xīnwén fābùhuì: 新闻发布会 - Press Conference, News Conference

• Keywords: xīnwén fābùhuì, xinwen fabuhui, 新闻发布会, press conference in Chinese, news conference, press briefing in China, Chinese government announcement, spokesperson in Chinese.
• Summary: A 新闻发布会 (xīnwén fābùhuì) is the standard Chinese term for a press conference or news conference. Composed of the words for “news” (新闻), “to release” (发布), and “meeting” (会), it literally means a “news release meeting.” This term is essential for understanding official communication in China, as it's the primary format for government ministries and large corporations to make announcements to the media. Learning this term opens a window into how information is formally disseminated in modern Chinese society.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): xīnwén fābùhuì
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: A formal event where an organization or individual makes an official statement to journalists and, in theory, answers their questions.
• In a Nutshell: Think of a “press conference” and you're 90% there. It's the go-to term for any formal media event, from a government spokesperson addressing an international issue to a tech company launching a new smartphone. The feeling is official, structured, and important. It’s not a casual chat; it’s a planned event for disseminating information.

• 新 (xīn): New. A simple and common character, think “new clothes” (新衣服) or “New Year” (新年).
• 闻 (wén): To hear; things heard. A fascinating character combining a door (门) with an ear (耳). Imagine someone listening at the door to hear what's going on inside.
• 发 (fā): To issue, send out, or release. It's the same character used in “send a text message” (发短信 fā duǎnxìn).
• 布 (bù): To announce or declare. Pictorially, it's related to cloth (布), so you can imagine unrolling a large cloth banner with an announcement written on it for all to see.
• 会 (huì): Meeting or conference. A very common word, as in “to have a meeting” (开会 kāihuì).

When you put them all together, 新闻 (xīn + wén) means “new things heard,” which is a perfect word for “news.” 发布 (fā + bù) means to “send out an announcement.” And 会 (huì) is a meeting. So, a 新闻发布会 (xīnwén fābùhuì) is literally a “Meeting to Announce News.”

While a 新闻发布会 (xīnwén fābùhuì) is a direct translation of “press conference,” its cultural function in China can differ significantly from its Western counterpart. In the West, especially in American political culture, the press conference is often an adversarial arena where journalists aggressively challenge officials to hold them accountable. The goal is often uncovering information the speaker might not want to share. In China, a 新闻发布会 is typically a much more controlled and harmonious event. Its primary purpose is often one-way information dissemination—the state or a company has a message, and the press conference is the formal channel to deliver it. While a Q&A session usually follows, questions may be pre-screened or limited to friendly, state-approved media outlets. This reflects the cultural value of maintaining social harmony (和谐, héxié) and preserving “face” (面子, miànzi). A confrontational press conference where an official is embarrassed would be seen as disruptive and disrespectful. The goal is to project an image of competence, consensus, and control. Therefore, think of it less like a fiery White House press briefing and more like a highly structured corporate announcement or a formal government statement.

The term 新闻发布会 is ubiquitous in formal contexts.

• Government Announcements: This is its most frequent use. Ministries like the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (外交部, Wàijiāobù) or the National Health Commission (国家卫健委, Guójiā Wèijiāwěi) hold regular press conferences. You will see this term daily in Chinese news broadcasts (like on CCTV).
• Corporate Affairs: Major corporations use them for significant events:
  • Product launches (新产品发布会 - xīn chǎnpǐn fābùhuì)
  • Financial results announcements
  • Crisis management (e.g., addressing a product safety issue)
• Formality: The term is formal. In casual conversation, you would use it to refer to these official events, but you would never call a simple get-together with friends a `新闻发布会`, even as a joke (unless the irony was very clear). It carries a weight of officiality and public interest.

