huìjiàn: 会见 - To Meet With (formal), To Grant an Interview

• Keywords: huijian, 会见, Chinese formal meeting, official meeting in Chinese, huijian vs jianmian, meet with in Chinese, Chinese vocabulary for diplomacy, business Chinese meeting, to grant an interview Chinese
• Summary: Learn the meaning and usage of 会见 (huìjiàn), a formal Chinese verb used for official meetings, especially in diplomatic, political, or high-level business contexts. This guide breaks down the characters, explains the cultural significance of formality in China, and provides clear examples to help you distinguish 会见 (huìjiàn) from the more common word for “meet,” 见面 (jiànmiàn).

• Pinyin (with tone marks): huìjiàn
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To meet with someone in a formal or official capacity.
• In a Nutshell: Think of 会见 (huìjiàn) as the verb for meetings you'd see on the news. It's not for meeting friends for coffee. It's for when a president meets a foreign leader, a CEO meets an important delegation, or an ambassador meets with journalists. The word carries a strong sense of formality, pre-arrangement, and often a difference in status between the participants.

• 会 (huì): This character's original form depicts a container with a lid, symbolizing things coming together. It commonly means “to meet,” “to assemble,” or “a meeting.” In this word, it emphasizes a planned, organized gathering.
• 见 (jiàn): This character shows an eye on a pair of legs, representing a person seeing something. It means “to see” or “to meet.”
• Combined Meaning: When you put them together, 会见 (huìjiàn) literally means “to assemble and see.” This combination elevates the simple act of “seeing” someone into a formal, scheduled “meeting with” them. It’s the difference between just seeing someone and holding a formal reception for them.

In Chinese culture, distinguishing between formal and informal situations is crucial. 会见 (huìjiàn) is a key term in the vocabulary of formality and hierarchy. Using 会见 (huìjiàn) signals that a meeting is not between equals hanging out, but a structured interaction with a clear purpose, often involving a host (usually the person of higher status) and a guest. This reflects the importance placed on social hierarchy, respect, and proper procedure in official and business settings. In the West, one might say “The CEO will meet with the investors” or “The President held a meeting with the Prime Minister.” The English “meet” is flexible and relies on context. In Chinese, 会见 (huìjiàn) does the work of adding that context of formality and importance directly into the verb choice itself. It's a signal of significance, telling you this isn't just any meeting; it's an official event.

You will encounter this word most frequently in specific, formal contexts.

• Politics and Diplomacy: This is the primary domain of 会见. News reports constantly use it to describe meetings between government officials, heads of state, and diplomats.
• High-Level Business: It's used for significant business meetings, such as a company's CEO meeting with a major government official, a foreign business delegation, or the press.
• Media and Journalism: When a prominent figure “grants an interview” to a journalist, the term 会见 (huìjiàn) is often used to describe the event, highlighting the formal nature of the interview.

You would never use 会见 (huìjiàn) for casual activities. For example, saying “我要会见我的朋友” (Wǒ yào huìjiàn wǒ de péngyǒu - “I'm going to formally meet my friend”) sounds strange and overly dramatic. You would simply use 见面 (jiànmiàn).

