kāihuì: 开会 - To have a meeting, To hold a meeting

• Keywords: kāihuì, 开会, Chinese for meeting, hold a meeting in Chinese, attend a meeting, Chinese business culture, HSK 2, verb-object phrase, kāi huì meaning, Chinese grammar, common Chinese verbs.
• Summary: Learn how to use the essential Chinese term 开会 (kāihuì), which means “to have a meeting” or “to hold a meeting.” This comprehensive guide breaks down the characters, explains the cultural significance of meetings in China, and provides 10 practical example sentences. Discover the grammar of this common verb-object phrase, learn how to avoid common mistakes, and see how it's used in everyday business and social contexts.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): kāihuì
• Part of Speech: Verb-Object Phrase
• HSK Level: HSK 2
• Concise Definition: To hold or attend a meeting.
• In a Nutshell: 开会 (kāihuì) is the go-to term for the act of having a meeting. It's a compound word that literally means “to open a meeting” and is used constantly in professional, academic, and even sometimes family settings. Think of it as a single action chunk: when you're “meeting,” you're “kāihuì-ing.”

• 开 (kāi): The primary meaning of 开 is “to open,” “to start,” or “to turn on.” You use it to open a door (开门 - kāimén), turn on a light (开灯 - kāidēng), or start a car (开车 - kāichē).
• 会 (huì): This character means “meeting,” “conference,” or “gathering.” It can also mean “can” or “will,” but in this context, it specifically refers to a meeting.

When combined, 开 (kāi) + 会 (huì) creates a logical verb-object phrase: to open/start (开) a meeting (会). This structure is very common in Chinese and makes the meaning easy to remember.

In both Western and Chinese cultures, meetings can be seen as a tedious necessity. However, the cultural function of 开会 in China often goes deeper than simply exchanging information and making decisions. Meetings are a cornerstone of Chinese business and organizational culture, reflecting values of collectivism and consensus. Unlike some Western meetings that might prioritize direct debate and quick decisions, a Chinese meeting can be a place to:

• Build Consensus (统一思想 - tǒngyī sīxiǎng): The goal is often to get everyone on the same page and ensure group harmony, rather than to have an open, potentially confrontational debate. Decisions may have already been made informally beforehand, and the meeting serves to formalize them and present a unified front.
• Show Respect and Hierarchy: The act of calling a meeting, the seating arrangement, and who speaks first can all be used to reinforce the organizational hierarchy. Attending a meeting is a way of showing respect to the leader who called it.
• Distribute Information Formally: It is the official channel for leaders to pass down instructions and for team members to report progress.

This can be contrasted with the “let's brainstorm and challenge everything” style of meeting often idealized in Western startup culture. For a learner, understanding that 开会 can be as much about process, respect, and unity as it is about outcome is key to navigating Chinese professional environments.

开会 is an extremely common term used in a variety of contexts, though it's most prevalent in the workplace.

• In the Office: This is its natural habitat. It's used to announce, schedule, complain about, and describe meetings of all kinds, from a quick team huddle to a major annual conference.
• On Social Media: It's common to see people post about being stuck in long meetings, often with a tone of mild complaint or resignation (e.g., “又要开会了…” - “Time for another meeting…”).
• Formality: The term itself is neutral. The context determines the formality. A boss saying “我们三点开会” (We'll have a meeting at 3) is a standard, neutral command. Saying “我今天开了一整天的会” (I had meetings all day today) is a common complaint.

A key grammatical point is that 开会 is a “separable verb,” meaning you can insert words into the middle of it.

• To state duration: 开一个小时的会 (kāi yī ge xiǎoshí de huì) - To have a one-hour meeting.
• To specify the type: 开一个重要的会 (kāi yī ge zhòngyào de huì) - To have an important meeting.

