Meaning of 协商
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to consult with
- to talk things over
- agreement
How to use 协商
协商 is a formal word for negotiating or consulting to reach an agreement, common in news, business, and official settings. It often appears in phrases like 友好协商 (friendly consultation) or 协商解决 (settle through talks). Example: 双方经过协商达成了协议。 (Shuāngfāng jīngguò xiéshāng dáchéng le xiéyì.) After consultation, the two sides reached an agreement.
协 (xié) means to join forces, and 商 (shāng) means to discuss, as in 商量 (shāngliang). Picture two sides joining together to talk a problem through until they agree.
Common mistake: Learners often use 协商 for everyday chats like deciding where to eat, where 商量 (shāngliang) sounds much more natural. Also, 协 is second tone (xié), not fourth, and it is easy to confuse with 胁 (xié), which means to threaten.
协商 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
协 xié · to assist · 6 strokes
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商 shāng · commerce · 11 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 协商.
| 商店 | shāngdiàn | store; shop |
| 商场 | shāngchǎng | shopping mall; shopping center |
| 商量 | shāngliang | to consult; to talk over |
| 商人 | shāngrén | merchant; businessman |
| 商业 | shāngyè | business; trade |
| 商品 | shāngpǐn | commodity; goods; merchandise |
| 商务 | shāngwù | commercial affairs; commercial |
| 协议 | xiéyì | agreement; pact |
| 商标 | shāngbiāo | trademark; logo |
| 协议书 | xiéyìshū | contract; protocol |
| 协助 | xiézhù | to provide assistance; to aid |
| 协会 | xiéhuì | an association; a society |
Questions about 协商
What does 协商 mean?
协商 (xiéshāng) means "to consult with; to talk things over" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 协商?
协商 is made of 2 characters: 协 (6 strokes), 商 (11 strokes). That is 17 strokes in total.
Is 协商 an HSK word?
Yes. 协商 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 协商 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 协商 is written 協商.
What is the difference between 协商 and 商量?
Both mean to talk something over, but 商量 is casual and used with family and friends. 协商 is formal and suggests two parties with different interests working toward an agreement.
Can 协商 take an object directly?
Yes, you can say 协商价格 (xiéshāng jiàgé, negotiate the price). You can also use 与/和 someone 协商 to show who you are negotiating with, as in 和对方协商 (negotiate with the other side).