====== jiànlì: 建立 - to Establish, to Set up, to Found ======
===== Quick Summary =====
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  * **Summary:** Learn the essential Chinese verb **建立 (jiànlì)**, which means "to establish," "to set up," or "to found." This page provides a comprehensive guide for beginners on how to use `建立` to talk about creating significant, long-lasting things, from founding a company and setting up a system to building relationships and establishing trust. Discover its cultural context, practical examples, and common mistakes to avoid.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** jiànlì
  * **Part of Speech:** Verb
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 4
  * **Concise Definition:** To establish, set up, or found something substantial and long-lasting.
  * **In a Nutshell:** Think of `建立` as the verb for "building something to last." It's not for making a sandwich or building a small sandcastle. Instead, it's used for major, foundational actions like founding a nation, establishing a company, setting up a new system, or building a deep, trusting relationship. It implies a deliberate process of construction that results in something stable and official.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **建 (jiàn):** To build or construct. The radical 廴 (yǐn) relates to taking long strides or moving forward with a purpose. This character suggests a planned, deliberate process of construction.
  * **立 (lì):** To stand or to set upright. This character is a pictograph of a person standing firmly on the ground (represented by the horizontal line at the bottom). It brings the idea of stability and permanence.
When combined, **建立 (jiànlì)** literally means "to build and make it stand." This perfectly captures the essence of creating something solid, structured, and permanent.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
The word `建立` resonates deeply with cultural values that prioritize stability, structure, and long-term vision. It's the language of nation-builders, entrepreneurs, and diplomats—anyone engaged in creating enduring institutions or relationships.
In Western culture, we might use "to start up" a company, which has a connotation of speed, agility, and perhaps informality. In contrast, **建立一个公司 (jiànlì yī gè gōngsī)** feels more formal and weighty. It implies laying a solid foundation, creating a formal structure, and planning for longevity. This reflects a traditional preference for stable, well-ordered systems, whether in government, business, or even personal connections like `关系 (guānxi)`. Using `建立` signals that you are not just starting something, but are seriously committed to its long-term existence and success.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
`建立` is a formal and versatile verb used in various contexts, from official proclamations to serious personal conversations.
  * **Formal & Official Use:** This is the most common context. It's used for founding countries, establishing laws, and creating organizations.
    * e.g., `建立外交关系` (to establish diplomatic relations), `建立新制度` (to establish a new system).
  * **Business & Professional Use:** In business, it's used for setting up companies, partnerships, brands, and operational systems.
    * e.g., `建立一个新品牌` (to establish a new brand), `建立客户档案` (to set up a client database).
  * **Abstract & Interpersonal Use:** This is a crucial area for learners. `建立` is used to describe the creation of abstract concepts like trust, friendship, and confidence.
    * e.g., `建立信任` (to build trust), `建立友谊` (to establish a friendship).
The connotation of `建立` is almost always positive or neutral, as it implies a constructive, purposeful act. It is rarely, if ever, used in casual, informal slang.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:**
    * 中美两国于1979年正式**建立**了外交关系。
    * Pinyin: Zhōng Měi liǎng guó yú yī jiǔ qī jiǔ nián zhèngshì **jiànlì** le wàijiāo guānxi.
    * English: China and the United States formally established diplomatic relations in 1979.
    * Analysis: This is a classic, formal use of `建立` in a historical and political context. It refers to the official founding of a relationship between nations.
  * **Example 2:**
    * 他计划明年**建立**自己的公司。
    * Pinyin: Tā jìhuà míngnián **jiànlì** zìjǐ de gōngsī.
    * English: He plans to found his own company next year.
    * Analysis: Here, `建立` means "to found" or "to set up" a business, implying a formal, legal process of creation.
  * **Example 3:**
    * 信任是**建立**良好合作关系的基础。
    * Pinyin: Xìnrèn shì **jiànlì** liánghǎo hézuò guānxi de jīchǔ.
    * English: Trust is the foundation for establishing a good cooperative relationship.
    * Analysis: This shows `建立` used for an abstract but crucial concept in business and personal life. You don't just "have" a relationship; you actively "build" or "establish" it.
  * **Example 4:**
    * 我们需要**建立**一个更高效的管理系统。
    * Pinyin: Wǒmen xūyào **jiànlì** yī gè gèng gāoxiào de guǎnlǐ xìtǒng.
    * English: We need to set up a more efficient management system.
    * Analysis: `建立` is used here for creating a structured system, not just a physical object.
  * **Example 5:**
    * 老师的鼓励帮助我**建立**了自信心。
    * Pinyin: Lǎoshī de gǔlì bāngzhù wǒ **jiànlì** le zìxìnxīn.
