This page in your language

فارسی

العربية

Deutsch

Español

Français

日本語

한국어

Português

中文

हिन्दी

B1 verb #4,500 most common 10 min read

采纳

caina Top 4,500

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips 采纳 in 30 Seconds

Explanation 采纳 in your Level:

At the A1 level, you can think of 采纳 (cǎinà) as a fancy way to say 'yes' to an idea. In very simple Chinese, we usually say '好' (hǎo) or '听你的' (tīng nǐ de). However, cǎinà is a special word used in books or when teachers talk about rules. It means someone in charge has decided to use a suggestion. For example, if a teacher says, 'That's a good idea for a game,' and then the class plays that game, the teacher has cǎinà-ed the idea. At this level, you don't need to use it often in speaking, but you should recognize that it involves 'picking' (采) an idea and 'bringing it in' (纳). It's a formal 'yes' to a thought.

For A2 learners, 采纳 (cǎinà) is an important word for understanding formal requests. You will see it in simple workplace dialogues or school announcements. It specifically means 'to accept a suggestion.' Unlike '接受' (jiēshòu), which you can use for gifts, cǎinà is only for ideas. You might see sentences like '经理采纳了我的建议' (The manager adopted my suggestion). Notice the structure: [Person in authority] + 采纳 + [Idea/Suggestion]. It's a great word to use if you want to sound more polite and professional when talking about work or school projects. It shows that an idea has been officially approved for use.

At the B1 level, you should start using 采纳 (cǎinà) in your own writing, especially in formal letters or business emails. It is a key term for 'adopting' or 'taking on board' a proposal. You should understand the difference between cǎinà (accepting an idea) and cǎiyòng (using a specific tool or method). For instance, '公司采纳了新方案' (The company adopted the new plan) vs. '公司采用了新技术' (The company used new technology). B1 learners should also be familiar with the passive form: '建议被采纳了' (The suggestion was adopted). This word is essential for discussing teamwork, problem-solving, and decision-making processes in a professional context.

At the B2 level, 采纳 (cǎinà) becomes part of your vocabulary for discussing policy, social issues, and complex organizational dynamics. You should be able to use it with abstract collocations like '合理化建议' (rationalization suggestions) or '建设性意见' (constructive feedback). B2 learners should recognize that cǎinà implies a process of selection—it's not just accepting anything, but choosing the best option. You will encounter this word in news reports about government legislation, where it describes the process of incorporating public feedback into law. It is also used in judicial contexts to describe a judge accepting evidence or an argument. Your mastery should include using appropriate adverbs like '广泛' (widely) or '最终' (finally) to modify the verb.

For C1 learners, 采纳 (cǎinà) is a nuanced tool for high-level discourse. You should understand its implications in institutional governance and academic critique. In a C1 context, cǎinà often appears in discussions about 'consultative democracy' (协商民主) and the 'mass line' (群众路线), where the act of adopting public opinion is a key metric of political legitimacy. You should also be comfortable with its use in scientific literature, where it describes the integration of peer-reviewed feedback into a final model or theory. At this level, you should be able to distinguish cǎinà from more obscure synonyms like '采择' (cǎizé - to select and adopt) or '听从' (tīngcóng - to obey/follow), choosing the word that best fits the formal register of your speech or writing.

At the C2 level, 采纳 (cǎinà) is used with absolute precision within specialized domains like jurisprudence, public policy, and corporate strategy. You should be able to analyze the rhetorical weight of the word in political manifestos or legal judgments, where the decision to cǎinà (or not cǎinà) an argument can have significant legal or social consequences. Mastery involves understanding the historical evolution of the term from its classical roots to its modern bureaucratic usage. You should be able to use it in complex, multi-clause sentences that discuss the systemic impact of adopting specific ideologies or structural reforms. For a C2 speaker, cǎinà is not just a verb; it's a marker of formal institutional action and intellectual consensus.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

采纳 in 30 Seconds

Formal verb meaning to adopt or accept an idea/suggestion.
Used in business, government, and academic contexts.
Specifically for abstract nouns like 'plan' or 'opinion'.
Implies a decision-making process followed by implementation.

The Chinese verb 采纳 (cǎinà) is a sophisticated and formal term that translates to 'to adopt,' 'to accept,' or 'to take on board.' While English uses 'accept' for everything from a gift to a proposal, Chinese distinguishes between the physical act of receiving and the intellectual act of incorporating an idea. Cǎinà specifically refers to the latter. It is the process where an authority figure, a committee, or an organization reviews a suggestion, opinion, or plan and decides to put it into practice. Think of it as the bridge between a suggestion and its implementation. If you offer a piece of advice and the boss says, "That's a great idea, let's do it," your advice has been 采纳-ed.

