总裁 (zǒng cái) — Chinese Word

noun HSK 5

Traditional 總裁

zǒng cái

president (of a company) · CEO · chief executive

Meaning

总裁 refers to the top executive of a company or corporation, typically translated as CEO or president. It combines 总 (chief/general) and 裁 (to cut/decide), literally meaning 'chief decision-maker.' This term is commonly used in business contexts to refer to the highest-ranking executive officer.

Usage

总裁 is formal business terminology used in corporate settings. It's more common in mainland China and Taiwan business contexts than 首席执行官 (CEO). Often used with company names or in formal introductions. Can also appear in romance novels and TV dramas as a trope (霸道总裁 - domineering CEO).

Examples

01
他被任命为公司的新总裁。
Tā bèi rèn mìng wéi gōng sī de xīn zǒng cái.
He was appointed as the company's new president.
02
总裁将在明天的会议上宣布重要决定。
Zǒng cái jiāng zài míng tiān de huì yì shàng xuān bù zhòng yào jué dìng.
The CEO will announce an important decision at tomorrow's meeting.

Characters

Measure words

位wèi一位总裁
名míng三名总裁

Common collocations

公司总裁
gōng sī zǒng cái
company president/CEO
执行总裁
zhí xíng zǒng cái
executive president
副总裁
fù zǒng cái
vice president
霸道总裁
bà dào zǒng cái
domineering CEO (popular culture trope)

Antonyms

Origin

裁 originally meant 'to cut cloth' but evolved to mean 'to make decisions.' Combined with 总 (chief), it creates the meaning of 'chief decision-maker,' reflecting the executive's role in making final judgments for the organization.