介紹 / 介绍
jièshào
The English verb 'introduce' is translated into Chinese as 介紹 / 介绍 (jièshào). If unsure, use 介紹 / 介绍. Wiktionary also lists 紹介 / 绍介 (shàojiè).
Meaning: to cause someone to be acquainted (verb)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 介紹 / 介绍 | jièshào |
| 紹介 / 绍介 | shàojiè |
介紹 / 介绍 means to cause someone to be acquainted. While it is used for introducing people, it is also the standard term for introducing a topic, a product or a situation to an audience.
Which one should you use?
The term 介紹 / 介绍 can be used for people, but it is also the standard way to introduce items like products or subjects. A more formal version is 引见, which is used in professional or official settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
介紹 is a transitive verb. You can use the structure 'A 介紹 B 給 C' to mean 'A introduces B to C'.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is jièshào.
Did you know?
- In Japanese, the word for 'introduce' is 紹介, which is written with the same characters as 介紹 but in a different order. This Japanese version was later reintroduced into Taiwanese Hokkien and Hakka.
- In high-stakes business settings, a third-party introduction is often considered essential for trust. An introduction without a mutual contact can be seen as too abrupt or lacking in 'face'.
- The character 介 in 介紹 is a pictograph that originally represented a person standing between two others. This visual origin perfectly matches the meaning of an intermediary.
Examples in context
- 我来介绍一下，这是我的朋友李明。Let me introduce my friend, Li Ming.
- 请允许我向大家引见一下，这位是我们公司的总经理。Please allow me to introduce our company's general manager to everyone.
- 小明，这是我女朋友小丽，你们认识一下吧。Xiao Ming, this is my girlfriend Xiao Li, why don't you two get to know each other?
- 嘿，这位是我认识很久的好朋友，我俩非常熟悉。Hey, this is my good friend whom I've known for a long time. We are very familiar with each other.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “introduce” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 介紹, 紹介, CC BY-SA 4.0.