• Example 1:
  • 我们下午三点开会。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen xiàwǔ sān diǎn kāihuì.
  • English: We are having a meeting at 3 PM.
  • Analysis: A simple, common statement used to schedule a meeting. This is a neutral, everyday sentence you'll hear constantly in a Chinese office.
• Example 2:
  • 你现在方便吗？我们想跟你开个会。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ xiànzài fāngbiàn ma? Wǒmen xiǎng gēn nǐ kāi ge huì.
  • English: Are you free now? We'd like to have a quick meeting with you.
  • Analysis: 开个会 (kāi ge huì) is a softened, more casual form of 开会. The “个 (ge)” makes it sound like “a (single) meeting” and is less demanding than just “开会”.
• Example 3:
  • 对不起，老板正在开会，不能接电话。
  • Pinyin: Duìbuqǐ, lǎobǎn zhèngzài kāihuì, bù néng jiē diànhuà.
  • English: I'm sorry, the boss is in a meeting right now and can't take your call.
  • Analysis: The structure “正在 + verb” indicates an action in progress. Here, “正在开会” means “in the middle of a meeting.”
• Example 4:
  • 我今天开会开了一整天，太累了！
  • Pinyin: Wǒ jīntiān kāihuì kāi le yī zhěng tiān, tài lèi le!
  • English: I was in meetings all day today, I'm so tired!
  • Analysis: This sentence uses verb repetition (“开会开…”) to add an adverbial phrase describing the duration (“了一整天 - for the whole day”). This is a very native way to express this idea and a great pattern to learn.
• Example 5:
  • 明天的会谁主持？
  • Pinyin: Míngtiān de huì shéi zhǔchí?
  • English: Who is presiding over/leading tomorrow's meeting?
  • Analysis: While this sentence doesn't use “开会,” it uses the related noun “会” (meeting) and the verb “主持” (zhǔchí - to preside over), which is directly related to the action of a meeting.
• Example 6:
  • 我们需要开个会讨论一下新的项目。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen xūyào kāi ge huì tǎolùn yīxià xīn de xiàngmù.
  • English: We need to have a meeting to discuss the new project.
  • Analysis: This shows the purpose of the meeting by linking 开会 with another verb, 讨论 (tǎolùn - to discuss).
• Example 7:
  • 你为什么昨天的会没来参加？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ wèishéme zuótiān de huì méi lái cānjiā?
  • English: Why didn't you attend yesterday's meeting?
  • Analysis: 参加 (cānjiā) is the verb for “to participate” or “to attend.” You 参加会议 (cānjiā huìyì) or 参加一个会 (cānjiā yī ge huì). You don't “参加开会”.
• Example 8:
  • 这个会有多长？我开会的时间不多。
  • Pinyin: Zhège huì yǒu duō cháng? Wǒ kāihuì de shíjiān bù duō.
  • English: How long is this meeting? I don't have much time for meetings.
  • Analysis: Here, “开会的时间” functions as a noun phrase: “the time for having meetings.”
• Example 9:
  • 别吵了，咱们开个家庭会议解决这个问题。
  • Pinyin: Bié chǎo le, zánmen kāi ge jiātíng huìyì jiějué zhège wèntí.
  • English: Stop arguing, let's hold a family meeting to solve this problem.
  • Analysis: This shows that the concept of a “meeting” can be extended to non-business contexts. 家庭会议 (jiātíng huìyì) is “family meeting.”
• Example 10:
  • 公司决定召开一个全体员工大会。
  • Pinyin: Gōngsī juédìng zhàokāi yī ge quántǐ yuángōng dàhuì.
  • English: The company has decided to convene a general meeting for all employees.
  • Analysis: 召开 (zhàokāi) is a more formal version of 开会, often used for large, official, or important meetings like a “大会” (dàhuì - large conference/assembly).

• Mistake 1: Confusing 开会 (kāihuì) with 见面 (jiànmiàn).
  • 开会 (kāihuì) is for a formal or scheduled meeting, usually with multiple people for a specific purpose (e.g., a project discussion).
  • 见面 (jiànmiàn) means “to meet up with” or “to see someone,” and is used for personal encounters, like meeting a friend for coffee or meeting a client for the first time.
  • Incorrect: 我明天要和朋友开会。 (I'm going to have a meeting with my friend tomorrow.) → This sounds overly formal and strange.
  • Correct: 我明天要和朋友见面。 (I'm going to meet up with my friend tomorrow.)
• Mistake 2: Treating “开会” as a simple verb.
  • As a verb-object phrase, you can't just add another object after it.
  • Incorrect: 我开会这个问题。 (I hold a meeting this problem.)
  • Correct: 我们开会讨论这个问题。 (We hold a meeting to discuss this problem.)
• Mistake 3: Saying “我开一个会” (wǒ kāi yī ge huì).
  • While not strictly grammatically wrong, it sounds unnatural on its own. Native speakers will almost always insert a descriptor between “开” and “会”.
  • Awkward: 我下午要开一个会。
  • Natural: 我下午要开一个很重要的会。 (I have a very important meeting this afternoon.)
  • Natural: 我们开个短会吧。 (Let's have a short meeting.)

• 会议 (huìyì) - The formal noun for “meeting” or “conference.” While 开会 is the action, 会议 is the event itself.
• 见面 (jiànmiàn) - To meet with a person; to see someone face-to-face. Use this for informal or one-on-one encounters, not business meetings.
• 讨论 (tǎolùn) - To discuss. This is often the main activity that happens during a 会 (huì).
• 商量 (shāngliang) - To consult, to talk over. A more informal version of 讨论, often used between two or a few people.
• 聚会 (jùhuì) - A social gathering, a party. This is for fun with friends or family, not work.
• 参加 (cānjiā) - To attend, to participate in. The verb you use to say you are going to a meeting (e.g., 我去参加一个会议).
• 主持 (zhǔchí) - To lead, host, or preside over (a meeting, a show, a ceremony).
• 召开 (zhàokāi) - A formal verb meaning “to convene” a meeting or conference. Used in written or formal announcements.