• Example 1:
  • 总统明天将会见来访的外国代表团。
  • Pinyin: Zǒngtǒng míngtiān jiāng huìjiàn láifǎng de wàiguó dàibiǎotuán.
  • English: The president will meet with the visiting foreign delegation tomorrow.
  • Analysis: A classic example from news and diplomacy. “President” and “delegation” are keywords that signal the need for a formal verb like 会见.
• Example 2:
  • 公司CEO在上海会见了重要的商业伙伴。
  • Pinyin: Gōngsī CEO zài Shànghǎi huìjiàn le zhòngyào de shāngyè huǒbàn.
  • English: The company CEO met with important business partners in Shanghai.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates its use in a high-level business context. The meeting is significant and pre-arranged.
• Example 3:
  • 部长拒绝会见记者。
  • Pinyin: Bùzhǎng jùjué huìjiàn jìzhě.
  • English: The minister refused to grant an interview to the journalists.
  • Analysis: Here, 会见 is equivalent to “granting an interview” or “formally meeting with the press,” highlighting the status difference.
• Example 4:
  • 这是两位领导人近年来的首次会见。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì liǎng wèi lǐngdǎo rén jìnnián lái de shǒucì huìjiàn.
  • English: This is the first meeting between the two leaders in recent years.
  • Analysis: In this sentence, 会见 is used as a noun, meaning “a formal meeting.” This is a very common structure in news headlines.
• Example 5:
  • 我们安排了下午三点在会议室会见客户。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen ānpái le xiàwǔ sān diǎn zài huìyìshì huìjiàn kèhù.
  • English: We have arranged to meet the clients at 3 PM in the conference room.
  • Analysis: This shows a more everyday business context, but it's still formal. The act of “arranging” (安排) and using a “conference room” (会议室) reinforces the formality that suits 会见.
• Example 6:
  • 按照日程，总理下午将会见大使。
  • Pinyin: Ànzhào rìchéng, zǒnglǐ xiàwǔ jiāng huìjiàn dàshǐ.
  • English: According to the schedule, the premier will meet with the ambassador in the afternoon.
  • Analysis: The mention of a “schedule” (日程) underscores the planned, official nature of the event, making 会见 the perfect verb.
• Example 7:
  • 双方在友好的气氛中举行了会见。
  • Pinyin: Shuāngfāng zài yǒuhǎo de qìfēn zhōng jǔxíng le huìjiàn.
  • English: The two parties held the meeting in a friendly atmosphere.
  • Analysis: A very common phrase in diplomatic reporting. Here, 会见 is again used as a noun for “the formal meeting.” “Held a meeting” is 举行了会见.
• Example 8:
  • 市长亲切会见了获奖的科学家。
  • Pinyin: Shìzhǎng qīnqiè huìjiàn le huòjiǎng de kēxuéjiā.
  • English: The mayor cordially met with the award-winning scientists.
  • Analysis: The adverb 亲切 (qīnqiè - cordially) softens the tone, but the verb 会见 maintains the formality and official status of the meeting.
• Example 9:
  • 能够会见您是我的荣幸。
  • Pinyin: Nénggòu huìjiàn nín shì wǒ de róngxìng.
  • English: It is my honor to be able to meet with you.
  • Analysis: This is something a person of lower status would say to a person of high status (like a CEO or famous professor). It shows great respect and acknowledges the formality of the occasion.
• Example 10:
  • 他期待着下周与董事会的会见。
  • Pinyin: Tā qídài zhe xiàzhōu yǔ dǒngshìhuì de huìjiàn.
  • English: He is looking forward to the meeting with the board of directors next week.
  • Analysis: Here, the noun form of 会见 is used for a critical internal business meeting. Meeting with the “board of directors” (董事会) is a serious, formal event.

The most common mistake for learners is using 会见 (huìjiàn) when they should use 见面 (jiànmiàn).

• 会见 (huìjiàn): Formal, official, pre-arranged. Implies a host/guest dynamic or status difference. Think: Leader meets delegation.
• 见面 (jiànmiàn): “To meet up,” “to see each other.” Neutral and very common. Can be used for friends, colleagues, or even in a business context if the tone is less official. It implies the two parties are on more equal footing.

Incorrect Usage:

• `我昨晚会见了我朋友。` (Wǒ zuówǎn huìjiàn le wǒ péngyǒu.)
• Why it's wrong: This sounds like you are a world leader and your friend is a foreign dignitary. It's grammatically correct but contextually bizarre.
• Correct Usage: `我昨晚跟我朋友见面了。` (Wǒ zuówǎn gēn wǒ péngyǒu jiànmiàn le. - I met up with my friend last night.)

Think of it this way: You 见面 (jiànmiàn) with friends. The President 会见 (huìjiàn) with other presidents.

• 见面 (jiànmiàn) - The general, neutral verb for “to meet.” The most common and flexible alternative.
• 接见 (jiējiàn) - To receive (a guest, a subordinate); even more formal than 会见 and emphasizes a greater status gap. A king `接见` his subjects.
• 会议 (huìyì) - A meeting, a conference (the event itself, a noun). You can attend a `会议`, but a leader `会见` a person.
• 访问 (fǎngwèn) - To visit in an official or formal capacity (e.g., a state visit). A leader might `访问` a country and `会见` its leader during the visit.
• 谈判 (tánpàn) - To negotiate. A `会见` can often lead to or include `谈判`.
• 代表团 (dàibiǎotuán) - A delegation; a group of people often received in a `会见`.
• 领导 (lǐngdǎo) - Leader, leadership. This is the type of person who often conducts a `会见`.
• 外交 (wàijiāo) - Diplomacy; the field where 会见 is used most often.
• 碰见 (pèngjiàn) - To bump into, to meet by chance. The opposite of the planned, formal nature of 会见.