• Example 1:
  • 外交部明天下午三点将举行一场新闻发布会。
  • Pinyin: Wàijiāobù míngtiān xiàwǔ sān diǎn jiāng jǔxíng yī chǎng xīnwén fābùhuì.
  • English: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will hold a press conference tomorrow at 3 PM.
  • Analysis: A standard, formal announcement. `举行 (jǔxíng)` is the formal verb for “to hold” an event. `一场 (yī chǎng)` is a measure word for events like conferences or movies.
• Example 2:
  • 很多记者都去参加了那家公司的新闻发布会。
  • Pinyin: Hěn duō jìzhě dōu qù cānjiā le nà jiā gōngsī de xīnwén fābùhuì.
  • English: Many journalists went to attend that company's press conference.
  • Analysis: This sentence shows the relationship between journalists (`记者, jìzhě`) and press conferences. `参加 (cānjiā)` means “to participate in” or “attend.”
• Example 3:
  • 你在看新闻发布会的直播吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ zài kàn xīnwén fābùhuì de zhíbō ma?
  • English: Are you watching the live broadcast of the press conference?
  • Analysis: Highlights modern usage. `直播 (zhíbō)` means “live broadcast,” a common way people consume these events now.
• Example 4:
  • 在新闻发布会上，发言人回答了记者的提问。
  • Pinyin: Zài xīnwén fābùhuì shàng, fāyánrén huídá le jìzhě de tíwèn.
  • English: At the press conference, the spokesperson answered the journalists' questions.
  • Analysis: Introduces two key related roles: `发言人 (fāyánrén)` (spokesperson) and `提问 (tíwèn)` (questions, or to ask a question).
• Example 5:
  • 这次新闻发布会的主题是关于环境保护。
  • Pinyin: Zhè cì xīnwén fābùhuì de zhǔtí shì guānyú huánjìng bǎohù.
  • English: The theme of this press conference is about environmental protection.
  • Analysis: Shows how to specify the topic of the conference. `主题 (zhǔtí)` means “theme” or “main topic.”
• Example 6:
  • 由于疫情，很多新闻发布会现在都在线上举行。
  • Pinyin: Yóuyú yìqíng, hěn duō xīnwén fābùhuì xiànzài dōu zài xiànshàng jǔxíng.
  • English: Due to the pandemic, many press conferences are now held online.
  • Analysis: This sentence is very practical and reflects recent global changes. `线上 (xiànshàng)` means “online.”
• Example 7:
  • 苹果公司的新产品新闻发布会总是吸引全球的目光。
  • Pinyin: Píngguǒ gōngsī de xīn chǎnpǐn xīnwén fābùhuì zǒngshì xīyǐn quánqiú de mùguāng.
  • English: Apple Inc.'s new product press conferences always attract global attention.
  • Analysis: This is a great example of corporate usage, specifically for a “product launch” press conference.
• Example 8:
  • 他作为公司的代表，主持了这次新闻发布会。
  • Pinyin: Tā zuòwéi gōngsī de dàibiǎo, zhǔchí le zhè cì xīnwén fābùhuì.
  • English: As the company's representative, he hosted this press conference.
  • Analysis: `主持 (zhǔchí)` means “to host” or “preside over” an event, which is different from just attending.
• Example 9:
  • 所有媒体都收到了新闻发布会的邀请函。
  • Pinyin: Suǒyǒu méitǐ dōu shōudào le xīnwén fābùhuì de yāoqǐnghán.
  • English: All media outlets received the invitation to the press conference.
  • Analysis: `媒体 (méitǐ)` is the word for “media,” and `邀请函 (yāoqǐnghán)` is a formal “invitation letter.”
• Example 10:
  • 新闻发布会结束后，他们提供了一些书面材料。
  • Pinyin: Xīnwén fābùhuì jiéshù hòu, tāmen tígōng le yīxiē shūmiàn cáiliào.
  • English: After the press conference ended, they provided some written materials.
  • Analysis: This sentence describes a common practice at formal events. `书面材料 (shūmiàn cáiliào)` means “written materials” or “press kits.”

• Mistake 1: Confusing it with a general meeting.
  • Don't use `新闻发布会` for an internal company meeting or a casual discussion. A `新闻发布会` specifically involves making an announcement to the news media (新闻媒体). For a general meeting, use `会议 (huìyì)`.
  • Incorrect: `我们团队下午开一个新闻发布会。` (Wǒmen tuánduì xiàwǔ kāi yíge xīnwén fābùhuì.) - “Our team is holding a press conference this afternoon.”
  • Correct: `我们团队下午开一个会。` (Wǒmen tuánduì xiàwǔ kāi yíge huì.) - “Our team is having a meeting this afternoon.”
• Mistake 2: Misunderstanding the cultural context.
  • As an English speaker, avoid assuming a `新闻发布会` will be an open forum for aggressive debate. Expect it to be more controlled and formal. Understanding this nuance is key to interpreting the event correctly. It's not a “false friend” in translation, but it can be in cultural expectation.
• `新闻发布会` vs. `记者招待会`
  • You may also encounter `记者招待会 (jìzhě zhāodàihuì)`, which translates to “journalist reception.” Historically, this term was very common. Today, `新闻发布会` is more prevalent and sounds slightly more formal and modern, especially for government briefings. They are largely interchangeable in meaning, but `新闻发布会` is the more standard term now.

• 记者招待会 (jìzhě zhāodàihuì) - “Journalist reception”; a very close synonym, sometimes used for events that might be slightly more interactive.
• 记者 (jìzhě) - Journalist, reporter. The primary audience of a `新闻发布会`.
• 发言人 (fāyánrén) - Spokesperson. The person officially designated to speak at the conference.
• 媒体 (méitǐ) - Media. The broader category of news organizations (newspapers, TV, websites).
• 新闻 (xīnwén) - News. The information being delivered.
• 发布 (fābù) - To release, to announce, to issue. The core action of the event.
• 会议 (huìyì) - Meeting, conference. The general category to which `新闻发布会` belongs.
• 直播 (zhíbō) - Live broadcast. A common way modern press conferences are viewed by the public.
• 提问 (tíwèn) - To ask a question; a question. The Q&A portion of the conference.