dáchéng: 达成 - To Reach, Achieve, Come to (an agreement)

• Keywords: 达成, dá chéng, meaning of 达成, how to use 达成, Chinese to reach an agreement, achieve a goal in Chinese, Chinese business vocabulary, 达成 vs 实现, 达成 vs 达到, formal Chinese verbs
• Summary: Discover the meaning of the essential Chinese verb 达成 (dá chéng), which means “to reach,” “to achieve,” or “to come to an agreement.” This page provides a comprehensive guide for learners on how to use 达成 in formal, business, and diplomatic contexts, particularly for achieving goals, reaching a consensus, and finalizing agreements. Learn the crucial differences between 达成, 实现 (shíxiàn), and 完成 (wánchéng) with clear examples and cultural insights.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): dá chéng
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To reach a specific outcome or conclusion, typically an agreement, goal, or consensus, often through effort or negotiation.
• In a Nutshell: Think of 达成 as “arriving at a successful completion.” It's not just about finishing a task, but about reaching a significant, often abstract, endpoint. It carries a formal tone and is frequently used when multiple parties are involved, like in negotiations, or when a major objective has been met.

• 达 (dá): This character means “to reach,” “to arrive at,” or “to attain.” The radical 辶 (chuò) signifies walking or movement, while the main component depicts a person. Together, they create the image of a person moving along a path to arrive at a destination.
• 成 (chéng): This character means “to complete,” “to succeed,” or “to become.” It signifies the successful conclusion of an action or process.
• When combined, 达成 (dá chéng) literally means “to arrive at completion” or “to reach success.” This beautifully captures the essence of the word: it's about the entire process culminating in a successful outcome.

In Chinese culture, particularly in business and diplomacy, process and harmony are highly valued. The term 达成 reflects this emphasis. It isn't just a transactional word; it implies a journey of discussion, negotiation, and mutual effort that leads to a shared result. Compare this to the common English phrase “to strike a deal.” While “striking a deal” can sometimes imply a swift, possibly even confrontational, conclusion where one side might have an advantage, 达成协议 (dá chéng xiéyì - to reach an agreement) suggests a more collaborative and harmonious process. The goal is not for one side to “win,” but for both sides to arrive at a mutually acceptable conclusion. Using 达成 shows respect for the process and for the other party, aligning with the cultural importance of maintaining good relationships (关系, guānxi) and social harmony (和谐, héxié).

达成 is a formal word primarily used in written language and formal speech. You'll encounter it frequently in news reports, business meetings, legal documents, and official announcements.

• In Business and Negotiations: This is the most common context. It's the standard verb for finalizing deals and understandings.
  • e.g., 达成协议 (dá chéng xiéyì) - to reach an agreement
  • e.g., 达成共识 (dá chéng gòngshí) - to reach a consensus
  • e.g., 达成合作 (dá chéng hézuò) - to reach a cooperation (agreement)
• For Goals and Objectives: It can be used for achieving significant, large-scale goals, but less so for simple, everyday tasks.
  • e.g., 达成目标 (dá chéng mùbiāo) - to achieve a goal/objective
• Formality: Highly formal. For everyday tasks like “finishing homework” or “completing a report,” you would use the more common word 完成 (wánchéng). Using 达成 for a small, personal task would sound overly dramatic.