Etymological Breakdown: The character 采 (cǎi) originally depicted a hand picking fruit from a tree, symbolizing selection or gathering. The character 纳 (nà) relates to receiving or entering, often associated with silk or tribute in ancient contexts. Together, they imply 'selecting' the best option from many and 'receiving' it into the system.
Formal Nuance: This is not a word you use when your friend agrees to go to the movies with you. It belongs in the boardroom, the classroom, and the government office. It suggests a level of deliberation and a formal decision-making process.

公司领导最终采纳了我的市场推广方案。(The company leadership finally adopted my marketing proposal.)

In a professional setting, being told your suggestion was cǎinà is a significant compliment. It implies that your contribution was not only heard but was deemed valuable enough to change the course of action. It is frequently paired with nouns like 建议 (jiànyì - suggestion), 意见 (yìjiàn - opinion), 方案 (fāng'àn - scheme/plan), and 策略 (cèlüè - strategy). You will often see it in the passive voice as well, such as "建议被采纳" (the suggestion was adopted), which focuses on the outcome rather than the person who made the decision.

经过多次讨论，委员会决定采纳这项新技术。(After many discussions, the committee decided to adopt this new technology.)

When you use this word, you are signaling that you understand the gravity of the decision. It is about the transition from theory to practice. If a government cǎinàs a policy, it means they are going to start enforcing it. If a teacher cǎinàs a student's feedback, it means the curriculum might change. It is a word of action and commitment.

你的意见非常宝贵，我们会认真考虑并尽可能采纳。(Your opinion is very valuable; we will consider it seriously and adopt it as much as possible.)

Common Contexts: 1. Business meetings regarding strategy. 2. Government policy announcements. 3. Scientific peer reviews. 4. Academic feedback sessions. 5. Legal proceedings where a judge adopts a specific argument.

如果不采纳群众的合理化建议，工作就很难开展。(If the rational suggestions of the masses are not adopted, it will be difficult to carry out the work.)

法庭采纳了辩护律师的证据。(The court accepted/adopted the evidence from the defense lawyer.)

In summary, cǎinà represents a high-level acceptance where an abstract idea is given the green light to become a concrete reality. It is a key term for anyone looking to navigate professional or academic environments in the Chinese-speaking world.

Using 采纳 (cǎinà) correctly requires understanding its grammatical environment. It is a transitive verb, meaning it almost always takes a direct object. That object is rarely a person or a physical thing; it is almost always an abstract noun representing a thought, a proposal, or a piece of advice. The basic structure is Subject + 采纳 + Object.

Common Direct Objects

建议 (jiànyì) - Suggestion
意见 (yìjiàn) - Opinion/Feedback
方案 (fāng'àn) - Plan/Scheme
办法 (bànfǎ) - Method/Way
策略 (cèlüè) - Strategy

我们要虚心听取并积极采纳他人的建议。(We should listen humbly and actively adopt the suggestions of others.)

One of the most frequent ways you will encounter cǎinà is in the passive voice using 被 (bèi). This is common in reports where the focus is on the idea itself. For example, "Your proposal was adopted" becomes "你的方案被采纳了." This structure emphasizes the success of the idea rather than the person who approved it.

在这次会议上，有很多好的建议被采纳了。(At this meeting, many good suggestions were adopted.)

You can also use cǎinà in negative constructions to express rejection of an idea. Common negative forms include 不被采纳 (not being adopted) or 未被采纳 (has not yet been adopted). In formal documents, '未被采纳' is preferred over '没被采纳' because it sounds more professional.

很遗憾，你的提议由于预算问题未被采纳。(Regrettably, your proposal was not adopted due to budget issues.)

Collocation Patterns

采纳意见 (Accepting opinions)
获得采纳 (Gaining adoption/acceptance)
值得采纳 (Worthy of adoption)
拒不采纳 (Refusing to adopt)

这种新颖的设计理念非常值得采纳。(This novel design concept is very worthy of adoption.)

In complex sentences, cǎinà often appears in the conditional. For instance, "If they adopt our plan, we will start tomorrow" is "如果他们采纳我们的方案，我们明天就开始." This shows the word's role as a pivotal action that triggers subsequent events.

只有采纳了科学的建议，项目才能成功。(Only by adopting scientific suggestions can the project succeed.)

Remember that the tone of cǎinà is objective and serious. It describes a functional decision rather than an emotional one. By mastering these patterns, you can communicate effectively in any Chinese organizational setting.

Understanding where 采纳 (cǎinà) appears in daily life helps you grasp its social weight. While it's a formal word, it's not rare. In fact, in modern Chinese society, where feedback and optimization are highly valued in business and government, you will encounter this word frequently in specific environments.

1. In the Corporate World: During performance reviews or department meetings, managers will use cǎinà to acknowledge employee contributions. It appears in annual reports to describe how the board of directors responded to shareholder suggestions.