    * English: The teacher's encouragement helped me build self-confidence.
    * Analysis: This demonstrates the use of `建立` for building an internal, psychological state. Confidence is seen as something constructed over time.
  * **Example 6:**
    * 这个慈善组织是20年前**建立**的。
    * Pinyin: Zhè ge císhàn zǔzhī shì èr shí nián qián **jiànlì** de.
    * English: This charitable organization was founded 20 years ago.
    * Analysis: The `是...的 (shì...de)` structure is used here to emphasize when the action of `建立` took place.
  * **Example 7:**
    * 为了吸引顾客，我们必须**建立**一个强大的品牌形象。
    * Pinyin: Wèile xīyǐn gùkè, wǒmen bìxū **jiànlì** yī gè qiángdà de pǐnpái xíngxiàng.
    * English: In order to attract customers, we must establish a strong brand image.
    * Analysis: A brand image is another abstract concept that is deliberately "built" or "established" through strategic actions.
  * **Example 8:**
    * 他们花了很长时间才在团队内部**建立**起信任。
    * Pinyin: Tāmen huā le hěn cháng shíjiān cái zài tuánduì nèibù **jiànlì** qǐ xìnrèn.
    * English: It took them a long time to build up trust within the team.
    * Analysis: The directional complement `起 (qǐ)` adds a sense of "up," as in "building up." `建立起` is a very common and natural-sounding combination.
  * **Example 9:**
    * 公司正在**建立**一个新的网站来推广产品。
    * Pinyin: Gōngsī zhèngzài **jiànlì** yī gè xīn de wǎngzhàn lái tuīguǎng chǎnpǐn.
    * English: The company is setting up a new website to promote its products.
    * Analysis: While a website might seem less permanent than a country, setting one up for a business is a formal act of construction, making `建立` appropriate.
  * **Example 10:**
    * 通过共同的兴趣，他们**建立**了深厚的友谊。
    * Pinyin: Tōngguò gòngtóng de xìngqù, tāmen **jiànlì** le shēnhòu de yǒuyì.
    * English: They established a deep friendship through their common interests.
    * Analysis: This shows how `建立` can be applied to deep personal connections. A "deep friendship" (深厚的友谊) is something that is built, not just something that happens.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **`建立` (jiànlì) vs. `创造` (chuàngzào):**
    * `建立` is about //constructing// a system or organization, often from existing principles. You **establish** a company.
    * `创造 (chuàngzào)` is about //creating// something novel, often with artistic or inventive flair. You **create** a masterpiece or a new theory.
    * **Incorrect:** `他创造了一个新公司。` (He created a new company.) While understandable, `建立` is the standard, correct term.
  * **`建立` (jiànlì) vs. `盖` (gài):**
    * `建立` is for abstract systems or formal organizations.
    * `盖 (gài)` is specifically for //building physical structures// like houses or skyscrapers.
    * **Incorrect:** `我们盖了良好的关系。` (We built a good relationship.)
    * **Correct:** `我们盖了一栋楼，并建立了新的办公室。` (We built a building and established a new office.)
  * **Avoid using `建立` for simple or temporary things:**
    * `建立` implies permanence and significance. You wouldn't use it for making plans for the weekend or making a simple object.
    * **Incorrect:** `我建立了今天的晚餐。` (I established tonight's dinner.)
    * **Correct:** `我做了今天的晚餐。` (I made tonight's dinner.) For a plan, you would use `[[制定]] (zhìdìng)`.
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[成立]] (chénglì) - To found; to be established. Often refers to the specific event or moment of an organization's founding (e.g., "The company was established on May 1st."). `建立` is more about the process.
  * [[建设]] (jiànshè) - To construct; construction. Focuses more on large-scale, often physical, building projects like infrastructure (`基础设施建设`).
  * [[创建]] (chuàngjiàn) - To found; to create. A blend of `创造` (create) and `建立` (establish), often used for innovative ventures, tech startups, or pioneering brands.
  * [[设立]] (shèlì) - To set up; to establish. A very formal term, often used for setting up a specific branch, department, office, or fund within a larger organization.
  * [[制定]] (zhìdìng) - To formulate; to draw up. Used for creating abstract rules, not organizations. You `制定` a plan, a law, or a policy.
  * [[关系]] (guānxi) - Relationship; connections. This is the abstract social network that one often works to `建立`.
  * [[信任]] (xìnrèn) - Trust. A key abstract concept that must be `建立` in any meaningful relationship.
  * [[组织]] (zǔzhī) - Organization; to organize. The type of entity that you `建立`.
  * [[基础]] (jīchǔ) - Foundation; basis. The base upon which something is `建立`.