kǒubēi: 口碑 - Word-of-Mouth, Reputation

• Keywords: 口碑, koubei, Chinese word for reputation, word-of-mouth in Chinese, kou bei meaning, Chinese business culture, public opinion, customer reviews in China, what does koubei mean
• Summary: Discover the meaning of 口碑 (kǒubēi), a crucial term in Chinese culture that translates to “word-of-mouth” or “public reputation.” This page explores how 口碑 is more than just reviews; it's a reflection of collective trust and a cornerstone of business and social life in China. Learn its cultural significance, how to use it in conversation, and how it differs from Western concepts of reputation.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): kǒu bēi
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: The public's opinion or reputation of a person, product, or business, established through word-of-mouth.
• In a Nutshell: Imagine a reputation that isn't built by advertising, but purely by what people say to each other. That's 口碑 (kǒubēi). It's the organic, collective judgment of the community. A good 口碑 is earned through quality and trust, making it one of the most powerful assets a person or business can have in China.

• 口 (kǒu): This character is a pictograph of a mouth. It represents speech, words, and openings.
• 碑 (bēi): This character means stele or stone monument. These were large, public stone tablets erected to commemorate important people or events, intended to last for generations.
• The characters combine to create a powerful metaphor: a reputation that is as public, solid, and enduring as a stone monument (碑), built by the words from people's mouths (口).

In Western culture, we often rely on advertising, expert reviews, or individual online ratings (like on Yelp or Google). While these exist in China, 口碑 (kǒubēi) holds a deeper cultural weight. It is rooted in China's collectivist society, where group consensus and social harmony are highly valued. A good 口碑 is seen as more authentic and trustworthy than any form of official promotion or 宣传 (xuānchuán), which is often viewed with skepticism. It's the “real story” shared among friends, family, and colleagues. For a business, a positive 口碑 can lead to immense success, while a negative one can be devastating. This is because 口碑 is directly tied to trust and social proof. A decision (like which restaurant to choose or which doctor to see) is often validated by the positive experiences of the community. Compared to the Western concept of “reputation,” 口碑 is specifically about the public's user/consumer experience and is spread orally or through community channels. A Western company might have a “reputation” for being innovative or financially stable, which is a different concept. 口碑 is what the masses say about their direct experience with you.

口碑 is an extremely common and important word in modern daily life.

• In Business and Commerce: This is the most common context. It's used to discuss the reputation of restaurants, shops, brands, and products. A business with good 口碑 is one you can trust.
• In Entertainment: The 口碑 of a movie, TV show, or book is a major factor in its success. A film with a low budget can become a blockbuster if its 口碑 is strong, a phenomenon known as 口碑爆了 (kǒubēi bào le) - “the word-of-mouth exploded.”
• For Services and Professionals: People talk about the 口碑 of doctors, teachers, mechanics, and other service providers. Choosing a doctor with a good 口碑 is a common practice.

The connotation is usually neutral until modified by an adjective, such as 好 (hǎo) for good, or 差 (chà) for bad.