公司董事会广泛采纳了员工关于改善工作环境的建议。(The company's board of directors widely adopted employees' suggestions on improving the work environment.)

2. In News and Government Reports: The Chinese government often emphasizes 'consultative democracy.' In news broadcasts (like CCTV's Xinwen Lianbo), you will hear about how the government cǎinà-ed public opinions before passing a new law or regulation.

有关部门在制定政策时，充分采纳了专家的意见。(Relevant departments fully adopted the opinions of experts when formulating policies.)

3. In Academic and Scientific Settings: When researchers submit papers, reviewers provide suggestions. If the researcher incorporates these suggestions into the final draft, they are said to have cǎinà-ed the feedback. It's about the evolution of a theory through rigorous critique.

论文作者在修改稿中采纳了审稿人的大部分建议。(The author of the paper adopted most of the reviewers' suggestions in the revised draft.)

4. In Legal and Judicial Contexts: In a courtroom, a judge must decide which evidence is valid. If the judge accepts a lawyer's argument as the basis for a ruling, the formal term used in the written judgment is cǎinà.

法院最终没有采纳被告人的辩解。(The court ultimately did not adopt the defendant's excuse/explanation.)

You might even hear this in high-end customer service. A luxury hotel might tell a guest, "Thank you for your feedback; we have cǎinà-ed your suggestion to add more vegan options to the menu." This elevates the interaction, making the guest feel their input was treated with institutional respect.

我们非常欢迎您的反馈，并会根据实际情况采纳。(We very much welcome your feedback and will adopt it based on the actual situation.)

In all these scenarios, cǎinà signals a professional standard. It's the word of choice for anyone who wants to sound authoritative, respectful, and decisive in a Chinese-speaking environment.

While 采纳 (cǎinà) is a useful word, its formal nature makes it easy to misuse. Most mistakes stem from using it in contexts that are too casual or by confusing it with similar-sounding words that have slightly different meanings.

Mistake 1: Using it for Physical Objects: This is the most frequent error for English speakers. In English, 'accept' works for both ideas and gifts. In Chinese, you cannot cǎinà a gift. You must use 接受 (jiēshòu) or 收下 (shōuxià).

❌ 他采纳了我的礼物。(He adopted my gift. - Incorrect)
✅ 他接受了我的礼物。(He accepted my gift. - Correct)

Mistake 2: Confusing '采纳' with '采用' (cǎiyòng): These two look similar but have different focuses. 采纳 focuses on the decision to accept a suggestion. 采用 focuses on the actual use of a tool, method, or material. If you 'cǎinà' a plan, you agree to it. If you 'cǎiyòng' a plan, you are in the middle of executing it.

❌ 我们采纳了这种新型材料。(We adopted this new material. - Incorrect)
✅ 我们采用了这种新型材料。(We used/employed this new material. - Correct)

Mistake 3: Using it for People: You cannot cǎinà a person. If you want to say a company 'accepted' a new employee or 'took them in,' use 接纳 (jiēnà) or 录用 (lùyòng).

❌ 公司采纳了这位新员工。(The company adopted this new employee. - Incorrect)
✅ 公司接纳了这位新员工。(The company accepted/took in this new employee. - Correct)

Mistake 4: Register Mismatch: Using cǎinà in a very casual setting (like with children or close friends) can sound weirdly stiff. If your friend suggests going to a specific restaurant, just say 听你的 (tīng nǐ de - listen to you) or 好主意 (hǎo zhǔyi - good idea).

❌ 妈妈，我采纳你的建议去刷牙。(Mom, I adopt your suggestion to brush my teeth. - Too formal)
✅ 妈妈，我听你的去刷牙。(Mom, I'll do what you say and brush my teeth. - Natural)

By avoiding these common pitfalls, you'll ensure that your use of cǎinà sounds both natural and professional. Always check: Is it an idea? Is it a formal setting? If yes, cǎinà is likely the right choice.

To truly master 采纳 (cǎinà), you need to understand where it sits in the spectrum of Chinese words for 'accept' and 'adopt.' Choosing the right synonym depends on whether you are talking about an idea, a person, a physical object, or a piece of software.

1. 接受 (jiēshòu) - The Generalist: This is the most common word for 'accept.' It can be used for gifts, challenges, apologies, or ideas. It is less formal than cǎinà and doesn't necessarily imply that the idea will be implemented—just that it was received without rejection.

他接受了我的道歉。(He accepted my apology.)

2. 采用 (cǎiyòng) - To Employ/Use: While cǎinà is about the decision to accept a suggestion, cǎiyòng is about the act of using a specific method, technology, or material. You 'cǎinà' a suggestion to use a certain tool, and then you 'cǎiyòng' that tool.

