cùxiāo: 促销 - Sales Promotion, On Sale

• Keywords: cùxiāo, 促销, Chinese sales promotion, on sale in Chinese, discount in Chinese, Chinese for shopping, what does cuxiao mean, promote sales, Chinese business vocabulary, HSK 5
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese word 促销 (cùxiāo), which means “sales promotion” or “to promote sales.” This page breaks down the characters, explains its huge cultural significance in China's shopping festivals like Double 11, and provides 10 practical example sentences. Understand the difference between 促销 (cùxiāo), 打折 (dǎzhé), and 推广 (tuīguǎng) to shop and do business in China like a pro.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): cùxiāo
• Part of Speech: Verb / Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To promote the sale of goods; a sales promotion.
• In a Nutshell: 促销 (cùxiāo) is the all-encompassing term for any activity designed to boost sales. Think “on sale,” “special offer,” “promotional event,” “buy one, get one free”—all of these fall under the umbrella of `促销`. It's a word you'll see plastered on every storefront and website in China, especially during massive shopping festivals.

• 促 (cù): To urge, to promote, to hasten. This character is made of the “person” radical (亻) on the left and 足 (zú), meaning “foot,” on the right. You can visualize a person (亻) using their foot (足) to push or urge something forward. It carries a sense of actively making something happen sooner or faster.
• 销 (xiāo): To sell, to melt away, to cancel. This character has the “metal” radical (钅) and the phonetic component 肖 (xiāo). The original meaning was to melt metal, which metaphorically extended to “melting away” inventory through sales.
• Together, 促销 (cùxiāo) literally means “to urge selling.” It perfectly captures the modern meaning of actively and urgently encouraging customers to buy products.

In the West, “sales” or “promotions” are common, often tied to holidays like Christmas or end-of-season clearance. In China, 促销 (cùxiāo) has evolved into a massive cultural and economic phenomenon. The most significant example is the 双十一 (Shuāng Shíyī) or “Double 11” (November 11th) shopping festival. What started as an anti-Valentine's “Singles' Day” promotion by Alibaba has become the world's largest 24-hour online shopping event, dwarfing Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined. The entire event is a masterpiece of `促销`, with weeks of pre-sales, complex games to win discounts, and nationwide logistics grinding to a halt to deliver packages. Unlike a simple Western “50% off” sign, `促销` in China is often more intricate and engaging. It involves:

• 红包 (hóngbāo): Digital red envelopes with cash coupons.
• 满减 (mǎnjiǎn): “Reduce after reaching a certain amount” (e.g., get ¥50 off for every ¥300 spent).
• 赠品 (zèngpǐn): Free gifts with purchase.

This gamified, high-energy approach to shopping is central to modern Chinese consumer culture, and `促销` is the engine that drives it. It's not just about getting a good deal; it's a form of national entertainment.

You will encounter 促销 (cùxiāo) in almost any consumer context. It can be used as a verb (“to promote”) or a noun (“a promotion”).

• As a Noun: It often refers to the event or activity itself. You'll frequently see it paired with `活动 (huódòng)`, forming 促销活动 (cùxiāo huódòng), which means “promotional event/activity.”
  • `“这次的促销活动很成功。”` (This promotional event was very successful.)
• As a Verb: It refers to the action of promoting a product.
  • `“我们正在促销这款新手机。”` (We are currently promoting this new mobile phone.)

The term is neutral and standard. You can use it when asking a sales clerk about deals or when discussing marketing strategy in a business meeting. It is the most common and appropriate term for this concept.

