Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 合約 / 合约 | héyuē |
| 合同 | hétóng |
While 'deal' can refer to a general agreement, in Chinese the specific word used depends on whether you are discussing a formal legal document, a commercial exchange or the successful resolution of a situation. For a completed transaction, you might use 成交 to mean a deal has been closed. For the general action of making a deal or trading, use 做交易. If you wish to describe the successful resolution or settling of a situation, the informal phrase 搞定 can be used.
Which one should you use?
The term 合同 is the standard word for a formal contract used specifically in legal and business contexts. While 合約 / 合约 is often used interchangeably with 合同, it can also refer more broadly to a formal agreement or covenant. For a specific commercial exchange, 交易 refers to a business transaction, whereas 协议 is used for a formal agreement or accord, often in official or international settings.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
héyuē
Did you know?
- In the phrase 搞定 for settling a deal, the word 搞 can mean anything from 'to handle' and 'to get' to 'to mess up', depending entirely on the context.
- When describing a business transaction as 交易, the word 交 also means 'to hand over' or 'to deliver', emphasizing the physical exchange of goods over the abstract agreement.
- When you say a deal is 'settled' or 'done' using 搞定, you are using a word that literally means 'to fix' or 'to set right'.
Examples in context
- 我们之间需要签订一个合同来确保交易的安全。We need to sign a contract between us to ensure the safety of the deal.
- 这个东西很合适，我们成交吧。This item is very suitable, let's make a deal.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “deal” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