工厂采用了全自动化生产线。(The factory adopted/employed a fully automated production line.)

3. 接纳 (jiēnà) - To Admit/Take In: This word is primarily used for people or entities entering a group. If a club accepts a new member, they jiēnà them. It carries a sense of inclusion and belonging.

这个团队很快就接纳了新同事。(The team quickly accepted/took in the new colleague.)

4. 听取 (tīngqǔ) - To Listen To: This is the step before cǎinà. It means to listen to opinions or reports with the intent to consider them. A leader might tīngqǔ many opinions but only cǎinà one of them.

市长正在听取市民关于交通问题的反馈。(The mayor is listening to citizens' feedback regarding traffic issues.)

By knowing these distinctions, you can navigate professional Chinese with precision. Cǎinà is your go-to for the formal acceptance of ideas, while its cousins handle the people, tools, and social interactions that make up the rest of life.

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

In ancient China, 'nà' was often used in the context of 'nà qiè' (taking a concubine), but 'cǎinà' as a combined term evolved to focus on the intellectual selection of ideas and advice.

Pronunciation Guide

UK tsʰaɪ nâ

US tsʰaɪ nâ

In Mandarin, both syllables are typically given equal weight, but the fourth tone on 'nà' provides a natural point of emphasis.

Rhymes With

买 (mǎi) 改 (gǎi) 海 (hǎi) 大 (dà) 怕 (pà) 话 (huà) 骂 (mà) 下 (xià)

Common Errors

Pronouncing 'c' as 'k' (it should be 'ts').
Using the first tone for 'cai' (cāi means to guess).
Using the third tone for 'na' (nǎ means which).
Failing to make the fourth tone on 'nà' sharp enough.
Mumbling the 'ai' diphthong in 'cǎi'.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 3/5

The characters are relatively common in formal texts but require knowing the specific nuance of 'picking' and 'receiving'.

Writing 4/5

Writing '采' and '纳' correctly requires attention to stroke order and radicals (silk radical in '纳').

Speaking 3/5

The tones (3rd and 4th) are distinct, but the 'c' (ts) sound can be tricky for English speakers.

Listening 3/5

Easy to recognize in formal contexts due to its frequent pairing with '建议'.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

建议 (Suggestion) 意见 (Opinion) 接受 (Accept) 采用 (Use/Adopt) 方案 (Plan)

Learn Next

采取 (Take measures) 采购 (Purchase) 纳税 (Pay taxes) 接纳 (Accept/Take in) 实施 (Implement)

Advanced

博采众长 (Draw on others' strengths) 从善如流 (Follow good advice) 司法解释 (Judicial interpretation) 可行性研究 (Feasibility study)

Grammar to Know

Passive Voice with '被' (bèi)

建议被采纳了。(The suggestion was adopted.)

Resultative Complements (None common)

Cǎinà usually doesn't take resultative complements like '完' or '好'.

Adverbs of Manner

积极采纳 (Actively adopt), 最终采纳 (Finally adopt).

Formal Negation with '未' (wèi)

提议未被采纳。(The proposal was not adopted.)

Verb-Object Phrases

采纳方案 (Adopt a scheme) acts as a single semantic unit.

Examples by Level

老师采纳了我的好主意。

The teacher adopted my good idea.

Subject + 采纳 + Object (good idea).

妈妈采纳了他的建议。

Mom adopted his suggestion.

A1 learners use simple SVO structure.

我们采纳了这个办法。

We adopted this method.

办法 (method) is a common object for cǎinà.

他采纳了朋友的意见。

He adopted his friend's opinion.

意见 (opinion) is another frequent object.

学校采纳了我们的建议。

The school adopted our suggestion.

Institutional subjects like 'school' are common.

大家采纳了我的方案。

Everyone adopted my plan.

大家 (everyone) shows consensus.

爸爸最后采纳了我的主意。

Dad finally adopted my idea.

最后 (finally) adds a sense of deliberation.

请采纳我的建议。

Please adopt my suggestion.

Imperative form with '请' (please).

经理采纳了我们的新计划。

The manager adopted our new plan.

More professional context: 经理 (manager) and 计划 (plan).

公司决定采纳这个建议。

The company decided to adopt this suggestion.

决定 (decide) + 采纳.

你的意见被经理采纳了。

Your opinion was adopted by the manager.

Introduction of the passive '被' (bèi) construction.

如果不采纳他的意见，他会不高兴。

If his opinion isn't adopted, he will be unhappy.

Conditional '如果' (if) sentence.

谢谢你采纳我的提议。

Thank you for adopting my proposal.

Polite expression of gratitude.

这个建议值得被采纳。

This suggestion is worth being adopted.

值得 (worth) + 被采纳.

他们采纳了专家的话。

They adopted the expert's words/advice.

