====== pīzhǔn: 批准 - To Approve, To Ratify, To Sanction ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** pīzhǔn, 批准, approve in Chinese, ratify in Chinese, Chinese word for permission, formal approval, get project approved, application approved, HSK 5 vocabulary, official sanction.
  * **Summary:** Learn how to use **批准 (pīzhǔn)**, the formal Chinese word for "to approve" or "to ratify." This comprehensive guide covers its meaning, cultural context, and practical examples for situations like getting an **application approved** or a **project approved**. Essential for HSK 5 learners, **批准** is a key term in business, legal, and official contexts in China, signifying **formal approval** from an authority.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** pīzhǔn
  * **Part of Speech:** Verb (can also function as a noun)
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 5
  * **Concise Definition:** To formally grant permission or consent, especially from an official or authoritative body.
  * **In a Nutshell:** Think of `批准` as the official "green light" or "rubber stamp" from someone in charge. It’s not a casual "okay" from a friend; it’s the formal approval you receive from a boss, a government agency, or a committee after a formal review process. The word carries a sense of hierarchy, procedure, and official power.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **批 (pī):** The left part is the "hand" radical (扌), indicating an action. The right part provides the sound. In this context, `批` means to act upon, comment on, or write instructions on a document. It evokes the image of a superior making a decision by hand on a submitted report.
  * **准 (zhǔn):** This character means "to allow," "to permit," or "a standard."
  * **Together:** The characters combine to mean "to act on (a document) and allow it." This creates the specific meaning of a formal, documented approval given by an authority figure after reviewing a request.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
`批准` is more than just a word; it reflects a key aspect of Chinese organizational culture, which often emphasizes hierarchy, process, and formal procedure.
In many Western, particularly American, business cultures, there's a high value placed on speed and "cutting through red tape." A manager might give an informal "go-ahead" in a meeting, and that's considered sufficient approval.
In contrast, the process to get `批准` in China is often more structured and requires following a clear chain of command. A request must typically be submitted in writing, go through the proper channels (走流程 - zǒu liúchéng), and receive a formal, often written, `批准` from the appropriate level of leadership. This isn't seen as inefficient bureaucracy, but rather as a sign of respect for authority and a way to ensure accountability and order. Skipping these steps can be seen as disrespectful and unprofessional. Understanding `批准` is understanding the importance of formal process in Chinese professional life.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
`批准` is a formal term used almost exclusively in official, legal, and professional environments. You would not use it in casual conversation with friends.
=== In Business and Corporate Settings ===
This is one of the most common contexts. It's used for anything that requires a manager's or a committee's sign-off.
  * Approving budgets (批准预算)
  * Approving project plans (批准项目计划)
  * Approving leave requests (批准休假申请)
  * Approving expenses (批准报销)
=== In Government and Legal Contexts ===
Here, `批准` takes on the meaning of "ratify" or "sanction."
  * Approving a new law or regulation (批准法规)
  * Approving a building permit (批准建筑许可)
  * Approving a visa application (批准签证申请)
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:**
    * 经理**批准**了我的休假申请。
    * Pinyin: Jīnglǐ **pīzhǔn**le wǒ de xiūjià shēnqǐng.
    * English: The manager approved my leave request.
    * Analysis: A classic, everyday example from the workplace. `申请 (shēnqǐng)` is the application, and `批准` is the approval from the superior (经理).
  * **Example 2:**
    * 我们的预算终于得到了**批准**。
    * Pinyin: Wǒmen de yùsuàn zhōngyú dédàole **pīzhǔn**.
    * English: Our budget was finally approved.
    * Analysis: The structure `得到 + 批准` means "to receive approval." This is a very common passive-like construction.
  * **Example 3:**
    * 这个项目计划需要董事会**批准**。
    * Pinyin: Zhège xiàngmù jìhuà xūyào dǒngshìhuì **pīzhǔn**.
    * English: This project plan needs approval from the board of directors.
    * Analysis: Shows how `批准` can be the action that is needed (`需要`). The subject doing the approving is the board of directors (董事会).
  * **Example 4:**
    * 政府**批准**了一项新的环保法规。
    * Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ **pīzhǔn**le yī xiàng xīn de huánbǎo fǎguī.
    * English: The government ratified a new environmental regulation.
    * Analysis: In a legal or governmental context, `批准` translates well to "ratify" or "formally sanction."
  * **Example 5:**
    * 你的签证申请还没有被**批准**。
    * Pinyin: Nǐ de qiānzhèng shēnqǐng hái méiyǒu bèi **pīzhǔn**.
    * English: Your visa application has not been approved yet.
