关系 can mean a relationship or connection, including personal connections.
Words and selected meanings#
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning in this context |
|---|---|---|
| 关系 | guān xi | relation; relationship; personal connections |
| 人情 | rén qíng | human emotions; social relationship; a favor |
A practical way to interpret the context#
Specify the relationship you mean: a friend, colleague, introduction or an institutional role. Keep an individual contact’s statement separate from an organization’s written process. The word guanxi does not by itself establish a favour, a promised outcome or the rules governing a transaction.
Scope and source#
This is a vocabulary-based introduction and a set of editorial questions. It does not measure how frequently a practice occurs or describe the beliefs of all Chinese people.
Lexical data adapted from CC-CEDICT contributors, distributed by MDBG, 23 October 2026 release, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Glosses have been selected and shortened. Dictionary release.
Neutral-tone syllables are unmarked in the pinyin display; the dictionary source uses the number 5. Pronunciation notation reference.