Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== qiāndìng: 签订 - To Sign (a contract), To Conclude (a treaty) ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** qiāndìng, 签订, sign a contract in Chinese, conclude a treaty, sign an agreement Chinese, how to say sign a contract in Mandarin, Chinese for legal agreement, qianding meaning, formal agreement, 签合同, qiān hétong, HSK 5 verb * **Summary:** Learn the essential Chinese verb **签订 (qiāndìng)**, which means to formally sign and conclude a legally binding document. This page breaks down its meaning, cultural significance in modern Chinese business, and practical usage for signing contracts, treaties, and agreements. Understand the difference between `签订` and simply "signing your name," and master its use with over 10 practical example sentences. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** qiāndìng * **Part of Speech:** Verb * **HSK Level:** HSK 5 * **Concise Definition:** To formally sign and bring into effect a contract, treaty, or agreement. * **In a Nutshell:** `签订` is a formal and official verb that represents the final step in making a deal. It's not just about the physical act of writing your name; it’s about the legal and symbolic act of finalizing a binding agreement. Think of it as the moment a negotiated deal becomes a concrete, enforceable reality. You use it for serious matters like job contracts, apartment leases, business deals, and international treaties. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **签 (qiān):** The top part is the "bamboo" radical (竹), hinting at ancient slips of bamboo used for writing. The core meaning of `签` is "to sign" or "a label/slip." It represents the physical action of putting your name on a document. * **订 (dìng):** The left part is the "speech" radical (言), and the right part (丁) provides the sound. `订` means "to agree upon," "to conclude," or "to book." It represents the mutual agreement and conclusion of negotiations. By combining the physical action of signing (`签`) with the finality of an agreement (`订`), `签订` creates a powerful, formal verb that means "to finalize an agreement by signing it." ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== In modern China, while personal relationships (`关系 guānxi`) are still incredibly important in business, the concept of a legally binding contract has become the bedrock of the formal economy. The act of `签订` a contract is therefore a highly significant event. Compared to the Western practice of "executing a contract," which can sometimes be a sterile process of emailing PDFs, the signing ceremony (`签约仪式 qiānyuē yíshì`) in China can be a major affair. For significant business deals, it often involves a formal meeting with both parties, photographers, and a public announcement. This ceremony doesn't just make the agreement legally binding; it publicly solidifies the partnership and gives "face" (`面子 miànzi`) to everyone involved. The act of `签订` is the bridge between informal trust-based negotiation and the modern, legally-protected world of commerce. It signals that the relationship has leveled up to a serious, official partnership. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== `签订` is used exclusively in formal contexts involving official documents. You will encounter it most frequently in business, legal, and administrative settings. * **Business and Finance:** This is the most common context. Companies `签订` contracts (`合同 hétong`), partnership agreements (`合作协议 hézuò xiéyì`), and investment deals (`投资协议 tóuzī xiéyì`). * **Legal and Government:** Governments `签订` treaties (`条约 tiáoyuē`) and international accords. Legal documents like non-disclosure agreements are also `签订`-ed. * **Personal Life:** While less common in casual life, it is used for major personal commitments that require a formal contract, such as signing a lease for an apartment (`签订租房合同`) or an employment contract (`签订劳动合同`). The connotation is always neutral to positive, as it signifies the successful conclusion of negotiations. It is never used informally. You would not `签订` a birthday card or a dinner receipt. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 两家公司昨天**签订**了一份长期合作合同。 * Pinyin: Liǎng jiā gōngsī zuótiān **qiāndìng** le yī fèn chángqī hézuò hétong. * English: The two companies signed a long-term cooperation contract yesterday. * Analysis: A classic and common example of `签订` used in a business context with the object `合同` (contract). * **Example 2:** * 我们需要和房东**签订**正式的租赁协议。 * Pinyin: Wǒmen xūyào hé fángdōng **qiāndìng** zhèngshì de zūlìn xiéyì. * English: We need to sign a formal lease agreement with the landlord. * Analysis: This shows the use of `签订` in a common real-life situation for an individual. Note the object is `协议` (agreement). * **Example 3:** * 这两个国家终于**签订**了和平条约。 * Pinyin: Zhè liǎng ge guójiā zhōngyú **qiāndìng** le hépíng tiáoyuē. * English: These two countries have finally concluded a peace treaty. * Analysis: Demonstrates the term's use in the high-stakes context of international relations with the object `条约` (treaty). * **Example 4:** * 在**签订**任何文件之前，请仔细阅读所有条款。 * Pinyin: Zài **qiāndìng** rènhé wénjiàn zhīqián, qǐng zǐxì yuèdú suǒyǒu tiáokuǎn. * English: Before signing any documents, please read all the terms and conditions carefully. * Analysis: A practical piece of advice, using `签订` in a more general sense to refer to signing official documents. * **Example 5:** * 他很高兴能与这家著名的公司**签订**劳动合同。 * Pinyin: Tā hěn gāoxìng néng yǔ zhè jiā zhùmíng de gōngsī **qiāndìng** láodòng hétong. * English: He is very happy to be able to sign an employment contract with this famous company. * Analysis: Shows the term's use in the context of employment. * **Example 6:** * 由于一些分歧，双方最终未能**签订**协议。 * Pinyin: Yóuyú yīxiē fēnqí, shuāngfāng zuìzhōng wèi néng **qiāndìng** xiéyì. * English: Due to some disagreements, the two parties ultimately failed to sign the agreement. * Analysis: An example of using `签订` in the negative (`未能` means "failed to"). * **Example 7:** * 经过长达数月的谈判，他们准备下周**签订**最终合同。 * Pinyin: Jīngguò cháng dá shù yuè de tánpàn, tāmen zhǔnbèi xiàzhōu **qiāndìng** zuìzhōng hétong. * English: After several months of negotiations, they are preparing to sign the final contract next week. * Analysis: This sentence places `签订` as the final step after a long process (`谈判` - negotiations). * **Example 8:** * 合同一旦**签订**，就具有法律效力。 * Pinyin: Hétong yīdàn **qiāndìng**, jiù jùyǒu fǎlǜ xiàolì. * English: Once the contract is signed, it becomes legally effective. * Analysis: This highlights the legal consequences of the action of `签订`. `一旦...就...` is a useful grammar structure meaning "once... then...". * **Example 9:** * 这份保密协议必须由法定代表人亲自**签订**。 * Pinyin: Zhè fèn bǎomì xiéyì bìxū yóu fǎdìng dàibiǎorén qīnzì **qiāndìng**. * English: This non-disclosure agreement must be signed by the legal representative in person. * Analysis: Shows a specific requirement related to the act of signing, common in legal and business contexts. * **Example 10:** * 恭喜你们！什么时候举行**签订**仪式？ * Pinyin: Gōngxǐ nǐmen! Shénme shíhou jǔxíng **qiāndìng** yíshì? * English: Congratulations! When are you holding the signing ceremony? * Analysis: Here, `签订` is used as a modifier for `仪式` (ceremony), showing its cultural importance. This is a common phrase for major deals. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== The most common mistake for English speakers is confusing `签订 (qiāndìng)` with `签名 (qiānmíng)`. * **签订 (qiāndìng):** To conclude a deal **by signing**. It's the whole process and its legal implication. It is a verb that requires a formal document (contract, treaty, agreement) as its object. * **签名 (qiānmíng):** To sign one's name. This is the simple physical action. It can be a verb ("Please sign here") or a noun ("I need your signature"). Think of it this way: You **`签名`** (sign your name) on a document in order to **`签订`** (formally conclude) a contract. **Incorrect Usage:** `请在这里签订。` (Qǐng zài zhèlǐ qiāndìng.) -> //Incorrect.// This means "Please conclude the contract here." It's awkward. You are asking someone to perform the physical act of signing. **Correct Usage:** `请在这里签名。` (Qǐng zài zhèlǐ qiānmíng.) -> //Correct.// "Please sign here." **Correct Usage of `签订`:** `我们明天签订合同。` (Wǒmen míngtiān qiāndìng hétong.) -> //Correct.// "We will sign the contract tomorrow." (Meaning: We will formally conclude the contract deal). ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[合同]] (hétong) - Contract. The most common document that is `签订`-ed. * [[协议]] (xiéyì) - Agreement. Often used for less comprehensive or slightly less formal accords than a `合同`. * [[条约]] (tiáoyuē) - Treaty. The formal term for an agreement between nations. * [[签名]] (qiānmíng) - To sign (one's name); signature. The physical act needed to `签订` something. * [[签字]] (qiānzì) - To sign. A verb very similar to `签名`, often used interchangeably. * [[签署]] (qiānshǔ) - To sign (formally). A close synonym of `签订`, often interchangeable in formal writing, but `签订` more strongly implies conclusion and finalization. * [[达成]] (dáchéng) - To reach (an agreement). The step *before* `签订`. You first `达成协议` (reach an agreement), and then you `签订协议` (sign the agreement). * [[生效]] (shēngxiào) - To take effect; to become legally valid. This is the result of a contract being `签订`-ed. * [[合作]] (hézuò) - To cooperate; cooperation. `签订` is often the action that formalizes a `合作`.