Meetings, introductions and Chinese business titles
Address people by surname + title, never by given name: 王总 (Boss Wang), 李经理 (Manager Li), 张老师 (Teacher Zhang). Hand and receive a business card with both hands, read it before putting it down, and never write on it in front of the person who gave it to you.
What actually happens
The single most useful thing an English speaker can learn before a meeting in China is the title system, because getting it wrong is the mistake every visitor makes and the one everyone in the room notices. Chinese business address is surname + title: 王总, 李经理, 陈工. Using a given name, which feels friendly in English, reads as either childish or presumptuous.
The titles worth knowing are few. 总 (zǒng) is short for 总经理 and covers anyone at the top of an organisation — it is the safe upgrade if you are unsure. 经理 (jīnglǐ) is a manager, 主任 (zhǔrèn) a director of a department or office, 董事长 (dǒngshìzhǎng) the chairman of the board, and 工 (gōng, from 工程师) an engineer. When in doubt, round up: over-titling flatters, under-titling stings.
The business card exchange is choreography, and it is short. Stand, present your card with both hands with the Chinese side facing the recipient, receive theirs with both hands, and then actually read it for a couple of seconds — that pause is the whole point of the ritual. Put the cards on the table in front of you in seating order for the rest of the meeting rather than pocketing them. Have one side of your card printed in Chinese; a monolingual English card quietly says you did not prepare.
What they'll say back to you
Understanding the reply is the half of the conversation phrasebooks skip. These are the lines you will actually hear in this situation — learn to recognise them, not to say them.
What to say
Titles — who you are talking to
Introducing yourself
In the meeting
Wrapping up
The bit that isn't language
Get bilingual business cards printed before you fly, and bring three times as many as you think you need. Cards are exchanged with everyone in the room, not just the person you came to see, and running out mid-meeting is a genuinely awkward moment.
Quick quiz — 5 questions
Five questions built from the phrases above: you get the English, you pick the Chinese. No sign-up, no score kept — just a check that they have stuck.
How do you say this?
Common mistakes
| ✗ What visitors do | ✓ What works | Why |
|---|---|---|
| "Hi, David!" to 王大伟 | 王总 / 王经理 | Given names are for family and close friends. Surname plus title is the normal register between colleagues, even ones who like each other. |
| Taking a card one-handed and pocketing it | Both hands, then read it | The two-second read is the respect being shown. Sliding a card away unlooked-at is the equivalent of not listening to an introduction. |
| Under-titling someone senior | Rounding up to 总 | Calling a general manager 经理 diminishes them in front of their staff. Calling a manager 总 is a small, easily forgiven flattery. |
Meetings and introductions — frequently asked questions
How do I address someone in a Chinese business meeting?
Surname plus title: 王总 (Mr Wang, the boss), 李经理 (Manager Li), 张主任 (Director Zhang). Never the given name, and never the title alone. If you don't know the title, 总 is the safe choice for anyone senior — over-titling is far less risky than under-titling.
What does 总 (zǒng) mean in a Chinese name?
It is short for 总经理 (general manager) and by extension marks anyone at the top of an organisation. 王总 is roughly "boss Wang". It has become the default respectful form of address for senior people in Chinese business, whatever their exact job title.
What is the etiquette for business cards in China?
Present and receive with both hands, standing, with the Chinese side facing the recipient. Read the card you are given for a couple of seconds before placing it on the table in front of you — not in a pocket. Don't write on someone's card in front of them.
Should my business card be printed in Chinese?
Yes, on one side. A card with an English side and a Chinese side is standard, costs almost nothing, and signals that the trip was prepared for. Have your name, company and title translated by someone fluent rather than by an app.
Next
Before you fly
Work through the whole trip in Ready for a trip to China in 30 days, play Travel Survival Sprint to make the phrases automatic, practise saying them aloud in Airport Roleplay, or look up anything else in the Chinese → Pinyin translator.