hézuò: 合作 - To Cooperate, To Collaborate, Cooperation

• Keywords: hezuo, 合作, cooperate in Chinese, collaborate in Chinese, Chinese for cooperation, business partnership in Chinese, working together Chinese, HSK 4 vocabulary
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese word 合作 (hézuò), meaning to cooperate or collaborate. This guide breaks down its meaning, cultural significance in business and daily life, and practical usage. Discover how to use 合作 (hézuò) correctly in sentences, understand its nuances compared to similar terms, and explore its connection to core Chinese cultural concepts like win-win (共赢) and relationships (关系).

• Pinyin (with tone marks): hézuò
• Part of Speech: Verb, Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To work together toward a common goal; cooperation.
• In a Nutshell: 合作 (hézuò) is the go-to word for “cooperation” or “collaboration” in Chinese. It's a versatile term used in formal business negotiations, academic group projects, and even international diplomacy. It implies that two or more parties are actively joining forces to achieve something they couldn't do as easily alone. The feeling is one of shared purpose and mutual effort.

• 合 (hé): This character means “to join,” “to combine,” or “to unite.” Pictorially, it can be seen as a lid (the top part) fitting perfectly onto a container or mouth (口, kǒu). It signifies coming together in agreement and harmony.
• 作 (zuò): This character means “to do,” “to make,” or “to work.” It's composed of a person radical (亻, a variation of 人 rén) and a component that represents action or creation.
• When combined, 合作 (hézuò) literally translates to “join and work.” This paints a clear picture of its meaning: multiple parties uniting their efforts to perform a task.

In Chinese culture, which often emphasizes collectivism and group harmony over individualism, 合作 (hézuò) is a highly valued concept. It's not merely a transactional term for a project; it often implies the beginning or strengthening of a relationship (关系, guānxi). A key cultural concept closely tied to 合作 is 共赢 (gòngyíng), which means “win-win.” Successful cooperation is one where all parties benefit. This contrasts with some Western business mentalities that can be more zero-sum or “winner-takes-all.” When a Chinese company proposes 合作, they are often implicitly suggesting a long-term, mutually beneficial partnership, not just a one-off project. Failure to deliver on your end of the bargain isn't just a business failure; it can cause a loss of face (面子, miànzi) for both parties and damage the underlying relationship. Therefore, while “collaboration” in the West is functionally similar, 合作 in a Chinese context often carries a heavier weight of relational commitment and the expectation of achieving a “win-win” outcome for everyone involved.

合作 (hézuò) is a standard and frequently used term across various domains. Its formality depends on the context, but it is generally considered neutral to formal.

• In Business: This is its most common usage. It's used for joint ventures (合资企业, hézī qǐyè), strategic partnerships, project collaborations, and supplier/client relationships. Phrases like “希望我们合作愉快 (xīwàng wǒmen hézuò yúkuài)” - “I hope our cooperation is pleasant” are standard in business communications.
• In Academia: Students 合作 on group assignments (小组作业, xiǎozǔ zuòyè) and researchers from different institutions 合作 on studies.
• In Daily Life: While less common for casual activities, you might hear it if friends decide to 合作 on a creative project, like starting a small online shop or organizing a community event.
• As a Noun vs. Verb: It can be used as a verb (“我们合作吧 - Let's cooperate”) or a noun (“我们的合作很成功 - Our cooperation was very successful”).