• Example 1:
  • 这家餐厅的口碑非常好，我们去尝尝吧！
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā cāntīng de kǒubēi fēicháng hǎo, wǒmen qù chángchang ba!
  • English: This restaurant's word-of-mouth is excellent, let's go try it!
  • Analysis: A very common, everyday usage. The speaker is trusting the public reputation over other factors.
• Example 2:
  • 我买手机前，会上网看看大家的口碑怎么样。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ mǎi shǒujī qián, huì shàngwǎng kànkan dàjiā de kǒubēi zěnmeyàng.
  • English: Before I buy a phone, I go online to see what everyone's opinion/word-of-mouth is like.
  • Analysis: This shows how the traditional concept of 口碑 has adapted to the digital age, referring to online reviews and community feedback.
• Example 3:
  • 这部电影虽然宣传不多，但是口碑爆了，票房很高。
  • Pinyin: Zhè bù diànyǐng suīrán xuānchuán bù duō, dànshì kǒubēi bào le, piàofáng hěn gāo.
  • English: Although this movie didn't have much publicity, its word-of-mouth exploded, and the box office sales are very high.
  • Analysis: 口碑爆了 (kǒubēi bào le) is a popular slang-like phrase meaning a piece of media went viral due to positive public opinion.
• Example 4:
  • 他们公司为了建立良好的口碑，非常注重售后服务。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen gōngsī wèile jiànlì liánghǎo de kǒubēi, fēicháng zhùzhòng shòuhòu fúwù.
  • English: In order to build a good reputation, their company pays great attention to after-sales service.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights that 口碑 is something that can be strategically built through quality and service. 建立 (jiànlì), “to build” or “to establish,” is a common verb used with 口碑.
• Example 5:
  • 那个牌子的产品口碑很差，据说质量有问题。
  • Pinyin: Nàge páizi de chǎnpǐn kǒubēi hěn chà, jùshuō zhìliàng yǒu wèntí.
  • English: That brand's products have a very bad reputation; I heard there are quality issues.
  • Analysis: Shows the negative use of the term. 差 (chà) is the standard adjective for a bad 口碑.
• Example 6:
  • 在我们这个行业，口碑比任何广告都重要。
  • Pinyin: Zài wǒmen zhège hángyè, kǒubēi bǐ rènhé guǎnggào dōu zhòngyào.
  • English: In our industry, word-of-mouth is more important than any advertisement.
  • Analysis: This sentence directly states the cultural value placed on 口碑 over formal advertising (广告 guǎnggào).
• Example 7:
  • 王医生的口碑是几十年积累下来的，大家都信得过他。
  • Pinyin: Wáng yīshēng de kǒubēi shì jǐ shí nián jīlěi xiàlái de, dàjiā dōu xìndeguò tā.
  • English: Dr. Wang's reputation has been accumulated over several decades; everyone trusts him.
  • Analysis: This emphasizes that a good 口碑 is earned over a long period through consistent, trustworthy behavior. The verb 积累 (jīlěi), “to accumulate,” is perfect here.
• Example 8:
  • 我们不能只听一面之词，要多方面了解它的口碑。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen bùnéng zhǐ tīng yīmiànzhīcí, yào duō fāngmiàn liǎojiě tā de kǒubēi.
  • English: We can't just listen to one side of the story; we need to understand its reputation from multiple perspectives.
  • Analysis: This shows a sophisticated understanding of 口碑, acknowledging that it's a collection of many opinions and one should seek a balanced view.
• Example 9:
  • 因为一个丑闻，那家百年老店的口碑一落千丈。
  • Pinyin: Yīnwèi yí ge chǒuwén, nà jiā bǎinián lǎodiàn de kǒubēi yí luò qiān zhàng.
  • English: Because of a scandal, the reputation of that century-old shop plummeted.
  • Analysis: The idiom 一落千丈 (yí luò qiān zhàng), meaning “to drop dramatically,” is often used with 口碑 to describe a reputation being ruined quickly.
• Example 10:
  • 这款软件的口碑两极分化，喜欢的人说它很创新，不喜欢的人说它太复杂。
  • Pinyin: Zhè kuǎn ruǎnjiàn de kǒubēi liǎngjí fēnhuà, xǐhuān de rén shuō tā hěn chuàngxīn, bù xǐhuān de rén shuō tā tài fùzá.
  • English: The word-of-mouth for this software is polarized; people who like it say it's innovative, and people who dislike it say it's too complicated.
  • Analysis: 两极分化 (liǎngjí fēnhuà) means “polarized.” This is a great example of how 口碑 can be nuanced and not just simply “good” or “bad.”

• 口碑 (kǒubēi) vs. 名誉 (míngyù): This is a critical distinction for learners.
  • 口碑 (kǒubēi) is about public opinion regarding quality and experience. It's informal and relates to products, services, and everyday people. A restaurant has 口碑.
  • 名誉 (míngyù) is a more formal term for “reputation” or “honor.” It relates to a person's or institution's character, prestige, and good name in a serious or official sense. Damaging someone's 名誉 could lead to a lawsuit for defamation (损害名誉 sǔnhài míngyù). You'd talk about a judge's or a university's 名誉.
  • Mistake: Saying “这家餐厅的名誉很好 (Zhè jiā cāntīng de míngyù hěn hǎo).” This sounds overly formal and strange. You should say: “这家餐厅的口碑很好。”
• 口碑 (kǒubēi) is about public opinion: You can't have a 口碑 with just one person. It is inherently a collective concept. It's the sum of many people's experiences and discussions.
• Not just “reputation”: While “reputation” is the closest English word, remember that 口碑 specifically implies the “word-of-mouth” mechanism. It's less about a static quality and more about the dynamic process of public discussion.

• 评价 (píngjià) - Evaluation, assessment, review. This is the individual unit that builds a 口碑. Many good 评价 lead to a good 口碑.
• 名声 (míngshēng) - Fame, reputation. Broader than 口碑 and can be good or bad (e.g., 坏名声 - bad name/reputation).
• 名誉 (míngyù) - Honor, prestige, formal reputation. Used in more serious or official contexts.
• 信誉 (xìnyù) - Credibility, trustworthiness. Often related to financial or contractual reliability. A company with good 信誉 keeps its promises.
• 推荐 (tuījiàn) - To recommend; recommendation. The action of spreading a good 口碑.
• 好评 (hǎopíng) - Positive review/feedback. Literally “good evaluation.” The opposite is 差评 (chàpíng), “bad review.”
• 宣传 (xuānchuán) - Publicity, propaganda, advertising. This is what a company says about itself, often seen as the opposite of the organic, user-generated 口碑.
• 网红店 (wǎnghóng diàn) - “Internet-famous store.” A modern, digital form of a place with strong 口碑, where its reputation spreads rapidly online.