• Example 1:
• 这家商店正在搞促销活动。
• Pinyin: Zhè jiā shāngdiàn zhèngzài gǎo cùxiāo huódòng.
• English: This store is running a promotional event.
• Analysis: `搞 (gǎo)` is a very common colloquial verb meaning “to do” or “to make.” `搞促销活动` is a very natural way to say “to run a promotion.”
• Example 2:
• 为了促销，我们决定买一送一。
• Pinyin: Wèile cùxiāo, wǒmen juédìng mǎi yī sòng yī.
• English: In order to promote sales, we decided to do a “buy one, get one free.”
• Analysis: This shows `促销` as the goal. `买一送一 (mǎi yī sòng yī)` is a classic type of `促销`.
• Example 3:
• 请问，这款电脑有什么促销吗？
• Pinyin: Qǐngwèn, zhè kuǎn diànnǎo yǒu shénme cùxiāo ma?
• English: Excuse me, are there any promotions for this model of computer?
• Analysis: A perfect and polite question for a customer to ask a salesperson. `款 (kuǎn)` is a measure word for models or styles of products.
• Example 4:
• 双十一的促销力度非常大。
• Pinyin: Shuāng Shíyī de cùxiāo lìdù fēicháng dà.
• English: The intensity of the Double 11 sales promotion is huge.
• Analysis: `力度 (lìdù)` means “strength” or “intensity.” `促销力度` refers to how aggressive or generous the promotions are (e.g., deep discounts, big offers).
• Example 5:
• 我们的新产品需要一个好的促销方案。
• Pinyin: Wǒmen de xīn chǎnpǐn xūyào yí ge hǎo de cùxiāo fāng'àn.
• English: Our new product needs a good sales promotion plan.
• Analysis: This is a typical sentence you would hear in a business or marketing context. `方案 (fāng'àn)` means “plan” or “proposal.”
• Example 6:
• 我一般都等有促销的时候才买大件商品。
• Pinyin: Wǒ yìbān dōu děng yǒu cùxiāo de shíhou cái mǎi dàjiàn shāngpǐn.
• English: I usually wait until there's a promotion to buy big-ticket items.
• Analysis: This demonstrates `促销` used as a noun within a time clause (`…的时候` - when…). `大件商品 (dàjiàn shāngpǐn)` means large, expensive items.
• Example 7:
• 年底是传统的促销旺季。
• Pinyin: Niándǐ shì chuántǒng de cùxiāo wàngjì.
• English: The end of the year is the traditional peak season for sales promotions.
• Analysis: `旺季 (wàngjì)` means “peak season” or “busy season,” the opposite of `淡季 (dànjì)` (off-season).
• Example 8:
• 这次促销的商品不包括最新款。
• Pinyin: Zhè cì cùxiāo de shāngpǐn bù bāokuò zuìxīn kuǎn.
• English: The products in this promotion do not include the newest models.
• Analysis: A common situation where a promotion has exceptions. `不包括 (bù bāokuò)` means “does not include.”
• Example 9:
• 很多消费者被虚假的促销信息欺骗了。
• Pinyin: Hěn duō xiāofèizhě bèi xūjiǎ de cùxiāo xìnxī qīpiàn le.
• English: Many consumers were deceived by false promotional information.
• Analysis: This sentence shows a potential negative side. `虚假 (xūjiǎ)` means “false” or “fake,” and `被…欺骗 (bèi…qīpiàn)` is a passive structure meaning “to be deceived by…”
• Example 10:
• 公司的市场部负责策划所有的促销。
• Pinyin: Gōngsī de shìchǎng bù fùzé cèhuà suǒyǒu de cùxiāo.
• English: The company's marketing department is responsible for planning all promotions.
• Analysis: `市场部 (shìchǎng bù)` is “marketing department.” `策划 (cèhuà)` means “to plan” or “to mastermind,” often used for events and campaigns.

A common pitfall for learners is not understanding the scope of 促销 (cùxiāo). It's a broad, umbrella term.

• 促销 (cùxiāo) vs. 打折 (dǎzhé):
  • 促销 (cùxiāo) is the overall strategy or event (Sales Promotion).
  • 打折 (dǎzhé) is a specific tactic: giving a percentage discount (e.g., “8折” = 20% off).
  • Mistake: A store offers a free gift with purchase. It is incorrect to say `“这里在打折”` (They're giving a discount here). The correct way is `“这里有促销活动”` (There's a promotional event here). A discount (`打折`) is a type of `促销`, but not all `促销` involve a `打折`.
• 促销 (cùxiāo) vs. 推广 (tuīguǎng):
  • 促销 (cùxiāo) is focused specifically on driving sales of a product or service. The goal is immediate revenue.
  • 推广 (tuīguǎng) means “to promote, to popularize, to spread.” It's much broader. You can `推广` a brand, a public health message, a new app, or a cultural idea. The goal is often awareness and adoption, not just sales.
  • Example: A company might `推广` its brand on social media for months to build a following, and then launch a `促销` event to convert those followers into customers.

• 打折 (dǎzhé) - To give a discount. A very common and specific type of `促销`.
• 优惠 (yōuhuì) - Favorable, preferential. This describes the benefit a customer gets. It's the core of any `促销`.
• 优惠券 (yōuhuìquàn) - Coupon. A primary tool used in `促销` activities.
• 活动 (huódòng) - Activity, event. Frequently combined to form `促销活动` (promotional event).
• 降价 (jiàngjià) - To lower the price, price reduction. A direct way to conduct a `促销`.
• 特价 (tèjià) - Special price. Products on `特价` are part of a `促销`.
• 推广 (tuīguǎng) - To promote, popularize. A broader marketing term that includes, but is not limited to, `促销`.
• 双十一 (Shuāng Shíyī) - Double Eleven (Nov. 11). China's most famous shopping festival, built entirely around massive `促销`.
• 满减 (mǎnjiǎn) - “Reduce upon reaching.” A common `促销` tactic, e.g., “get ¥50 off every ¥300 spent.”
• 赠品 (zèngpǐn) - Free gift (with purchase). Another popular `促销` method.