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Business Chinese LV.3 — Day 1 — Introductions at a Multi-Level Status Gathering

Panpan
The company is hosting a reception to welcome a newly hired senior executive, who must be introduced to a mixed group spanning top leadership, department heads, and junior staff. Introductions in this setting require careful attention to seniority order and face-appropriate phrasing for each audience. This lesson practices status-aware introductions and the tactful language used when rank or seniority is ambiguous.

Conversations

1 Formally introducing the new hire to the senior executive

HR Manager
王总，这位是我们新聘请的市场部总监，李先生，请让我为您介绍一下。
Wáng zǒng, zhè wèi shì wǒmen xīn pìnqǐng de shìchǎngbù zǒngjiān, Lǐ xiānsheng, qǐng ràng wǒ wèi nín jièshào yíxià.
President Wang, this is Mr. Li, our newly hired Marketing Director — allow me to introduce him to you.
Senior Executive
久仰久仰，李总监，欢迎加入我们公司。
Jiǔyǎng jiǔyǎng, Lǐ zǒngjiān, huānyíng jiārù wǒmen gōngsī.
I've long heard of you, Director Li — welcome to our company.
New Hire
王总您太客气了，不敢当，以后还请您多多指教。
Wáng zǒng nín tài kèqi le, bùgǎndāng, yǐhòu hái qǐng nín duō duō zhǐjiào.
President Wang, you're too kind — I really don't deserve that. I hope you'll continue to guide me going forward.
Senior Executive
好说好说，我们这里都是互相学习的。
Hǎoshuō hǎoshuō, wǒmen zhèlǐ dōu shì hùxiāng xuéxí de.
Not at all — around here we all learn from one another.

2 Introducing the new hire to a department head, following seniority order

HR Manager
接下来，按照惯例，我们还是先论资排辈地介绍一下。这位是财务部的张主管。
Jiēxiàlái, ànzhào guànlì, wǒmen háishi xiān lùn zī pái bèi de jièshào yíxià. Zhè wèi shì cáiwùbù de Zhāng zhǔguǎn.
Next, following convention, let's continue introducing everyone by seniority. This is Supervisor Zhang from Finance.
Department Head
李总监，久闻大名，早就听说您在业内很有经验。
Lǐ zǒngjiān, jiǔwén dàmíng, zǎo jiù tīngshuō nín zài yènèi hěn yǒu jīngyàn.
Director Li, I've long heard of you — I understand you're quite experienced in the industry.
New Hire
张主管过奖了，我还有很多需要向您学习的地方。
Zhāng zhǔguǎn guòjiǎng le, wǒ hái yǒu hěn duō xūyào xiàng nín xuéxí de dìfang.
Supervisor Zhang, you flatter me — there's still a lot I need to learn from you.

3 A junior colleague is introduced with a lighter tone

HR Manager
这位是小陈，刚工作两年，是我们团队里很努力的新人。
Zhè wèi shì Xiǎo Chén, gāng gōngzuò liǎng nián, shì wǒmen tuánduì lǐ hěn nǔlì de xīnrén.
This is Xiao Chen — he's only been working for two years, a very hardworking newcomer on our team.
Junior Colleague
李总监您好，很荣幸能认识您，以后请多关照。
Lǐ zǒngjiān nín hǎo, hěn róngxìng néng rènshi nín, yǐhòu qǐng duō guānzhào.
Hello Director Li, it's an honor to meet you — please look out for me going forward.
New Hire
你好啊小陈，不用这么客气，以后我们就是同事了，有什么都可以来找我。
Nǐ hǎo a Xiǎo Chén, búyòng zhème kèqi, yǐhòu wǒmen jiù shì tóngshì le, yǒu shénme dōu kěyǐ lái zhǎo wǒ.
Hi Xiao Chen, no need to be so formal — we're colleagues now, so feel free to come find me about anything.
Junior Colleague
谢谢李总监，那我就不客气了。
Xièxie Lǐ zǒngjiān, nà wǒ jiù bú kèqi le.
Thank you, Director Li — then I won't stand on ceremony.

