tuījiàn: 推荐 - To Recommend, Recommendation

• Keywords: 推荐, tuijian, tuījiàn, what does tuijian mean, how to say recommend in Chinese, Chinese for recommendation, recommend in Chinese, Chinese verb to recommend, tuijian vs jieshao
• Summary: Learn how to use 推荐 (tuījiàn), the essential Chinese verb for “to recommend.” This comprehensive guide covers its meaning, cultural significance, and practical usage in daily life, business, and online. Discover the difference between 推荐 (tuījiàn), 介绍 (jièshào), and 建议 (jiànyì) with clear examples to help you recommend books, restaurants, or even people with confidence and cultural awareness.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): tuījiàn
• Part of Speech: Verb, Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To recommend or endorse a person, place, or thing that you approve of.
• In a Nutshell: 推荐 (tuījiàn) is the go-to word for “recommend” in Chinese. It's more than just a neutral suggestion; it carries an implicit endorsement. When you 推荐 something, you're putting your personal stamp of approval on it, whether it's a delicious restaurant, a great movie, or a trustworthy candidate for a job. It's an active, positive word used in almost every aspect of modern Chinese life.

• 推 (tuī): This character means “to push.” The left side, 扌(shǒu), is the “hand” radical, indicating an action done with the hands. So, 推 is literally the action of pushing something forward.
• 荐 (jiàn): This character means “to present” or “to offer up.” The top part, 艹 (cǎo), is the “grass” radical. Historically, it was related to presenting tribute or valuable grasses. Over time, it came to mean presenting something or someone of value for consideration.
• Together, 推荐 (tuījiàn) creates a vivid image: you are “pushing forward” (推) a valuable “offering” (荐) for someone else. This captures the active, endorsing nature of the word perfectly.

In Western cultures, a recommendation can often be casual and low-stakes. In China, especially in a professional or serious social context, a 推荐 (tuījiàn) is deeply intertwined with the concepts of 关系 (guānxi) (social network/relationships) and 面子 (miànzi) (face/reputation). When you 推荐 someone for a job, you are not just suggesting a name; you are leveraging your own 关系 and putting your 面子 on the line. If the person you recommend performs well, it reflects positively on you and strengthens your relationship with the person you helped. Conversely, if they perform poorly, you risk losing face and damaging your credibility. This makes a formal 推荐 a significant social act. It's a transfer of trust and social capital. While recommending a movie to a friend is casual, recommending a person for a serious matter is a transaction built on a foundation of established trust, and it's a powerful way to build and maintain your 关系 network.

推荐 is an extremely versatile word used across all registers of the language.

• Casual Conversation: This is the most common usage. Friends constantly 推荐 things to each other.
  • Recommending movies, TV shows, books, and music.
  • Recommending restaurants, cafes, or travel destinations.
  • Recommending apps, products, or online stores.
• Professional/Business Context: Here, 推荐 takes on a more formal and serious tone.
  • 推荐信 (tuījiànxìn): A letter of recommendation for a job or university application.
  • Recommending a candidate for a position within a company.
  • Recommending a business partner or a supplier, which implies trust and a belief in their quality.
• Online and Social Media: The word is ubiquitous online.
  • 为你推荐 (wèi nǐ tuījiàn): “Recommended for you” - seen on almost every e-commerce and content platform like Taobao, Douyin, and Bilibili.
  • Influencers on platforms like 小红书 (xiǎohóngshū) will use phrases like 强力推荐 (qiánglì tuījiàn), meaning “strongly recommend,” to endorse products. This has led to the slang term 安利 (ānlì), which is used in the same way.