• Example 1:
  • 经过三个小时的谈判，双方终于达成了协议。
  • Pinyin: Jīngguò sān ge xiǎoshí de tánpàn, shuāngfāng zhōngyú dá chéng le xiéyì.
  • English: After three hours of negotiations, the two sides finally reached an agreement.
  • Analysis: A classic example of 达成 used in a business or diplomatic context. It emphasizes the process (negotiations) leading to the result (agreement).
• Example 2:
  • 我们需要团结一致，才能达成我们的最终目标。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen xūyào tuánjié yīzhì, cáinéng dá chéng wǒmen de zuìzhōng mùbiāo.
  • English: We need to unite as one to achieve our ultimate goal.
  • Analysis: Here, 达成 is used for a significant, collective goal. It implies that a major milestone will be reached through combined effort.
• Example 3:
  • 在这个问题上，管理层和员工很难达成共识。
  • Pinyin: Zài zhè ge wèntí shàng, guǎnlǐcéng hé yuángōng hěn nán dá chéng gòngshí.
  • English: On this issue, it is difficult for management and employees to reach a consensus.
  • Analysis: This shows how 达成 is used with 共识 (gòngshí), another key formal term. The phrase 达成共识 is extremely common in meetings and discussions.
• Example 4:
  • 两家公司宣布达成战略合作伙伴关系。
  • Pinyin: Liǎng jiā gōngsī xuānbù dá chéng zhànlüè hézuò huǒbàn guānxì.
  • English: The two companies announced that they had reached a strategic partnership.
  • Analysis: This is a typical sentence you might read in a press release or news article about business.
• Example 5:
  • 如果我们不能达成妥协，这个项目就无法继续。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ wǒmen bùnéng dá chéng tuǒxié, zhè ge xiàngmù jiù wúfǎ jìxù.
  • English: If we cannot reach a compromise, this project cannot continue.
  • Analysis: 达成妥协 (dá chéng tuǒxié) means “to reach a compromise.” It highlights the negotiation aspect inherent in the word 达成.
• Example 6:
  • 很遗憾，我们未能达成任何交易。
  • Pinyin: Hěn yíhàn, wǒmen wèi néng dá chéng rènhé jiāoyì.
  • English: Unfortunately, we failed to reach any deal.
  • Analysis: This shows the negative form, often using 未能 (wèi néng - failed to), which is also quite formal.
• Example 7:
  • 他们的目标是在年底前达成一百万的销售额。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen de mùbiāo shì zài niándǐ qián dá chéng yībǎi wàn de xiāoshòu'é.
  • English: Their goal is to achieve sales of one million by the end of the year.
  • Analysis: In this context, 达成 is similar to 达到 (dádào), meaning to reach a specific numerical target.
• Example 8:
  • 通过对话，我们希望可以达成相互理解。
  • Pinyin: Tōngguò duìhuà, wǒmen xīwàng kěyǐ dá chéng xiānghù lǐjiě.
  • English: Through dialogue, we hope we can reach a mutual understanding.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates that 达成 can be used for abstract outcomes like “understanding,” not just concrete agreements or goals.
• Example 9:
  • 这次会议的主要目的是达成一份和平条约。
  • Pinyin: Zhè cì huìyì de zhǔyào mùdì shì dá chéng yī fèn hépíng tiáoyuē.
  • English: The main purpose of this conference is to come to a peace treaty.
  • Analysis: This is a very formal, high-level use of the word, common in politics and international relations.
• Example 10:
  • 只有当所有条件都满足时，这项协议才能达成。
  • Pinyin: Zhǐyǒu dāng suǒyǒu tiáojiàn dōu mǎnzú shí, zhè xiàng xiéyì cáinéng dá chéng.
  • English: This agreement can only be reached when all conditions are met.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses a passive-like structure, where the agreement is the subject that is “reached.” This is a common way to phrase things in formal Chinese.

The most common point of confusion for learners is distinguishing 达成 from similar-sounding words.

• 达成 (dá chéng) vs. 实现 (shíxiàn):
  • 达成 is about reaching a point, usually a pre-defined goal, agreement, or consensus. It often involves multiple parties.
  • 实现 (shíxiàn) is about making something real, often an abstract dream, hope, or plan. It's about bringing something into existence.
  • Mistake: 你达成你的梦想了吗？ (Nǐ dá chéng nǐ de mèngxiǎng le ma?)
  • Correction: 你实现你的梦想了吗？ (Nǐ shíxiàn nǐ de mèngxiǎng le ma?) - Did you realize your dream?
  • Rule: Use 实现 for dreams, hopes, and aspirations. Use 达成 for agreements, consensus, and concrete goals.
• 达成 (dá chéng) vs. 完成 (wánchéng):
  • 达成 is for reaching a significant outcome or state.
  • 完成 (wánchéng) is for completing a task or finishing a job. It's about the action being done.
  • Mistake: 我们终于达成了今天的会议。 (Wǒmen zhōngyú dá chéng le jīntiān de huìyì.)
  • Correction: 我们达成了会议的目标。 (Wǒmen dá chéng le huìyì de mùbiāo.) - We achieved the meeting's objective. OR 我们开完了今天的会。 (Wǒmen kāi wán le jīntiān de huì.) - We finished today's meeting.
  • Rule: You 完成 a task (like homework, a report, a meal). You 达成 an objective or agreement.

• 实现 (shíxiàn) - To realize, to bring into reality. Used for dreams, plans, and ideals.
• 达到 (dádào) - To reach, to attain. Often used for a specific level, standard, or number. Sometimes interchangeable with 达成 for goals, but focuses more on hitting a benchmark.
• 完成 (wánchéng) - To complete, to finish. The most common word for finishing a task or job.
• 协议 (xiéyì) - An agreement, a pact. The most common noun that follows 达成.
• 共识 (gòngshí) - Consensus, common understanding. A key goal in group discussions that is “reached” (达成).
• 目标 (mùbiāo) - Goal, objective, target. A concrete aim that you can 达成.
• 妥协 (tuǒxié) - A compromise. Something you 达成 through negotiation.
• 成交 (chéngjiāo) - To close a deal, to strike a bargain. More specific to business transactions than 达成.
• 成功 (chénggōng) - To succeed; success. A much broader term for general success in any endeavor.