jīhuì: 机会 - Opportunity, Chance

• Keywords: 机会, jīhuì, opportunity in Chinese, chance in Mandarin, Chinese word for opportunity, learning Chinese, what does jihui mean, seize the opportunity Chinese, HSK 3 vocabulary
• Summary: Discover the deep meaning of 机会 (jīhuì), the essential Chinese word for “opportunity” or “chance.” This guide goes beyond a simple translation, exploring the cultural importance of being prepared to seize a jīhuì, how to use it in everyday conversation, and how it differs from a mere “possibility.” Perfect for HSK learners and anyone wanting to understand a key concept in Chinese thought and modern life.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jīhuì
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: A favorable or advantageous time or set of circumstances to do something.
• In a Nutshell: 机会 (jīhuì) is more than just a random chance; it's a window of opportunity, a favorable moment that you can act upon. It implies potential and often requires action. While it can appear by luck, the common understanding is that you must be prepared and proactive to truly benefit from a jīhuì when it arises.

• 机 (jī): This character's original meaning relates to a “mechanism” or a “trigger,” like on a crossbow. It has evolved to mean machine, engine, but also a “pivotal point” or an “opportune moment.” Think of it as the crucial part of a machine that makes everything work.
• 会 (huì): This character means “to meet,” “to assemble,” or “to come together.” It depicts a convergence of things.
• Together, 机会 (jīhuì) literally means a “pivotal moment (机) that comes together (会).” This beautifully captures the idea of the right circumstances converging to create a special opening for action.

In Chinese culture, 机会 (jīhuì) is not seen as a purely passive event that just happens to you. It's deeply connected to the value of preparedness and proactivity. A famous and widely-used proverb states: 机会是留给有准备的人的 (Jīhuì shì liú gěi yǒu zhǔnbèi de rén de) — “Opportunity is reserved for those who are prepared.” This contrasts with the somewhat more passive Western idiom “opportunity knocks.” In the Chinese context, you don't just wait for the knock; you are expected to build the door, listen for the faintest sound, and be ready to swing it open at a moment's notice. This highlights a belief that while luck (运气, yùnqì) may bring a 机会 to your vicinity, it is your effort, skill, and readiness that allow you to recognize and seize it. Therefore, constantly improving oneself (in education, skills, or networking) is seen as a way of creating and attracting future 机会 (jīhuì).

机会 (jīhuì) is an extremely common word used in virtually all aspects of modern life.

• Career and Business: This is one of the most frequent contexts. People talk about a “job opportunity” (工作机会, gōngzuò jīhuì), a “promotion opportunity” (升职机会, shēngzhí jīhuì), or a good “business opportunity” (商业机会, shāngyè jīhuì).
• Personal Relationships: It can be used for the chance to meet someone, to apologize, or to express one's feelings. For example, “Can you give me a chance to explain?” (能不能给我一个解释的机会？).
• Common Collocations:
  • 抓住机会 (zhuāzhù jīhuì): To seize/grab an opportunity (very common).
  • 错过机会 (cuòguò jīhuì): To miss an opportunity.
  • 创造机会 (chuàngzào jīhuì): To create an opportunity.
  • 寻找机会 (xúnzhǎo jīhuì): To look for an opportunity.
  • 千载难逢的机会 (qiānzǎi nánféng de jīhuì): A golden opportunity; one that comes once in a thousand years.