• Example 1: Recommending a dish.
  • 我向你推荐这家的北京烤鸭，特别地道。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xiàng nǐ tuījiàn zhè jiā de Běijīng kǎoyā, tèbié dìdào.
  • English: I recommend this place's Peking duck to you; it's especially authentic.
  • Analysis: A very common and friendly use. `向你 (xiàng nǐ)` means “to you” and is often used with 推荐.
• Example 2: Asking for a recommendation.
  • 你有什么好电影可以推荐吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ yǒu shéme hǎo diànyǐng kěyǐ tuījiàn ma?
  • English: Do you have any good movies you can recommend?
  • Analysis: A simple and effective way to ask for a recommendation. `有什么…可以推荐吗？` is a useful pattern.
• Example 3: Recommending a person formally.
  • 我想推荐我的同事，李先生，来负责这个项目。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xiǎng tuījiàn wǒ de tóngshì, Lǐ xiānshēng, lái fùzé zhège xiàngmù.
  • English: I would like to recommend my colleague, Mr. Li, to be in charge of this project.
  • Analysis: This is a professional context. The speaker is vouching for their colleague's ability.
• Example 4: Using 推荐 as a noun.
  • 谢谢你的推荐，这家餐厅果然很棒！
  • Pinyin: Xièxie nǐ de tuījiàn, zhè jiā cāntīng guǒrán hěn bàng!
  • English: Thanks for your recommendation, this restaurant is indeed great!
  • Analysis: Here, 推荐 acts as a noun meaning “recommendation.” `你的推荐` means “your recommendation.”
• Example 5: Self-recommendation.
  • 在面试的时候，你需要勇敢地自我推荐。
  • Pinyin: Zài miànshì de shíhou, nǐ xūyào yǒnggǎn de zìwǒ tuījiàn.
  • English: During a job interview, you need to bravely recommend yourself.
  • Analysis: 自我推荐 (zìwǒ tuījiàn) means “self-recommendation” or “to sell oneself.”
• Example 6: Strong recommendation.
  • 这本书我强力推荐，你一定要看！
  • Pinyin: Zhè běn shū wǒ qiánglì tuījiàn, nǐ yīdìng yào kàn!
  • English: I strongly recommend this book, you absolutely must read it!
  • Analysis: 强力 (qiánglì) means “strong” or “powerful,” adding great emphasis.
• Example 7: Online algorithm recommendation.
  • 我的淘宝首页总是给我推荐一些奇怪的东西。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de Táobǎo shǒuyè zǒngshì gěi wǒ tuījiàn yīxiē qíguài de dōngxi.
  • English: My Taobao homepage always recommends some strange things to me.
  • Analysis: This shows how 推荐 is used for algorithm-based suggestions in the digital world.
• Example 8: Recommending a person for a benefit.
  • 是老板推荐我去参加这次培训的。
  • Pinyin: Shì lǎobǎn tuījiàn wǒ qù cānjiā zhè cì péixùn de.
  • English: It was the boss who recommended me to attend this training.
  • Analysis: The `是…的 (shì…de)` structure emphasizes that it was the boss (and not someone else) who made the recommendation.
• Example 9: Negative recommendation.
  • 我不推荐你在高峰期去那里，人太多了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bù tuījiàn nǐ zài gāofēngqī qù nàlǐ, rén tài duō le.
  • English: I don't recommend you go there during peak hours, there are too many people.
  • Analysis: Simply negating with 不 (bù) works perfectly. This is advice against something, framed as a lack of endorsement.
• Example 10: Using a recommendation letter.
  • 申请这所大学需要一封老师的推荐信。
  • Pinyin: Shēnqǐng zhè suǒ dàxué xūyào yī fēng lǎoshī de tuījiànxìn.
  • English: Applying to this university requires a teacher's letter of recommendation.
  • Analysis: 推荐信 (tuījiànxìn) is the specific compound word for a recommendation letter.

The most common mistake learners make is confusing 推荐 (tuījiàn) with 介绍 (jièshào) and 建议 (jiànyì).

• 推荐 (tuījiàn) vs. 介绍 (jièshào)
  • 介绍 (jièshào) means “to introduce.” It is neutral and factual. You use it to introduce a person to another person, or to give a basic introduction to a place or concept.
  • 推荐 (tuījiàn) means “to recommend.” It is positive and includes your personal approval.
  • Incorrect: 我给你推荐一下，这是我的妈妈。(Let me recommend to you, this is my mom.)
  • Why it's wrong: You don't “recommend” your mom as if she's a product. You introduce her.
  • Correct: 我给你介绍一下，这是我的妈妈。(Let me introduce you, this is my mom.)
• 推荐 (tuījiàn) vs. 建议 (jiànyì)
  • 建议 (jiànyì) means “to suggest” or “to advise.” It's about proposing a course of action.
  • 推荐 (tuījiàn) is about endorsing a specific noun (person, place, thing).
  • Example (Action): 我建议你明天早点出发。(I suggest you leave a bit earlier tomorrow.) → This is advice on *what to do*.
  • Example (Thing): 我推荐一家很好的酒店给你。(I recommend a very good hotel to you.) → This is endorsing a *thing*. You wouldn't say “I suggest a very good hotel to you” in the same way.

• 介绍 (jièshào) - To introduce. A neutral presentation of facts, unlike the endorsement of 推荐.
• 建议 (jiànyì) - To suggest; advice. Focuses on proposing an action rather than endorsing a noun.
• 推荐信 (tuījiànxìn) - A letter of recommendation. A formal document using the concept of 推荐.
• 强力推荐 (qiánglì tuījiàn) - To strongly recommend. An emphatic version used in both speech and marketing.
• 安利 (ānlì) - (Slang) To enthusiastically recommend or promote something you love. Originated from the brand Amway (安利), known for its direct-selling model.
• 提名 (tímíng) - To nominate. More formal than 推荐, used for official candidates, awards, or positions.
• 关系 (guānxi) - Social connections/network. A strong 推荐 is often an exercise of one's 关系.
• 面子 (miànzi) - “Face”; social prestige. Your 面子 is on the line when you make a serious 推荐.