• Example 1:
  • 我们公司正在跟一家美国公司合作。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī zhèngzài gēn yījiā Měiguó gōngsī hézuò.
  • English: Our company is currently cooperating with an American company.
  • Analysis: A very common sentence in a business context, using the structure “跟 (gēn) + [someone] + 合作” to mean “cooperate with [someone]”.
• Example 2:
  • 这次项目成功，离不开大家的合作。
  • Pinyin: Zhè cì xiàngmù chénggōng, lí bù kāi dàjiā de hézuò.
  • English: The success of this project was inseparable from everyone's cooperation.
  • Analysis: Here, 合作 is used as a noun. “离不开 (lí bù kāi)” is a useful phrase meaning “cannot be separated from” or “relies heavily on.”
• Example 3:
  • 老师要求我们分组合作，完成这个报告。
  • Pinyin: Lǎoshī yāoqiú wǒmen fēnzǔ hézuò, wánchéng zhège bàogào.
  • English: The teacher requires us to cooperate in groups to finish this report.
  • Analysis: This shows 合作 in an academic setting. “分组 (fēnzǔ)” means “to divide into groups.”
• Example 4:
  • 希望我们未来能有更多合作的机会。
  • Pinyin: Xīwàng wǒmen wèilái néng yǒu gèng duō hézuò de jīhuì.
  • English: I hope we can have more opportunities for cooperation in the future.
  • Analysis: A polite and standard closing statement in business meetings or emails, expressing goodwill for future partnerships.
• Example 5:
  • 如果你不愿意合作，我们只能自己做了。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ bù yuànyì hézuò, wǒmen zhǐ néng zìjǐ zuòle.
  • English: If you're unwilling to cooperate, we'll just have to do it ourselves.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the negative form, “不愿意合作 (bù yuànyì hézuò),” meaning “unwilling to cooperate.”
• Example 6:
  • 这两个国家在经济和文化方面有很多合作。
  • Pinyin: Zhè liǎng ge guójiā zài jīngjì hé wénhuà fāngmiàn yǒu hěn duō hézuò.
  • English: These two countries have a lot of cooperation in terms of economy and culture.
  • Analysis: Shows the use of 合作 in the context of international relations. “在…方面 (zài… fāngmiàn)” means “in terms of…” or “regarding…”
• Example 7:
  • 他是一个很好的合作伙伴。
  • Pinyin: Tā shì yīgè hěn hǎo de hézuò huǒbàn.
  • English: He is a very good cooperation partner.
  • Analysis: 合作 can act as an adjective here to modify a noun like “伙伴 (huǒbàn) - partner.”
• Example 8:
  • 感谢贵公司的合作与支持。
  • Pinyin: Gǎnxiè guì gōngsī de hézuò yǔ zhīchí.
  • English: Thank you for your company's cooperation and support.
  • Analysis: A very formal and polite phrase used in business correspondence. “贵公司 (guì gōngsī)” is the respectful way to say “your company.”
• Example 9:
  • 我们需要紧密合作才能按时完成任务。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen xūyào jǐnmì hézuò cáinéng ànshí wánchéng rènwù.
  • English: We need to cooperate closely to be able to finish the task on time.
  • Analysis: The adverb “紧密 (jǐnmì)” is often used with 合作 to mean “close cooperation.”
• Example 10:
  • 我们的合作非常愉快。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen de hézuò fēicháng yúkuài.
  • English: Our cooperation was very pleasant.
  • Analysis: A simple but essential phrase for affirming a good working relationship. It's often said at the end of a successful project or meeting.

• `合作 (hézuò)` vs. `一起工作 (yīqǐ gōngzuò)`: This is a key distinction for learners.
  • `一起工作 (yīqǐ gōngzuò)` means “to work together” literally, as in sharing the same office or being on the same payroll. You can work together without cooperating. (e.g., “我们在同一个办公室一起工作，但是我们不合作。 - We work together in the same office, but we don't cooperate.”)
  • `合作 (hézuò)` specifically implies collaboration towards a shared objective.
• `合作 (hézuò)` is for tasks, not simple activities: A common mistake is using 合作 for everyday social actions.
  • Incorrect: 我想跟你合作去看电影。 (Wǒ xiǎng gēn nǐ hézuò qù kàn diànyǐng.)
  • Reason: Watching a movie is not a task or project requiring joint effort in this sense.
  • Correct: 我想跟你一起去看电影。 (Wǒ xiǎng gēn nǐ yīqǐ qù kàn diànyǐng.) - “I want to go watch a movie with you.”

• 配合 (pèihé) - To coordinate; to cooperate. Often implies one party is assisting or accommodating another in a supportive role. It's about fitting in with a larger plan.
• 协作 (xiézuò) - To collaborate; to work in coordination. More formal than 合作, often used for large-scale, systematic, or technical collaboration.
• 伙伴 (huǒbàn) - Partner. A general term for a partner, can be in business, a project, or life.
• 搭档 (dādàng) - Partner (in a pair). Often implies a closer, more hands-on partnership, like a dance partner, a lab partner, or a comedy duo.
• 共赢 (gòngyíng) - Win-win. The ideal outcome of any 合作, where all parties benefit.
• 合伙人 (héhuǒrén) - Business partner. A more official and legal term for a partner in a business firm.
• 团队合作 (tuánduì hézuò) - Teamwork; team cooperation. Specifically refers to cooperation within a defined team.
• 关系 (guānxi) - Relationships; connections. Good 关系 is often seen as the essential foundation for successful 合作.
• 联手 (liánshǒu) - To join hands; to team up. A more vivid and often informal term for joining forces against a common challenge or opponent.