verb HSK 4
Traditional 交談
jiāo tán
to converse · to talk · to chat · conversation

Meaning

交谈 means to have a conversation or talk with someone, typically in a somewhat formal or neutral register. It emphasizes the mutual exchange aspect of conversation (交 meaning 'exchange' and 谈 meaning 'talk'), suggesting a two-way dialogue rather than one person speaking at another.

Usage

交谈 is commonly used in written Chinese and formal spoken contexts. It's more formal than 聊天 (casual chat) but less formal than 会谈 (formal meeting/talks). Native speakers use it to describe face-to-face conversations, phone calls, or any verbal exchange between people. It often appears with 和/与 (with) to indicate the conversation partner.

Examples

  1. 01
    我昨天和新邻居交谈了一会儿。
    zuó tiān xīn lín jiāo tán le huǐr.
    I talked with my new neighbor for a while yesterday.
  2. 02
    他们在会议后愉快地交谈着。
    men zài huì hòu kuài de jiāo tán zhe.
    They were chatting pleasantly after the meeting.

Characters

Measure words

  • 一次交谈

Common collocations

  • 和...交谈
    ... jiāo tán
    to converse with...
  • 愉快地交谈
    kuài de jiāo tán
    to talk pleasantly
  • 进行交谈
    jìn xíng jiāo tán
    to carry on a conversation
  • 交谈甚欢
    jiāo tán shèn huān
    to have a very pleasant conversation

Antonyms

Origin

The word combines 交 (exchange, intersect) with 谈 (talk), literally meaning 'exchange talk,' which naturally evolved to mean mutual conversation or dialogue.

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