• Example 1:
  • 这是一个很好的工作机会，你一定要抓住！
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì yí ge hěn hǎo de gōngzuò jīhuì, nǐ yídìng yào zhuāzhù!
  • English: This is a great job opportunity, you must seize it!
  • Analysis: This is a classic example of encouraging someone. It combines 机会 with the verb 抓住 (zhuāzhù), “to grab” or “to seize.”
• Example 2:
  • 如果你不好好学习，以后会失去很多机会。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ bù hǎohǎo xuéxí, yǐhòu huì shīqù hěn duō jīhuì.
  • English: If you don't study hard, you will lose many opportunities in the future.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the cultural value of preparedness. It shows that 机会 can be lost (失去, shīqù) through inaction or lack of preparation.
• Example 3:
  • 我希望能有机会和您面谈。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xīwàng néng yǒu jīhuì hé nín miàntán.
  • English: I hope to have the opportunity to interview with you in person.
  • Analysis: A polite and formal way to request something, commonly used in job applications or business contexts. 有机会 (yǒu jīhuì) means “to have an opportunity.”
• Example 4:
  • 他很后悔错过了去中国留学的机会。
  • Pinyin: Tā hěn hòuhuǐ cuòguò le qù Zhōngguó liúxué de jīhuì.
  • English: He really regrets missing the opportunity to study abroad in China.
  • Analysis: 错过 (cuòguò) is the specific verb for “to miss” an opportunity, train, or event. It implies that the chance was there, but was not taken.
• Example 5:
  • 对不起，能再给我一次机会吗？
  • Pinyin: Duìbuqǐ, néng zài gěi wǒ yí cì jīhuì ma?
  • English: Sorry, can you give me one more chance?
  • Analysis: Here, 机会 is used to mean “chance” in the context of asking for forgiveness or a second try. It's very common in personal conversations.
• Example 6:
  • 在大城市里，发展的机会更多。
  • Pinyin: Zài dà chéngshì lǐ, fāzhǎn de jīhuì gèng duō.
  • English: In big cities, there are more opportunities for development.
  • Analysis: This is a general statement about potential. 发展 (fāzhǎn) means “development,” and this phrase is often used when discussing career or personal growth.
• Example 7:
  • 我们应该为年轻人创造更多机会。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen yīnggāi wèi niánqīngrén chuàngzào gèng duō jīhuì.
  • English: We should create more opportunities for young people.
  • Analysis: This shows the proactive side of 机会. It's not just something you wait for; it can be actively 创造 (chuàngzào), or “created.”
• Example 8:
  • 他一直在等待一个合适的机会来启动自己的公司。
  • Pinyin: Tā yìzhí zài děngdài yí ge héshì de jīhuì lái qǐdòng zìjǐ de gōngsī.
  • English: He has been waiting for a suitable opportunity to start his own company.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses 等待 (děngdài), “to wait for,” showing that sometimes patience is required for the right 机会 to appear.
• Example 9:
  • 这次失败了没关系，下次还有机会。
  • Pinyin: Zhè cì shībài le méi guānxi, xià cì hái yǒu jīhuì.
  • English: It's okay that you failed this time, there will be another chance next time.
  • Analysis: A common comforting phrase. It uses 还有机会 (hái yǒu jīhuì), “still have a chance,” to offer encouragement.
• Example 10:
  • 对我来说，这是一个千载难逢的机会。
  • Pinyin: Duì wǒ lái shuō, zhè shì yí ge qiānzǎi nánféng de jīhuì.
  • English: For me, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses a Chengyu (idiom), 千载难逢 (qiānzǎi nánféng), which literally means “hard to meet in a thousand years,” to describe an extremely rare and valuable opportunity.

A major point of confusion for learners is the difference between 机会 (jīhuì) and 可能 (kěnéng) or 可能性 (kěnéngxìng).

• 机会 (jīhuì): An opportunity to do something. It implies an actor and a potential action. It is a favorable circumstance.
• 可能 (kěnéng) / 可能性 (kěnéngxìng): A possibility or “likelihood” that something will happen. It is a neutral statement of probability and doesn't require an actor.

Common Mistake: Using 机会 to talk about a neutral possibility, like the weather.

• Incorrect: 明天有机会下雨。 (Míngtiān yǒu jīhuì xià yǔ.)
  • This sounds strange, as if the rain is being given a “favorable opportunity” to fall.
• Correct: 明天可能会下雨。 (Míngtiān kěnéng huì xià yǔ.)
  • This correctly states, “It might rain tomorrow.”

Think of it this way: You have an 机会 (jīhuì) to go to the park, but there is a 可能 (kěnéng) that it will rain.

• 时机 (shíjī) - Timing; the opportune moment. More focused on the “when” than 机会. A good 时机 is a prerequisite for a good 机会.
• 机遇 (jīyù) - A major, often fateful or life-changing opportunity. It's more formal and grander than the everyday 机会.
• 运气 (yùnqì) - Luck; fortune. Good 运气 might bring you a 机会.
• 把握 (bǎwò) - To grasp; to seize; confidence. Often paired with 机会 as in 把握机会 (bǎwò jīhuì).
• 错过 (cuòguò) - To miss (an opportunity, a bus). The direct antonym of seizing a 机会.
• 创造 (chuàngzào) - To create. Used with 机会 to emphasize proactivity (创造机会).
• 可能 (kěnéng) - Possibility; maybe. A related but distinct concept often confused by learners (see Nuances section).
• 缘分 (yuánfèn) - Fate; destiny that brings people together. A romantic or fated 机会 to meet someone is often attributed to 缘分.