4 Navigating ambiguous seniority between two peers

HR Manager
这两位都是部门主管，一位是资历比较深的赵主管，另一位是职位稍高一些的孙经理。
Zhè liǎng wèi dōu shì bùmén zhǔguǎn, yí wèi shì zīlì bǐjiào shēn de Zhào zhǔguǎn, lìng yí wèi shì zhíwèi shāo gāo yìxiē de Sūn jīnglǐ.
These two are both department heads — one is Supervisor Zhao, who has more seniority, and the other is Manager Sun, whose title is slightly higher.
New Hire
两位都是前辈，我就不论职称了，都称呼老师可以吗？
Liǎng wèi dōu shì qiánbèi, wǒ jiù bú lùn zhíchēng le, dōu chēnghu lǎoshī kěyǐ ma?
You're both my seniors here — rather than worrying about exact titles, would it be alright if I address you both as "Laoshi"?
Supervisor Zhao
这样也挺好，省得大家纠结先后顺序。
Zhèyàng yě tǐng hǎo, shěngde dàjiā jiūjié xiānhòu shùnxù.
That works well — it saves everyone the trouble of fussing over who comes first.
Manager Sun
对，客气话就不用多说了，以后好好合作。
Duì, kèqi huà jiù búyòng duō shuō le, yǐhòu hǎohǎo hézuò.
Right, no need for more pleasantries — let's just work well together going forward.

5 A colleague quietly briefs the new hire on who's who

Colleague
悄悄跟你说，那位孙经理平时不太喜欢摆架子，你不用太紧张。
Qiāoqiāo gēn nǐ shuō, nà wèi Sūn jīnglǐ píngshí bú tài xǐhuan bǎi jiàzi, nǐ búyòng tài jǐnzhāng.
Just between us, Manager Sun doesn't usually like to put on airs, so you don't need to be too nervous.
New Hire
谢谢你提醒，我心里有数了。
Xièxie nǐ tíxǐng, wǒ xīnlǐ yǒushù le.
Thanks for the heads-up, now I have a sense of the situation.
Colleague
不过王总比较讲究礼数，跟他说话要客气一点。
Búguò Wáng zǒng bǐjiào jiǎngjiu lǐshù, gēn tā shuōhuà yào kèqi yìdiǎn.
However, President Wang cares quite a bit about proper etiquette, so be a bit more formal when speaking with him.
New Hire
明白，我会注意分寸的。
Míngbai, wǒ huì zhùyì fēncùn de.
Understood, I'll be mindful of my tone.

6 A second senior executive arrives late — re-introduction needed

HR Manager
刘副总，您来了，我来为您介绍一下新来的李总监。
Liú fùzǒng, nín lái le, wǒ lái wèi nín jièshào yíxià xīn lái de Lǐ zǒngjiān.
Vice President Liu, you've arrived — let me introduce the newly arrived Director Li to you.
Senior Executive B
李总监，抱歉来晚了，路上有点堵车。
Lǐ zǒngjiān, bàoqiàn lái wǎn le, lùshang yǒudiǎn dǔchē.
Director Li, sorry for arriving late — there was some traffic on the way.
New Hire
刘副总您太客气了，能见到您是我的荣幸。
Liú fùzǒng nín tài kèqi le, néng jiàn dào nín shì wǒ de róngxìng.
Vice President Liu, you're too polite — it's an honor to meet you.

7 Complimented by the executive — the new hire uses humble language

Senior Executive
我听说李总监之前在同行业做得相当出色。
Wǒ tīngshuō Lǐ zǒngjiān zhīqián zài tóng hángyè zuò de xiāngdāng chūsè.
I hear Director Li performed quite outstandingly in the same industry before.
New Hire
过奖了，都是团队一起努力的结果，我个人做得还不够。
Guòjiǎng le, dōu shì tuánduì yìqǐ nǔlì de jiéguǒ, wǒ gèrén zuò de hái búgòu.
You flatter me — that was all thanks to the team's collective effort, I personally still have a lot to improve.
Senior Executive
谦虚是好事，不过也要对自己有信心。
Qiānxū shì hǎoshì, búguò yě yào duì zìjǐ yǒu xìnxīn.
Modesty is a good thing, but you should also have confidence in yourself.

