, Chinese finance, financial affairs in China, accounting in Chinese, company finance, personal finance, 财务部, financial department, financial management, HSK 5 * **Summary:** The Chinese term **财务 (cáiwù)** refers to **finance** or **financial affairs**, particularly in an organizational context like a company or institution. It covers the practical management of money, including accounting, budgeting, and reporting. Whether you're discussing a company's financial department (**财务**部), analyzing a financial report, or talking about achieving financial freedom (**财务**自由), understanding **cáiwù** is essential for navigating business and formal conversations in China. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** cáiwù * **Part of Speech:** Noun * **HSK Level:** HSK 5 * **Concise Definition:** The management of money, assets, and liabilities; financial affairs. * **In a Nutshell:** Think of **财务 (cáiwù)** as the official, systematic side of finance. It's the word you'd use for a company's "Finance Department" or a formal "financial report." It's less about the stock market or personal investing (see [[理财]] lǐcái) and more about the structured processes of accounting, budgeting, and ensuring an organization's financial health and compliance. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **财 (cái):** This character is all about money and wealth. It's composed of 贝 (bèi), which means "shell" and was used as ancient currency, and 才 (cái), which acts as a phonetic component. So, **财** directly points to property, riches, and assets. * **务 (wù):** This character means "affairs," "business," or "duty." It originally depicted a warrior with a spear, signifying a serious task or mission. In modern Chinese, it refers to the tasks or business of a specific domain. * When combined, **财务 (cáiwù)** literally means "the affairs of wealth" or "the business of money." This perfectly captures its meaning of managing financial matters in a structured, official way. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== In Chinese culture, financial stability (安稳, ānwěn) and prudence are highly valued. This cultural emphasis gives the concept of **财务 (cáiwù)** significant weight, especially within a business. The **财务部 (cáiwù bù)**, or Finance Department, is often seen as the stoic, disciplined heart of a company, responsible for maintaining order and stability. A helpful comparison is to contrast **财务 (cáiwù)** with the general English term "Finance." While they overlap, "Finance" in the West can often evoke images of Wall Street, high-risk investments, and strategic capital allocation. **财务 (cáiwù)**, on the other hand, is more grounded in the operational, day-to-day management of funds. It has a stronger connotation of accounting, bookkeeping, auditing, and ensuring compliance with regulations. It's the foundation upon which the more speculative aspects of finance are built. In a Chinese company, the person in charge of **财务** is respected not just for their technical skill, but for being a guardian of the company's resources and stability. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== **财务 (cáiwù)** is a formal and widely used term, primarily in business and organizational settings. * **In the Workplace:** This is its most common context. Every medium-to-large company has a **财务部 (cáiwù bù)**. Job titles frequently use this term, such as **财务经理 (cáiwù jīnglǐ)** for Finance Manager or **财务总监 (cáiwù zǒngjiān)** for CFO/Finance Director. Conversations about budgets, expenses, and financial reports will all involve the word **财务**. * **Formal Personal Context:** While [[理财]] (lǐcái) is more common for everyday personal finance, **财务** can be used to describe a family's financial situation in a more serious or formal way. For example, when applying for a loan, you might need to describe your家庭**财务**状况 (jiātíng cáiwù zhuàngkuàng - family financial situation). * **Abstract Concepts:** The term is used to form key modern concepts like **财务自由 (cáiwù zìyóu)**, which means "financial freedom" or "financial independence," a popular life goal for many young people in China. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 我们公司的**财务**部在三楼。 * Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī de **cáiwù** bù zài sān lóu. * English: Our company's finance department is on the third floor. * Analysis: A very common and practical sentence for navigating an office environment. **财务部 (cáiwù bù)** is a standard term for "Finance Department." * **Example 2:** * 这份**财务**报告必须在周五前完成。 * Pinyin: Zhè fèn **cáiwù** bàogào bìxū zài zhōuwǔ qián wánchéng. * English: This financial report must be completed before Friday. * Analysis: Highlights the use of **财务** as an adjective to describe official documents like reports. * **Example 3:** * 他是新来的**财务**总监。 * Pinyin: Tā shì xīn lái de **cáiwù** zǒngjiān. * English: He is the new Chief Financial Officer (CFO)/Finance Director. * Analysis: Demonstrates a common job title. **总监 (zǒngjiān)** means "director." * **Example 4:** * 公司最近在**财务**上遇到了一些困难。 * Pinyin: Gōngsī zuìjìn zài **cáiwù** shàng yùdào le yīxiē kùnnán. * English: The company has recently encountered some financial difficulties. * Analysis: The phrase 在...上 (zài...shàng) is used here to mean "in terms of..." or "regarding..." So, "regarding finance." * **Example 5:** * 很多年轻人的梦想是实现**财务**自由。 * Pinyin: Hěn duō niánqīngrén de mèngxiǎng shì shíxiàn **cáiwù** zìyóu. * English: The dream of many young people is to achieve financial freedom. * Analysis: Shows how **财务** is used in an important abstract concept. * **Example 6:** * 学习**财务**管理需要非常细心。 * Pinyin: Xuéxí **cáiwù** guǎnlǐ xūyào fēicháng xìxīn. * English: Studying financial management requires being very meticulous. * Analysis: **财务管理 (cáiwù guǎnlǐ)** is a common university major and field of study. * **Example 7:** * 这家公司的**财务**状况非常健康。 * Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngsī de **cáiwù** zhuàngkuàng fēicháng jiànkāng. * English: This company's financial situation is very healthy. * Analysis: **财务状况 (cáiwù zhuàngkuàng)** is the formal term for "financial situation/condition." * **Example 8:** * 我们需要聘请一位专业的**财务**顾问。 * Pinyin: Wǒmen xūyào pìnqǐng yī wèi zhuānyè de **cáiwù** gùwèn. * English: We need to hire a professional financial advisor. * Analysis: **财务顾问 (cáiwù gùwèn)** is a financial advisor, typically for a company's finances. * **Example 9:** * 所有**财务**记录都必须保存至少五年。 * Pinyin: Suǒyǒu **cáiwù** jìlù dōu bìxū bǎocún zhìshǎo wǔ nián. * English: All financial records must be kept for at least five years. * Analysis: This sentence emphasizes the official, record-keeping nature of **财务**. * **Example 10:** * 这笔开支不符合公司的**财务**规定。 * Pinyin: Zhè bǐ kāizhī bù fúhé gōngsī de **cáiwù** guīdìng. * English: This expense does not comply with the company's financial regulations. * Analysis: Shows how **财务** relates to rules and compliance within an organization. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== It's easy for learners to confuse **财务 (cáiwù)** with other related terms. Here are the key distinctions: * **财务 (cáiwù) vs. [[理财]] (lǐcái):** This is the most common point of confusion. * **财务 (cáiwù):** Organizational finance, accounting, budgeting, reporting. It's about managing existing money according to rules. It's descriptive. * //Correct:// 他在**财务**部工作。(He works in the Finance Department.) * //Incorrect:// 我想学习怎么**财务**。(I want to learn how to finance/account.) - This is unnatural. You would say 学习理财 (xuéxí lǐcái) for personal investing or 学习会计 (xuéxí kuàijì) for accounting. * **理财 (lǐcái):** Personal finance, wealth management, investing. It's about making money grow. It's proactive and strategic. * //Correct:// 我买了一些基金来**理财**。(I bought some funds for wealth management.) * **财务 (cáiwù) vs. [[金融]] (jīnróng):** * **财务 (cáiwù):** The financial operations *within* a single company or entity. * **金融 (jīnróng):** "Finance" as a macro-level industry or academic field, including banking, insurance, securities, and the stock market. * //Correct:// 上海是一个重要的**金融**中心。(Shanghai is an important financial center.) * //Correct:// 我大学学的是**金融**，但现在在一家科技公司做**财务**。(I studied Finance (the field) in college, but now I do financial work (accounting/management) at a tech company.) * **财务 (cáiwù) vs. [[经济]] (jīngjì):** * **财务 (cáiwù):** Micro-level finances of one entity. * **经济 (jīngjì):** "Economy." Macro-level system of a country or region. * //Incorrect:// 中国的**财务**增长很快。(China's finance is growing fast.) * //Correct:// 中国的**经济**增长很快。(China's economy is growing fast.) ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[理财]] (lǐcái) - Personal finance or wealth management; focused on growing money. * [[金融]] (jīnróng) - The broad industry of finance (banking, stocks, insurance). * [[经济]] (jīngjì) - Economy; the large-scale system of production and consumption. * [[会计]] (kuàijì) - Accounting or accountant; a core function within the scope of **财务**. * [[预算]] (yùsuàn) - Budget; a primary tool used in **财务** management. * [[资产]] (zīchǎn) - Assets; what an entity owns. A fundamental concept in **财务**. * [[负债]] (fùzhài) - Liabilities; what an entity owes. The counterpart to assets. * [[财务报表]] (cáiwù bàobiǎo) - Financial statement/report; the key output of **财务** work. * [[财政]] (cáizhèng) - Public finance; specifically related to government revenue and spending. * [[审计]] (shěnjì) - Audit; the official inspection of an organization's financial accounts, closely related to **财务**.