专家 (expert) adds authority.

老板采纳了改进工作的建议。

The boss adopted the suggestion to improve work.

Complex object: 改进工作的建议.

经过讨论，委员会最终采纳了这项方案。

After discussion, the committee finally adopted this scheme.

Use of '经过' (after/through) to show process.

我们应该积极采纳员工的合理建议。

We should actively adopt the rational suggestions of employees.

Adverb '积极' (actively) and adjective '合理' (rational).

如果不采纳科学的办法，项目很难成功。

If scientific methods are not adopted, the project will be hard to succeed.

Negative '不采纳' in a conditional clause.

你的方案很有创意，已经被公司采纳了。

Your plan is very creative and has already been adopted by the company.

Use of '已经' (already) with passive '被'.

政府采纳了民众关于交通改革的意见。

The government adopted the public's opinions on traffic reform.

Political context: 政府 (government) and 民众 (the public).

医生采纳了这种新的治疗方法。

The doctor adopted this new treatment method.

Medical context: 治疗方法 (treatment method).

他虚心采纳了别人的批评意见。

He humbly adopted the critical opinions of others.

Adverb '虚心' (humbly) and object '批评意见' (criticism).

这项提议因成本过高而未被采纳。

This proposal was not adopted due to high costs.

Formal negative '未' (not yet/not) and '因...而' (due to...).

在制定新规定之前，有关部门广泛采纳了各方意见。

Before formulating new regulations, relevant departments widely adopted opinions from all parties.

Formal phrase '有关部门' (relevant departments) and '广泛' (widely).

法官最终采纳了辩方律师提供的关键证据。

The judge ultimately adopted the key evidence provided by the defense lawyer.

Legal context: 法官 (judge) and 关键证据 (key evidence).

由于缺乏可行性，该项技术方案未被采纳。

Due to a lack of feasibility, the technical plan was not adopted.

Abstract noun '可行性' (feasibility).

领导层应当采纳那些能够提高生产效率的建议。

The leadership should adopt suggestions that can improve production efficiency.

Relative clause '能够提高生产效率的' modifying '建议'.

作者在修订版中采纳了学术界的一些核心观点。

The author adopted some core viewpoints of the academic community in the revised edition.

Academic context: 学术界 (academia) and 核心观点 (core viewpoints).

这种管理模式已被多家跨国公司所采纳。

This management model has been adopted by many multinational companies.

Passive construction '被...所采纳'.

如果不及时采纳合理的改革建议，企业将面临危机。

If reasonable reform suggestions are not adopted in time, the enterprise will face a crisis.

Time adverb '及时' (in time) and consequence '面临危机'.

委员会采纳了他的申诉，并决定重新审查此案。

The committee adopted his appeal and decided to re-examine the case.

Legal object '申诉' (appeal).

该政策充分采纳了基层群众的呼声，体现了以人为本的原则。

The policy fully adopted the voices of the grassroots masses, reflecting the people-oriented principle.

Political vocabulary: 基层群众 (grassroots) and 以人为本 (people-oriented).

在学术争论中，只有经得起推敲的观点才会被广泛采纳。

In academic debates, only viewpoints that can withstand scrutiny will be widely adopted.

Idiomatic phrase '经得起推敲' (withstand scrutiny).

董事会拒绝采纳任何可能导致财务风险的激进策略。

The board refused to adopt any radical strategies that could lead to financial risk.

Nuanced object '激进策略' (radical strategy).

该建筑设计采纳了环保理念，最大限度地利用了自然光。

The architectural design adopted environmental concepts, maximizing the use of natural light.

Design context: 环保理念 (environmental concepts).

由于该建议不符合公司长远利益，最终未被采纳。

Since the suggestion did not align with the company's long-term interests, it was ultimately not adopted.

Strategic phrasing: 长远利益 (long-term interests).

在复杂的博弈中，采纳对手的某些合理逻辑有时是必要的。

In complex games, adopting some of the opponent's rational logic is sometimes necessary.

Abstract logical object: 合理逻辑 (rational logic).

只有采纳了多元化的视角，我们才能更全面地理解问题。

Only by adopting a diversified perspective can we understand the problem more comprehensively.

Abstract object '多元化的视角' (diversified perspective).

该论文采纳了最新的实验数据，从而增强了结论的说服力。

The paper adopted the latest experimental data, thereby enhancing the persuasiveness of the conclusion.

Scientific context: 说服力 (persuasiveness).

最高人民法院在司法解释中采纳了法学专家的前瞻性建议。

The Supreme People's Court adopted the forward-looking suggestions of legal experts in its judicial interpretation.

High-level legal terms: 司法解释 (judicial interpretation) and 前瞻性 (forward-looking).

