wěiyuánhuì: 委员会 - Committee, Commission, Council

• Keywords: 委员会, wěiyuánhuì, Chinese committee, what is weiyuanhui, Chinese commission, organizing committee, residents' committee, Chinese government, business in China, HSK 5.
• Summary: Learn the meaning and usage of 委员会 (wěiyuánhuì), the Chinese word for a formal committee, commission, or council. This page breaks down its characters, explores its crucial role in Chinese government and business, and provides practical examples. Understand why `wěiyuánhuì` is more than just a “committee” and how it reflects key cultural values of collective responsibility in modern China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): wěiyuánhuì
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: A group of people appointed for a specific function, typically in an official, formal, or governmental capacity.
• In a Nutshell: Think of 委员会 (wěiyuánhuì) as a “heavyweight” committee. It’s not for planning a party with friends. This term is reserved for formal, established groups with a specific, often serious, mission. You'll see it everywhere in official contexts, from government bodies that shape national policy (commissions) to corporate boards (audit committees) and the groups that organize huge events like the Olympics. It carries a sense of authority, structure, and collective decision-making.

• 委 (wěi): To entrust, appoint, or delegate. Imagine entrusting someone with an important task or responsibility.
• 员 (yuán): Member. This character refers to a person who is part of a group or organization.
• 会 (huì): Meeting, gathering, or association. The character originally depicted people gathering under a roof.

When combined, 委员会 (wěiyuánhuì) literally translates to an “association (会) of members (员) who have been entrusted (委)” with a specific duty. This perfectly captures the concept of a formal committee.

In Chinese culture, the 委员会 (wěiyuánhuì) structure is deeply significant and reflects the value of collectivism over individualism. Unlike in some Western contexts where a “committee” can be an informal group, a `wěiyuánhuì` is almost always a formal body where decisions are made through group consensus. A good comparison is the difference between a neighborhood “party-planning committee” in the US and a government “commission.” The former is casual and temporary; the latter is official, authoritative, and its decisions have weight. 委员会 is firmly in the “commission” camp. This structure serves a critical function: it distributes responsibility and, by extension, risk. In a culture that values harmony and avoiding direct confrontation, having a `wěiyuánhuì` make a decision means that no single individual can be praised or blamed. The outcome is the product of the collective, reinforcing group cohesion and providing a formal, legitimate channel for action in political, corporate, and even community settings.

You will encounter 委员会 (wěiyuánhuì) primarily in formal written and spoken Chinese.

• Government and Politics: This is the most common context. Many government departments are commissions. For example, the a powerful agency is the 国家发展和改革委员会 (Guójiā Fāzhǎn hé Gǎigé Wěiyuánhuì), the National Development and Reform Commission.
• Corporate and Business: Large companies have various committees to oversee specific functions, such as an 审计委员会 (shěnjì wěiyuánhuì) - Audit Committee, or a 薪酬委员会 (xīnchóu wěiyuánhuì) - Compensation Committee.
• Major Events: Organizing a large-scale event requires a formal body. The 北京奥运会组委会 (Běijīng Àoyùnhuì Zǔwěihuì) - Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee, is a perfect example.
• Community Governance: At the grassroots level, the 居民委员会 (jūmín wěiyuánhuì), or Residents' Committee, is a government-led organization that manages neighborhood affairs, acting as a bridge between citizens and the local government.

