会谈 (huì tán) — to hold talks, to have formal discussions

Definition

Formal, official talks between two sides (e.g. governments, delegations) — a more structured, higher-level event than 谈 or 谈话, less adversarial than 谈判. Collapses to 会谈 (no 一下).

verb

to hold talksto have formal discussions

Measure word · 次

Examples

会谈。
Shuāng fāng huì tán le zhěng zhěng yì tiān.
The two sides held talks for a whole day.
会谈，。
Tā men huì tán le sān cì, zhōng yú dá chéng xié yì.
They held talks three times and finally reached an agreement.
会谈。
Míng tiān shàng wǔ wǒ men huì tán.
We will hold talks tomorrow morning.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

会huìmeet

谈tántalk

会谈 combines 会 (meet) and 谈 (talk) to mean formal discussions.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 會; 会 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

合合héto meet

Sound part声符shēngfú

𡆧

𡆧𡆧會huì

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Traditional 會 pairs 合 (to meet) with 𡆧, an original form for ironware, to give the sound. The simplified 会 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 会 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 談; 谈 is its simplified writing.

言炎談

Meaning part形符xíngfú

言言yánspeech

Sound part声符shēngfú

炎

炎yán談tán

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For 谈, the traditional form 談 pairs 言 (speech) with 炎 (yán) as the sound part.

Open 谈 →