该国在制定宏观经济政策时，审慎地采纳了国际货币基金组织的建议。

When formulating macroeconomic policies, the country prudently adopted the suggestions of the IMF.

Economic context: 宏观经济政策 (macroeconomic policy) and 审慎地 (prudently).

尽管该提议在伦理上存在争议，但其技术路径最终被项目组采纳。

Although the proposal was ethically controversial, its technical path was ultimately adopted by the project team.

Complex concession: 尽管...但... (although... but...).

在重组过程中，企业采纳了扁平化管理的组织架构。

During the restructuring process, the enterprise adopted a flat management organizational structure.

Management theory: 扁平化管理 (flat management).

该项立法修正案充分采纳了少数族裔团体的合理诉求。

The legislative amendment fully adopted the rational demands of minority groups.

Socio-political context: 立法修正案 (legislative amendment) and 诉求 (demands).

智库的报告被采纳为国家能源战略的重要组成部分。

The think tank's report was adopted as an important component of the national energy strategy.

Passive '被采纳为' (adopted as).

在历史的十字路口，领导人采纳了和平解决冲突的政治主张。

At the crossroads of history, the leader adopted the political stance of resolving conflicts peacefully.

Metaphorical context: 历史的十字路口 (crossroads of history).

这种审美的演变表明，主流文化已逐渐采纳了边缘艺术的元素。

The evolution of this aesthetic indicates that mainstream culture has gradually adopted elements of marginal art.

Cultural critique: 主流文化 (mainstream culture) and 边缘艺术 (marginal art).

Synonyms

接受采用听从接收认可

Antonyms

拒绝驳回抛弃

Common Collocations

采纳建议

采纳意见

采纳方案

被采纳

广泛采纳

最终采纳

积极采纳

值得采纳

拒不采纳

采纳证据

Common Phrases

虚心采纳

— To humbly accept and adopt suggestions. It shows a good attitude toward feedback.

只有虚心采纳别人的意见，才能进步。

择优采纳

— To select and adopt the best options. It implies a rigorous selection process.

我们会对所有的方案进行评估，然后择优采纳。

未能采纳

— To fail to adopt (usually due to specific reasons). A polite way to say 'rejected'.

很抱歉，您的建议因技术原因未能采纳。

部分采纳

— To adopt parts of a suggestion while rejecting others.

报告中的一些核心建议已被部分采纳。

全面采纳

— To adopt a suggestion or plan in its entirety.

政府决定全面采纳专家的环保方案。

采纳程度

— The extent to which suggestions are adopted.

员工建议的采纳程度是衡量公司开放性的指标。

采纳程序

— The formal procedure for adopting a proposal.

我们需要明确新方案的采纳程序。

获得采纳

— To successfully have one's suggestion adopted.

他的创新想法终于获得了采纳。

拒绝采纳

— To formally refuse to adopt a suggestion.

董事会拒绝采纳这项高风险的投资建议。

采纳与应用

— The adoption and subsequent application of an idea.

我们关注新技术的采纳与应用过程。

Often Confused With

采纳 vs 采用 (cǎiyòng)

Focuses on 'using' a tool or method, while 采纳 focuses on 'accepting' a suggestion.

采纳 vs 接受 (jiēshòu)

A general word for 'accept'; 采纳 is more specific to ideas and more formal.

采纳 vs 接纳 (jiēnà)

Used for accepting people or members, not suggestions.

Idioms & Expressions

"博采众议"

— To widely collect and adopt various opinions. It emphasizes a democratic approach.

在决策过程中，我们必须博采众议。

Formal

"采纳如流"

— To adopt suggestions as easily as water flows. Describes someone very open to advice.

这位领导采纳如流，深受员工爱戴。

Literary/Formal

"从善如流"

— To follow good advice as naturally as water flows downward. Very similar to 采纳如流.

他是一个从善如流的人，总是愿意听取别人的建议。

Literary

"兼听则明"

— Listen to both sides and you will be enlightened. Often paired with the idea of 采纳.

兼听则明，你应该多采纳不同方面的意见。

Classical/Formal

"博采众长"

— To draw on the strengths of many. Often leads to the act of 采纳.

这个设计博采众长，采纳了多家公司的优点。

Formal

"集思广益"

— Collect ideas and broaden benefits. The process of gathering ideas to be cǎinà-ed.

通过集思广益，我们采纳了最佳的解决方案。

Formal

"言听计从"

— To listen to every word and follow every plan. An extreme form of 采纳.

老板对他言听计从，他的所有建议都被采纳了。

Neutral/Literary

"择善而从"

— Choose what is good and follow it. The moral basis for 采纳.

在众多的建议中，我们要择善而从。

Literary

"开诚布公"

— To be open and sincere. Often the environment where cǎinà happens best.

