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| 董事会 [2025/08/11 09:51] – created xiaoer | 董事会 [Unknown date] (current) – removed - external edit (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1 |
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| ====== dǒngshìhuì: 董事会 - Board of Directors ====== | |
| ===== Quick Summary ===== | |
| * **Keywords:** 董事会, dongshihui, board of directors in Chinese, Chinese business vocabulary, corporate governance in China, company board, learn Chinese for business, 董事长, HSK 5 vocabulary. | |
| * **Summary:** Learn the meaning and usage of **董事会 (dǒngshìhuì)**, the Chinese term for a company's "Board of Directors." This guide breaks down the characters, explains its critical role in Chinese corporate governance, and provides practical example sentences. Understand how the **董事会** functions in modern China and how it compares to its Western counterpart, a key concept for anyone learning Chinese for business. | |
| ===== Core Meaning ===== | |
| * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** dǒng shì huì | |
| * **Part of Speech:** Noun | |
| * **HSK Level:** HSK 5 | |
| * **Concise Definition:** The board of directors of a corporation or organization. | |
| * **In a Nutshell:** **董事会 (dǒngshìhuì)** is the formal, official term for the group of people elected by shareholders to oversee a company. Think of it as the highest level of management, responsible for major strategic decisions, not the day-to-day tasks. It's a crucial term in business, finance, and corporate news. | |
| ===== Character Breakdown ===== | |
| * **董 (dǒng):** To direct, supervise, or manage. This character implies a position of authority and oversight. | |
| * **事 (shì):** Matter, affair, business, or item of work. It refers to the company's business and affairs. | |
| * **会 (huì):** Meeting, assembly, or association. It signifies a formal gathering or group. | |
| These three characters combine literally to mean an "assembly (会) for directing (董) business matters (事)," which is a perfect description of a "Board of Directors." | |
| ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== | |
| In China, the **董事会 (dǒngshìhuì)** is the pinnacle of corporate authority, just as a "Board of Directors" is in the West. However, there are cultural and structural nuances to be aware of. | |
| * **Comparison to a Western Board:** While both are responsible for company strategy and oversight, the power within a Chinese **董事会** is often more concentrated in the hands of the Chairman, the **董事长 (dǒngshìzhǎng)**. The Chairman can wield immense influence, sometimes acting as both chairman and CEO, blurring the lines of governance that are often kept separate in Western companies. | |
| * **State Influence:** In State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) and even many large private companies, it's common for the **董事会** to include Party representatives. This means major corporate decisions are often aligned with national policy and government objectives, a factor less direct in most Western corporations. This dynamic reflects the value of collective goals and national interest, which can sometimes supersede pure shareholder profit motives. | |
| * **Decision-Making:** While Western boards often value open debate and dissent, Chinese boards may place a higher emphasis on presenting a unified front. Decisions are often discussed and aligned upon //before// the formal meeting, reflecting a cultural preference for harmony (和谐, héxié) and avoiding open conflict. | |
| ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== | |
| **董事会 (dǒngshìhuì)** is a formal term used almost exclusively in business, legal, and financial contexts. You will not hear it in casual daily conversation unless someone is specifically discussing their company's structure or a major business news story. | |
| * **In Business Meetings:** Used when discussing high-level strategy, approvals for major investments, or executive appointments. //"This plan needs **董事会** approval."// | |
| * **In the News:** Media reports on corporate earnings, mergers, or scandals will frequently mention the **董事会** and its decisions. | |
| * **In Formal Documents:** Appears in annual reports, company charters (章程, zhāngchéng), and legal filings. | |
| The term is neutral and carries a serious, formal weight. It is never used informally. | |
| ===== Example Sentences ===== | |
| * **Example 1:** | |
| * 公司正在组建新的**董事会**。 | |
| * Pinyin: Gōngsī zhèngzài zǔjiàn xīn de **dǒngshìhuì**. | |
| * English: The company is in the process of forming a new board of directors. | |
| * Analysis: This sentence shows the basic use of the term in a common business activity. 组建 (zǔjiàn) means "to form" or "to establish." | |
| * **Example 2:** | |
| * 这个决定必须得到**董事会**的批准。 | |
| * Pinyin: Zhège juédìng bìxū dédào **dǒngshìhuì** de pīzhǔn. | |
| * English: This decision must receive the approval of the board of directors. | |
| * Analysis: This highlights the board's authority. 得到...的批准 (dédào...de pīzhǔn) is a common and formal way to say "get the approval of..." | |