    * Analysis: This uses the passive voice marker `被 (bèi)`, which is common when the focus is on the thing being (or not being) approved.
  * **Example 6:**
    * 我们正在等待最终的**批准**。
    * Pinyin: Wǒmen zhèngzài děngdài zuìzhōng de **pīzhǔn**.
    * English: We are waiting for the final approval.
    * Analysis: Here, `批准` functions as a noun, meaning "the approval" itself.
  * **Example 7:**
    * 如果计划得到**批准**，我们下个月就开始。
    * Pinyin: Rúguǒ jìhuà dédào **pīzhǔn**, wǒmen xià ge yuè jiù kāishǐ.
    * English: If the plan gets approved, we will start next month.
    * Analysis: A useful conditional sentence structure showing cause and effect.
  * **Example 8:**
    * 由于资金不足，他们的请求未获**批准**。
    * Pinyin: Yóuyú zījīn bùzú, tāmen de qǐngqiú wèi huò **pīzhǔn**.
    * English: Due to insufficient funds, their request was not approved.
    * Analysis: `未获批准 (wèi huò pīzhǔn)` is a very formal and written way of saying "did not obtain approval." `未 (wèi)` is a formal negative, and `获 (huò)` is a formal word for "to get/obtain."
  * **Example 9:**
    * 这份文件由谁来**批准**？
    * Pinyin: Zhè fèn wénjiàn yóu shéi lái **pīzhǔn**?
    * English: Who is responsible for approving this document?
    * Analysis: The `由...来...` structure is used to ask who has the responsibility or authority to perform an action.
  * **Example 10:**
    * 上级**批准**我们采购新的设备。
    * Pinyin: Shàngjí **pīzhǔn** wǒmen cǎigòu xīn de shèbèi.
    * English: The superiors approved our purchase of new equipment.
    * Analysis: This shows the simple Subject-Verb-Object structure, where the object is a clause: "The superiors (上级) approved (批准) [us to purchase new equipment]."
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
The most common mistake for learners is confusing `批准 (pīzhǔn)` with `同意 (tóngyì)`.
  *   **`批准 (pīzhǔn)` vs. `同意 (tóngyì)`**
    *   **`批准 (pīzhǔn)`** is **top-down and official**. A person with authority `批准`s a request from a subordinate. It implies a formal process.
    *   **`同意 (tóngyì)`** is **"to agree"** and can be used between equals, or even from a subordinate to a superior. It's about sharing an opinion or giving personal consent.
  *   **Common Mistake Example:**
    *   **Incorrect:** 我**批准**我的朋友明天来我家玩。 (Wǒ pīzhǔn wǒ de péngyǒu míngtiān lái wǒjiā wán.)
    *   **Why it's wrong:** You don't have the official authority to "approve" your friend's visit. It sounds unnatural and overly bureaucratic, as if you are their boss.
    *   **Correct:** 我**同意**我的朋友明天来我家玩。 (Wǒ tóngyì wǒ de péngyǒu míngtiān lái wǒjiā wán.) - //I agree to my friend coming over tomorrow.// (A bit formal, but grammatically okay).
    *   **More Natural:** 我朋友明天要来我家玩，我答应了。 (Wǒ péngyǒu míngtiān yào lái wǒjiā wán, wǒ dāyìng le.) - //My friend is coming over tomorrow, I said yes.//
Remember: Your boss `批准`s your time off. You and your friend `同意` on which movie to see.
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[同意]] (tóngyì) - To agree. A much more general and less formal term. `批准` implies `同意`, but `同意` does not imply `批准`.
  * [[许可]] (xǔkě) - To permit; a permit/license. Closely related, but often refers to the official document itself (e.g., a permit).
  * [[授权]] (shòuquán) - To authorize; to empower. This is about giving someone the //authority// to act, while `批准` is about green-lighting a specific request.
  * [[通过]] (tōngguò) - To pass (a test, a law, a motion). A bill is `通过` by a legislature, which is a form of collective `批准`.
  * [[审批]] (shěnpī) - To examine and approve. This word highlights the entire process: `审 (shěn)` means "to examine/audit," and `批 (pī)` means "to approve."
  * [[否决]] (fǒujué) - To veto; to overrule. The direct antonym of `批准`.
  * [[申请]] (shēnqǐng) - To apply for. This is the action one takes to seek `批准`. You `申请` for a visa, and the embassy `批准`s it.
  * [[手续]] (shǒuxù) - Procedures; formalities. The necessary steps one must follow to get something `批准`.
  * [[上级]] (shàngjí) - Superior; higher-level leadership. The person who typically does the `批准`.