大家开诚布公地讨论，采纳了许多好建议。

Formal

"闻过则喜"

— To be glad to have one's errors pointed out. The attitude needed to cǎinà criticism.

他有闻过则喜的精神，虚心采纳了同事的批评。

Literary

Easily Confused

采纳 vs 采用

Both start with 'cǎi' and relate to adoption.

Cǎiyòng (采用) is about the practical application of a tool or technology. Cǎinà (采纳) is about the intellectual acceptance of a suggestion or plan.

我们采用了新技术 (We used new tech) vs. 我们采纳了你的建议 (We adopted your suggestion).

采纳 vs 采取

Both start with 'cǎi' and are formal.

Cǎiqǔ (采取) is almost exclusively used with 'measures' (措施), 'actions' (行动), or 'policies' (政策). It means 'to take' or 'to resort to'.

采取措施 (Take measures) vs. 采纳意见 (Adopt opinions).

采纳 vs 接纳

Both end with 'nà' and mean 'to accept'.

Jiēnà (接纳) is social—it's about letting people into a group. Cǎinà (采纳) is cognitive—it's about letting ideas into a plan.

接纳新成员 (Accept new members) vs. 采纳新方案 (Adopt new plan).

采纳 vs 采集

Both start with 'cǎi'.

Cǎijí (采集) means to collect physical samples or data (like blood samples or herbs).

采集标本 (Collect specimens) vs. 采纳建议 (Adopt suggestions).

采纳 vs 采摘

Both start with 'cǎi' and relate to 'picking'.

Cǎizhāi (采摘) is literal—it means to pick fruit or flowers from a plant.

采摘苹果 (Pick apples) vs. 采纳主意 (Adopt an idea).

Sentence Patterns

A 采纳了 B 的建议。

经理采纳了我的建议。

B 的建议被 A 采纳了。

我的方案被公司采纳了。

决定 + 采纳 + [方案/意见]。

委员会决定采纳这项方案。

广泛 + 采纳 + [意见]。

政府广泛采纳了各界意见。

未被 + 采纳。

由于资金不足，该提议未被采纳。

充分 + 采纳 + [呼声/诉求]。

政策充分采纳了民众的呼声。

值得 + 采纳。

这种创新的思路非常值得采纳。

采纳为 + [组成部分/标准]。

该建议被采纳为行业标准。

Word Family

Nouns

采纳率 (cǎinà lǜ) - Adoption rate

采纳者 (cǎinà zhě) - Adopter

Verbs

采 (cǎi) - To pick/gather

纳 (nà) - To receive/admit

采用 (cǎiyòng) - To employ/use

接纳 (jiēnà) - To accept/take in

收录 (shōulù) - To include

选取 (xuǎnqǔ) - To select

采取 (cǎiqǔ) - To take (measures/steps)

How to Use It

frequency

Common in business, news, academic writing, and formal speeches. Rare in casual street slang.

Common Mistakes

我采纳了你的礼物。 → 我接受了你的礼物。
You cannot 'cǎinà' a physical gift. 'Cǎinà' is only for ideas and suggestions.
公司采纳了新员工。 → 公司接纳了新员工。
You 'jiēnà' (accept/take in) people, but you 'cǎinà' (adopt) ideas.
我们采纳了这种新机器。 → 我们采用了这种新机器。
Use 'cǎiyòng' for physical tools or machines. 'Cǎinà' is for the plan to use them.
他采纳了我去吃饭。 → 他听了我的建议去吃饭。
'Cǎinà' is too formal for a casual suggestion like going to dinner. Use '听' or '接受'.
这个方案被采纳为采用了。 → 这个方案被采纳并实施了。
Don't confuse 'cǎinà' with 'cǎiyòng' in the same phrase unless you mean two different steps (adoption and then usage).

Tips

Pair with '建议'

If you are unsure how to use '采纳', just remember the phrase '采纳建议' (adopt a suggestion). It is the most natural and frequent pairing.

Keep it Professional

Use '采纳' in emails to your boss or in school essays. It shows you have a high-level command of formal Chinese vocabulary.

Use with '被'

The passive form '被采纳' is extremely common. Practice saying '我的主意被采纳了' to sound like a native professional.

采纳 vs. 接受

Remember: You '接受' (accept) a gift, but you '采纳' (adopt) an idea. This distinction is crucial for natural Chinese.

The 'Selection' Nuance

The character '采' implies picking. This means '采纳' is used when there are options or when an idea is being vetted.

Consultative Tone

In Chinese politics and business, '广泛采纳意见' (widely adopting opinions) is a sign of a good, democratic leader.

Formal Contexts

When you hear 'cǎinà', expect a formal decision to follow. It marks the end of a discussion and the start of action.

Formal Negation

Instead of '没采纳', use '未被采纳' in your writing to instantly upgrade the formal quality of your text.

