While “进行” is primarily a grammatical function word, its frequent use reveals a cultural emphasis on formality, procedure, and seriousness in official, academic, and business spheres. In Chinese communication, clearly signaling the context—whether it's casual or formal—is very important. Using “进行” is a linguistic cue that an interaction is taking place within a structured, official framework. Compared to Western business or academic language, which might use a variety of specific verbs like “execute,” “undertake,” “facilitate,” or “prosecute,” Chinese often uses the versatile pattern “对…进行…” (duì… jìnxíng…) meaning “to carry out [a verb] on [an object].” This pattern provides a standard, respectful, and somewhat impersonal way to describe official actions, which aligns with cultural values that can prioritize collective process over individual, direct action in formal settings. It's less about “I am doing X” and more about “The process of X is being conducted.”
“进行” is rarely used in casual, daily conversation about personal activities. Its domain is the professional and public world.
e.g., 会议正在进行中。 (Huìyì zhèngzài jìnxíng zhōng.) - The meeting is in progress.e.g., 我们需要对这些数据进行分析。 (Wǒmen xūyào duì zhèxiē shùjù jìnxíng fēnxī.) - We need to conduct an analysis of this data.e.g., 警方已对此事进行调查。 (Jǐngfāng yǐ duì cǐ shì jìnxíng diàochá.) - The police have already conducted an investigation into this matter.e.g., 比赛正在激烈地进行。 (Bǐsài zhèngzài jīliè de jìnxíng.) - The match is proceeding intensely.A key rule of thumb: “进行” is almost always followed by a two-character abstract verb (like 讨论 tǎolùn, 研究 yánjiū, 合作 hézuò). It is almost never used with a single-character verb or a verb for a simple physical action.
The most common mistake for learners is overusing “进行” as a direct replacement for “to do.” It is not a general-purpose verb.