8 Wrapping up the introduction round with a toast

HR Manager
各位，介绍就先到这里，我们敬李总监一杯，欢迎他加入我们。
Gèwèi, jièshào jiù xiān dào zhèlǐ, wǒmen jìng Lǐ zǒngjiān yì bēi, huānyíng tā jiārù wǒmen.
Everyone, let's pause the introductions here for now — let's raise a glass to Director Li, and welcome him to join us.
Senior Executive
欢迎李总监，希望我们合作愉快。
Huānyíng Lǐ zǒngjiān, xīwàng wǒmen hézuò yúkuài.
Welcome, Director Li — I hope we'll have a pleasant working relationship.
New Hire
谢谢大家的照顾，我会尽全力做好这份工作。
Xièxie dàjiā de zhàogù, wǒ huì jìn quánlì zuò hǎo zhè fèn gōngzuò.
Thank you all for your kind support — I will do my utmost to do this job well.

9 A private aside — the new hire asks a colleague for etiquette guidance

New Hire
我第一天来，有些礼节还不太熟悉，你能不能教教我？
Wǒ dì yī tiān lái, yǒuxiē lǐjié hái bú tài shúxī, nǐ néng bu néng jiāo jiao wǒ?
It's my first day here, and I'm not quite familiar with some of the etiquette — could you teach me a bit?
Colleague
没问题，最重要的是称呼要对，别叫错了职称。
Méi wèntí, zuì zhòngyào de shì chēnghu yào duì, bié jiào cuò le zhíchēng.
No problem — the most important thing is getting the form of address right, don't get someone's title wrong.
New Hire
明白了，谢谢你的提醒。
Míngbai le, xièxie nǐ de tíxǐng.
Got it, thanks for the reminder.

10 Handling an awkward moment when someone forgets a name

Department Head
不好意思，我一下子想不起您的名字了。
Bùhǎoyìsi, wǒ yíxiàzi xiǎng bu qǐ nín de míngzi le.
I'm sorry, I can't quite recall your name at the moment.
New Hire
没关系，我叫李明轩，您叫我小李就可以了。
Méi guānxi, wǒ jiào Lǐ Míngxuān, nín jiào wǒ Xiǎo Lǐ jiù kěyǐ le.
No worries, my name is Li Mingxuan — you can just call me Xiao Li.
Department Head
好的，小李，抱歉刚才的失礼。
Hǎo de, Xiǎo Lǐ, bàoqiàn gāngcái de shīlǐ.
Okay, Xiao Li — sorry about the slight lapse just now.
New Hire
完全没关系，第一次见面记不住名字很正常。
Wánquán méi guānxi, dì yī cì jiànmiàn jì bu zhù míngzi hěn zhèngcháng.
It's absolutely fine, it's completely normal not to remember a name on a first meeting.

11 Closing reflection on the etiquette of the gathering

Colleague
今天这种场合，其实就是考验大家的人情世故。
Jīntiān zhè zhǒng chǎnghé, qíshí jiùshì kǎoyàn dàjiā de rénqíng shìgù.
An occasion like today's really tests everyone's social savvy.
New Hire
是啊，光靠专业能力还不够，还得学会怎么跟人打交道。
Shì a, guāng kào zhuānyè nénglì hái búgòu, hái děi xuéhuì zěnme gēn rén dǎ jiāodào.
That's right — professional skill alone isn't enough, you also need to learn how to interact with people.
Colleague
慢慢来，时间长了你就熟悉了。
Mànmàn lái, shíjiān cháng le nǐ jiù shúxī le.
Take it slow, you'll get familiar with it over time.

Today's Grammar

Key patterns: 久仰久仰 ("I've long admired your reputation") is a humble greeting to someone senior, and 论资排辈 ("ranking by seniority") describes the conventional order of introductions.

久仰久仰，久闻您的大名。
Jiǔyǎng jiǔyǎng, jiǔwén nín de dàmíng.
I've long admired your reputation — it's an honor to finally meet you in person.
按照惯例，我们还是先论资排辈地介绍一下。
Ànzhào guànlì, wǒmen háishi xiān lùn zī pái bèi de jièshào yíxià.
Following convention, let's go ahead and make introductions by seniority.
您太客气了，不敢当。
Nín tài kèqi le, bùgǎndāng.
You're far too kind — I really don't deserve that.
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