交谈

jiāotán

to discuss; to converse

HSK 6

Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

"交谈" means to engage in a conversation or talk with someone. It is a formal or neutral term often used in written and spoken Chinese to describe the act of exchanging ideas or information through talking.

Common Contexts

This word is frequently used in contexts involving social interaction, business meetings, or any situation where two or more people communicate verbally. It emphasizes the mutual nature of the conversation.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 交谈内容 (jiāotán nèiróng): content of the conversation, used when discussing what was talked about.
  • 交谈时间 (jiāotán shíjiān): duration of the conversation.
  • 交谈气氛 (jiāotán qìfēn): atmosphere during the conversation, often describing whether it was friendly or tense.

Usage Notes

"交谈" is more formal than casual verbs like "" or "谈话" and is suitable for both spoken and written language. It usually implies a two-way exchange rather than a one-sided talk. Avoid confusing it with "交流" which can also mean exchange but often includes non-verbal communication or broader interaction.

Example Sentences

他们在咖啡馆里愉快地交谈了几个小时。

Tāmen zài kāfēiguǎn lǐ yúkuài de jiāotán le jǐ gè xiǎoshí.

They happily talked for several hours in the café.

我们需要和客户交谈,了解他们的需求。

Wǒmen xūyào hé kèhù jiāotán, liǎojiě tāmen de xūqiú.

We need to talk with the client to understand their needs.

在正式交谈之前,先做一些简单的自我介绍。

Zài zhèngshì jiāotán zhīqián, xiān zuò yīxiē jiǎndān de zìwǒ jièshào.

Before the formal conversation, first do some simple self-introductions.