Business Mandarin: 20 Essential Phrases for Meetings

Business Mandarin is its own register. The vocabulary is more formal, the etiquette matters more, and a well-placed polite phrase can shift the tone of an entire negotiation. Below are twenty phrases that cover the full arc of a business meeting — from the handshake to the follow-up — with pinyin and notes on when to use each.

Opening a Meeting

1. 很高兴认识您 (hěn gāoxìng rènshi nín) — "Very pleased to meet you." Note the formal 您 (nín) instead of 你 (nǐ). Use 您 with clients, seniors, and anyone you'd give a business card to with two hands.

2. 久仰大名 (jiǔyǎng dàmíng) — "I've long admired your reputation." A polished, slightly formal compliment for meeting someone senior for the first time. It lands far better than a literal translation of "I've heard so much about you."

3. 这是我的名片 (zhè shì wǒ de míngpiàn) — "This is my business card." Present and receive cards with both hands, and take a moment to actually read the card you receive. This small ritual carries real weight.

4. 我们开始吧 (wǒmen kāishǐ ba) — "Let's begin." The particle 吧 (ba) softens it into a suggestion rather than a command.

Presenting and Discussing

5. 我先简单介绍一下 (wǒ xiān jiǎndān jièshào yīxià) — "Let me briefly introduce…" The standard opener for any presentation. 一下 (yīxià) softens the phrase and signals brevity.

6. 请看这个数据 (qǐng kàn zhège shùjù) — "Please look at this data."

7. 关于这一点 (guānyú zhè yīdiǎn) — "Regarding this point…" Essential connective tissue for structured discussion.

8. 我补充一下 (wǒ bǔchōng yīxià) — "Let me add something." The polite way to jump into a discussion without interrupting rudely.

9. 您觉得怎么样？(nín juéde zěnmeyàng?) — "What do you think?" Inviting the other side's opinion early and often reads as respectful and collaborative.

Negotiating

10. 我们再考虑一下 (wǒmen zài kǎolǜ yīxià) — "We'll think it over." Crucial cultural note: this is often a soft no. If you hear it, don't push for an immediate yes — and you can use it the same way.

11. 价格方面能不能再商量？(jiàgé fāngmiàn néng bù néng zài shāngliang?) — "Can we discuss the price further?" The standard, non-confrontational way to open price negotiation.

12. 这个条件我们可以接受 (zhège tiáojiàn wǒmen kěyǐ jiēshòu) — "We can accept this condition."

13. 恐怕有点困难 (kǒngpà yǒudiǎn kùnnan) — "I'm afraid that's a bit difficult." The single most useful phrase for saying no politely. Direct refusal is rare in Chinese business culture; "a bit difficult" is understood as a firm decline.

14. 双赢 (shuāngyíng) — "Win-win." Used constantly in Chinese business rhetoric. 我们希望达到双赢 (we hope to achieve a win-win) is a strong closing sentiment.

Disagreeing Politely

15. 我理解您的意思，不过… (wǒ lǐjiě nín de yìsi, bùguò…) — "I understand your point, however…" Always cushion disagreement. Bluntness that would be fine in a US meeting can cost you goodwill.

16. 我们的看法稍微有点不同 (wǒmen de kànfǎ shāowēi yǒudiǎn bùtóng) — "Our view is slightly different." Note the double softening: 稍微 (slightly) and 有点 (a bit). This is deliberate and expected.

Closing and Following Up

17. 今天聊得很愉快 (jīntiān liáo de hěn yúkuài) — "It was a pleasure talking today."

18. 我们保持联系 (wǒmen bǎochí liánxì) — "Let's stay in touch."

19. 辛苦了 (xīnkǔ le) — "Thank you for your hard work." Said to colleagues and teams at the end of a long day or project. There's no clean English equivalent — it acknowledges effort, and using it well makes you sound like an insider.

20. 合作愉快 (hézuò yúkuài) — "Here's to a pleasant cooperation." The standard toast and sign-off when a deal is agreed. At a business dinner, raise your glass slightly lower than your senior counterpart's as a sign of respect.

How to Actually Learn These

Reading a phrase list won't make these usable in a live meeting — pressure erases passive knowledge. Practice each phrase out loud in a simulated conversation until it's automatic: rehearse a mock negotiation, a mock presentation, a mock dinner toast. Pay special attention to the fourth tones in words like 数据 (shùjù) and 接受 (jiēshòu); flat delivery of these words is the most common giveaway of a beginner. Ten minutes of spoken rehearsal before a real meeting is worth more than an hour of silent review.