Chinese Word
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noun HSK 4
míng piàn
business card · calling card · name card

Meaning

名片 refers to a small card printed with someone's name, job title, company, and contact information. It's an essential item in Chinese business culture, where exchanging business cards is a formal ritual that helps establish professional relationships.

Usage

In Chinese business culture, exchanging 名片 is done with both hands as a sign of respect. People typically examine the card carefully before putting it away. The term is used in both formal business contexts and casual networking situations.

Examples

  1. 01
    我们见面的时候，他给了我一张名片。
    Wǒmen jiàn miàn de shíhou, tā gěi le wǒ yī zhāng míng piàn.
    When we met, he gave me a business card.
  2. 02
    请问您有名片吗？我想和您保持联系。
    Qǐng wèn nín yǒu míng piàn ma? Wǒ xiǎng hé nín bǎo chí lián xì.
    Excuse me, do you have a business card? I'd like to keep in touch with you.

Characters

Measure words

  • 张zhāng一张名片
  • 盒hé一盒名片

Common collocations

  • 交换名片
    jiāo huàn míng piàn
    to exchange business cards
  • 递名片
    dì míng piàn
    to hand over a business card
  • 名片夹
    míng piàn jiá
    business card holder
  • 印名片
    yìn míng piàn
    to print business cards

Origin

Literally means 'name piece' or 'name card.' The character 片 originally depicted half of a split piece of bamboo or wood, which evolved to mean any thin, flat piece.

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