The Silk Radical

The radical in '纳' is silk (纟). Imagine bringing fine silk suggestions into a room to be displayed and used.

Word Family

Learn '采纳率' (adoption rate) if you work in tech or marketing; it's a very useful metric term.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Cǎi' as 'Choosing' (picking from a tree) and 'Nà' as 'Now' (taking it in now). You Choose the best idea and take it in Now.

Visual Association

Imagine a suggestion box (纳) where a hand is carefully picking (采) the best note out of many. The hand represents the authority figure selecting the best plan.

Word Web

建议 (Suggestion) 意见 (Opinion) 方案 (Plan) 领导 (Leader) 公司 (Company) 被 (Passive marker) 虚心 (Humble) 合理 (Rational)

Challenge

Try to write a sentence about a time your boss or teacher accepted your idea using '我的建议被采纳了'.

Word Origin

The term cǎinà originates from Classical Chinese. 'Cǎi' (采) depicts a hand over a tree, representing the act of picking or selecting. 'Nà' (纳) consists of the 'silk' radical and a phonetic component, originally meaning to pay tribute or to bring silk into a storehouse.

Original meaning: To select and bring in; to gather and accept.

Sino-Tibetan

Cultural Context

Be careful not to use it when you are the one accepting a gift; it will sound like you are a king accepting a tribute from a peasant.

In English, we might just say 'We're going with your idea.' In Chinese, cǎinà adds a layer of formal validation that 'going with' lacks.

Used frequently in the 'Analects' in similar contexts of following good advice. Common in the 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' when strategists like Zhuge Liang give advice to their lords. A standard term in the 'Government Work Report' (政府工作报告) delivered annually in Beijing.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Business Meeting

采纳建议
方案被采纳
最终采纳
积极采纳

Government/Policy

广泛采纳民意
采纳专家意见
政策采纳
未被采纳

Academic/Scientific

采纳审稿意见
观点被采纳
采纳最新数据
学术采纳

Legal/Court

采纳证据
采纳辩护词
法庭采纳
拒不采纳

Education

采纳学生建议
教学方案采纳
虚心采纳
值得采纳

Conversation Starters

"你觉得经理会采纳我们的新方案吗？ (Do you think the manager will adopt our new plan?)"

"如果你的建议被公司采纳了，你有什么感想？ (How would you feel if your suggestion was adopted by the company?)"

"为什么有些合理的建议最终没有被采纳？ (Why are some reasonable suggestions ultimately not adopted?)"

"在决策时，你通常会采纳谁的意见？ (Whose opinion do you usually adopt when making decisions?)"

"你曾经采纳过朋友给你的最好建议是什么？ (What is the best suggestion you've ever adopted from a friend?)"

Journal Prompts

写一写你提出并被采纳的一个建议。 (Write about a suggestion you made that was adopted.)

讨论一下为什么领导者应该虚心采纳下属的意见。 (Discuss why leaders should humbly adopt the opinions of subordinates.)

如果一个政府不采纳民众的意见，会发生什么？ (What happens if a government does not adopt the opinions of the people?)

反思一次你因为没有采纳别人的好建议而后悔的经历。 (Reflect on an experience where you regretted not adopting someone else's good suggestion.)

你认为在什么情况下，我们不应该采纳专家的建议？ (In what situations do you think we should not adopt expert suggestions?)

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

No. For a present or a physical gift, you should use '接受' (jiēshòu) or '收下' (shōuxià). '采纳' is strictly for abstract things like ideas, suggestions, and plans.

While very common in business, it's also used in government, schools, and any formal organization. It can even be used in a family setting if you want to sound slightly humorous or very respectful about a decision.

'采纳' (cǎinà) is the act of saying 'yes' to a suggestion. '采用' (cǎiyòng) is the act of actually using the thing suggested. For example, if I suggest you use a hammer, you '采纳' my suggestion and then '采用' the hammer.

You can say '我的建议没有被采纳' (Wǒ de jiànyì méiyǒu bèi cǎinà). In a more formal report, you would say '建议未被采纳'.

No, you cannot '采纳' a person. To accept a person into a group, use '接纳' (jiēnà). To hire someone, use '录用' (lùyòng).

Yes, it is very common in formal writing, news, and professional environments. It is a HSK 5 / CEFR B1-B2 level word.

The most common are 建议 (suggestion), 意见 (opinion/feedback), 方案 (plan/scheme), and 提议 (proposal).

Yes, this is a standard legal term. A judge '采纳证据' when they accept evidence as valid for the case.

Usually, yes. Since it involves a 'selection' process (the 'cǎi' part), it implies the idea was deemed worthy of being used.

The most direct opposite is '拒绝' (jùjué - to reject). In a formal context, you might also see '不予采纳' (bù yǔ cǎinà - to not grant adoption).