| * **Example 3:** | |
| * **董事会**明天上午十点召开紧急会议。 | |
| * Pinyin: **Dǒngshìhuì** míngtiān shàngwǔ shí diǎn zhàokāi jǐnjí huìyì. | |
| * English: The board of directors will hold an emergency meeting at 10 AM tomorrow morning. | |
| * Analysis: 召开会议 (zhàokāi huìyì) is the formal verb for "to hold a meeting." | |
| * **Example 4:** | |
| * 他是我们**董事会**里最年轻的成员。 | |
| * Pinyin: Tā shì wǒmen **dǒngshìhuì** lǐ zuì niánqīng de chéngyuán. | |
| * English: He is the youngest member on our board of directors. | |
| * Analysis: This shows how to talk about the members (成员, chéngyuán) of the board. | |
| * **Example 5:** | |
| * **董事会**主席对公司的未来发展非常有信心。 | |
| * Pinyin: **Dǒngshìhuì** zhǔxí duì gōngsī de wèilái fāzhǎn fēicháng yǒu xìnxīn. | |
| * English: The chairman of the board is very confident about the company's future development. | |
| * Analysis: Introduces the related term 主席 (zhǔxí), often used for "chairman." The full title is 董事长 (dǒngshìzhǎng). | |
| * **Example 6:** | |
| * 股东们对**董事会**的决议表示不满。 | |
| * Pinyin: Gǔdōngmen duì **dǒngshìhuì** de juéyì biǎoshì bùmǎn. | |
| * English: The shareholders expressed dissatisfaction with the board of directors' resolution. | |
| * Analysis: This sentence shows the relationship between shareholders (股东, gǔdōng) and the board, and introduces the word for a formal resolution (决议, juéyì). | |
| * **Example 7:** | |
| * CEO需要向**董事会**汇报季度业绩。 | |
| * Pinyin: CEO xūyào xiàng **dǒngshìhuì** huìbào jìdù yèjì. | |
| * English: The CEO needs to report the quarterly performance to the board of directors. | |
| * Analysis: Demonstrates the reporting structure. 向...汇报 (xiàng...huìbào) means "to report to..." | |
| * **Example 8:** | |
| * 根据公司章程，**董事会**每年至少要开四次会。 | |
| * Pinyin: Gēnjù gōngsī zhāngchéng, **dǒngshìhuì** měinián zhìshǎo yào kāi sì cì huì. | |
| * English: According to the company's articles of association, the board of directors must meet at least four times a year. | |
| * Analysis: 章程 (zhāngchéng) means "bylaws" or "articles of association," a key document in corporate governance. | |
| * **Example 9:** | |
| * 她在三十五岁时就进入了公司的**董事会**。 | |
| * Pinyin: Tā zài sānshíwǔ suì shí jiù jìnrù le gōngsī de **dǒngshìhuì**. | |
| * English: She joined the company's board of directors at the age of thirty-five. | |
| * Analysis: 进入 (jìnrù) literally means "to enter," and is used here to mean "joining" the board. | |
| * **Example 10:** | |
| * **董事会**的职责是为所有股东创造长期价值。 | |
| * Pinyin: **Dǒngshìhuì** de zhízé shì wèi suǒyǒu gǔdōng chuàngzào chángqī jiàzhí. | |
| * English: The duty of the board of directors is to create long-term value for all shareholders. | |
| * Analysis: A classic textbook definition of the board's role. 职责 (zhízé) means "duty" or "responsibility." | |
| ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== | |
| * **董事会 (dǒngshìhuì) vs. 会议 (huìyì):** A common mistake for beginners is to confuse **董事会** with a general meeting. | |
| * **董事会** is the //group of people// (the Board). | |
| * **会议 (huìyì)** is the //event// of a meeting. | |
| * **Correct:** **董事会**要开一个**会议**。(Dǒngshìhuì yào kāi yí ge huìyì.) - The Board of Directors is going to have a meeting. | |
| * **Incorrect:** 我要去一个**董事会**。 (Wǒ yào qù yí ge dǒngshìhuì.) - This sounds like you are going to physically become a board of directors, which is nonsensical. You should say "I'm going to a board meeting" (我要去开董事会会议 - wǒ yào qù kāi dǒngshìhuì huìyì, or more simply, 我要去开个会 - wǒ yào qù kāi ge huì). | |
| * **董事会 (dǒngshìhuì) vs. 管理层 (guǎnlǐcéng):** Don't confuse the board with the management team. | |
| * **董事会** (Board): Strategic, high-level, long-term vision. They appoint the CEO. | |
| * **管理层 (guǎnlǐcéng)** (Management Team): Operational, day-to-day running of the company. They report to the CEO, who reports to the board. | |
| ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== | |
| * [[董事长]] (dǒngshìzhǎng) - Chairman of the Board. The leader of the **董事会**. | |
| * [[董事]] (dǒngshì) - A single Director; a member of the **董事会**. | |
| * [[股东]] (gǔdōng) - Shareholder. The owners of the company who elect the **董事会**. | |
| * [[股东大会]] (gǔdōng dàhuì) - General Shareholder's Meeting. The event where shareholders vote on major issues, including electing the **董事会**. | |
| * [[首席执行官]] (shǒuxí zhíxíng guān) - Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The top executive, appointed by and reporting to the **董事会**. | |
| * [[管理层]] (guǎnlǐcéng) - The management team. The group of senior managers responsible for daily operations, distinct from the **董事会**. | |
| * [[公司治理]] (gōngsī zhìlǐ) - Corporate Governance. The entire system of rules and practices by which a company is directed and controlled; the **董事会** is the core of this system. | |
| * [[决议]] (juéyì) - Resolution. A formal decision made by the **董事会** or another formal body. | |
| * [[章程]] (zhāngchéng) - Articles of Association / Bylaws. The formal document that defines the company's rules, including the powers and duties of the **董事会**. | |