• Example 1:
  • 这个委员会负责调查这次事故的原因。
  • Pinyin: Zhège wěiyuánhuì fùzé diàochá zhè cì shìgù de yuányīn.
  • English: This committee is responsible for investigating the cause of the accident.
  • Analysis: A straightforward example showing the core function of a `wěiyuánhuì`—to be responsible for a specific, serious task.
• Example 2:
  • 公司决定成立一个新的安全委员会。
  • Pinyin: Gōngsī juédìng chénglì yīgè xīn de ānquán wěiyuánhuì.
  • English: The company decided to establish a new safety committee.
  • Analysis: `成立 (chénglì)` meaning “to establish” or “to found” is a verb commonly paired with `委员会`. This is a typical corporate usage.
• Example 3:
  • 他是这个委员会的主席。
  • Pinyin: Tā shì zhège wěiyuánhuì de zhǔxí.
  • English: He is the chairman of this committee.
  • Analysis: Shows the relationship between the committee and its leader, the `主席 (zhǔxí)`.
• Example 4:
  • 奥运会组织委员会做了非常充分的准备工作。
  • Pinyin: Àoyùnhuì zǔzhī wěiyuánhuì zuòle fēicháng chōngfèn de zhǔnbèi gōngzuò.
  • English: The Olympic Organizing Committee did very thorough preparation work.
  • Analysis: A classic example of a `wěiyuánhuì` for a major international event. Here, it is often shortened to `组委会 (zǔwěihuì)`.
• Example 5:
  • 所有决定都必须经过委员会的批准。
  • Pinyin: Suǒyǒu juédìng dōu bìxū jīngguò wěiyuánhuì de pīzhǔn.
  • English: All decisions must go through the committee for approval.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the authority and decision-making power vested in a `wěiyuánhuì`.
• Example 6:
  • 我们小区的居民委员会最近组织了很多活动。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen xiǎoqū de jūmín wěiyuánhuì zuìjìn zǔzhīle hěn duō huódòng.
  • English: Our neighborhood's residents' committee recently organized many activities.
  • Analysis: This shows the community-level usage of the term. While it's a formal government-affiliated body, its work directly impacts daily life.
• Example 7:
  • 明天下午三点委员会要开会。
  • Pinyin: Míngtiān xiàwǔ sān diǎn wěiyuánhuì yào kāihuì.
  • English: The committee will have a meeting at 3 PM tomorrow afternoon.
  • Analysis: A simple, practical sentence about a committee's schedule. `开会 (kāihuì)` means “to hold a meeting.”
• Example 8:
  • 加入这个委员会需要什么资格？
  • Pinyin: Jiārù zhège wěiyuánhuì xūyào shénme zīgé?
  • English: What qualifications are needed to join this committee?
  • Analysis: This demonstrates that membership in a `wěiyuánhuì` is not casual; it often requires specific qualifications or appointments.
• Example 9:
  • 国家发展和改革委员会发布了新的指导方针。
  • Pinyin: Guójiā Fāzhǎn hé Gǎigé Wěiyuánhuì fābùle xīn de zhǐdǎo fāngzhēn.
  • English: The National Development and Reform Commission issued new guidelines.
  • Analysis: An example taken from a typical news headline, showing its high-level governmental role.
• Example 10:
  • 委员会的每一位委员都有一票投票权。
  • Pinyin: Wěiyuánhuì de měi yī wèi wěiyuán dōu yǒu yī piào tóupiàoquán.
  • English: Every member of the committee has one vote.
  • Analysis: This sentence usefully distinguishes between the whole committee (`委员会`) and an individual committee member (`委员 - wěiyuán`).

• Overuse of Formality: The most common mistake for English speakers is using 委员会 for informal groups. In English, you might say, “Let's form a committee to decide where to eat.” In Chinese, this would sound strange and overly bureaucratic.
  • Incorrect: 我们成立一个“晚饭吃什么”委员会吧！(Wǒmen chénglì yīgè “wǎnfàn chī shénme” wěiyuánhuì ba!)
  • Why it's wrong: This applies a term meant for a government commission or corporate board to a trivial, everyday decision. It would likely be interpreted as a joke.
  • Correct Alternatives: For informal groups, use `小组 (xiǎozǔ)` (small group), or simply rephrase the sentence: `我们商量一下晚饭吃什么吧 (Wǒmen shāngliang yīxià wǎnfàn chī shénme ba)` - “Let's discuss what to have for dinner.”
• “Committee” is not a perfect translation: While “committee” is the best English equivalent, remember that `委员会` implies a level of authority, official appointment, and structural formality that the English word “committee” does not always carry. Always consider the context.

• 委员 (wěiyuán) - An individual member of a 委员会.
• 主席 (zhǔxí) - The chairperson or head of a 委员会 or other organization.
• 小组 (xiǎozǔ) - A small group or team. This is the term you would use for a less formal “committee” or working group.
• 协会 (xiéhuì) - An association or society, like the “Chinese Language Teachers Association.” A membership-based organization.
• 理事会 (lǐshìhuì) - A board of directors or governing council, often used for the top governing body of an organization, company, or school.
• 政府 (zhèngfǔ) - Government. Many `委员会` are key parts of the government structure.
• 组织 (zǔzhī) - Organization; to organize. A more general term. A `委员会` is a type of `组织`.
• 成立 (chénglì) - To establish, to found. The verb most commonly used when creating a `委员会`.
• 代表团 (dàibiǎotuán) - A delegation. A group sent to represent a larger entity, but not necessarily a permanent decision-making body like a `委员会`.