周旋 implies skillful handling of social interactions or difficult situations.
周旋 in 30 Seconds
- socialize
- deal with
- maneuver
§ Similar to 周旋
When you're trying to figure out if 周旋 is the right word, it helps to look at other words that have similar meanings but are used in different contexts. 周旋 implies a certain level of engagement, effort, and often, a back-and-forth interaction. It's not just about meeting someone; it's about handling a situation or relationship with a degree of skill and often, a strategic element.
Let's compare 周旋 with some other verbs you might be familiar with:
- 应付 (yìngfù): This word means to cope with, to deal with, or to handle. It's similar to 周旋 in that it involves dealing with a situation. However, 应付 often has a connotation of just getting by, doing the minimum, or simply responding to something. 周旋 suggests a more active and often prolonged engagement, sometimes with the goal of achieving a particular outcome or navigating complex social dynamics.
他只是敷衍应付了一下。
- Translation hint
- He just casually dealt with it.
- 打交道 (dǎ jiāodao): This means to deal with, to come into contact with, or to have dealings with. It's often used for regular interactions with people or organizations. While 周旋 can involve dealing with people, 打交道 is more general and doesn't carry the same weight of strategic engagement or the potential for difficulty that 周旋 often implies. You can 打交道 with a friendly neighbor, but you'd 周旋 with a difficult client.
我经常和外国人打交道。
- Translation hint
- I often deal with foreigners.
- 处理 (chǔlǐ): This word means to handle, to deal with, to process. It's a very broad term that can apply to problems, documents, or situations. While 周旋 is about dealing with situations, especially those involving people or complex social interactions, 处理 is more neutral and often refers to more concrete tasks or issues. You 处理 files, but you 周旋 with difficult colleagues.
公司正在处理客户的投诉。
- Translation hint
- The company is handling customer complaints.
§ When to use 周旋
Use 周旋 when you want to convey the idea of:
- Engaging with someone or a group in a social or business context, often with a subtle goal or strategy. This could be at a party, a business negotiation, or even a family gathering where you need to manage different personalities.
- Dealing with a difficult, complex, or challenging situation that requires skill, patience, and perhaps a bit of tact. This isn't just about solving a problem, but about navigating the interpersonal aspects of it.
- A prolonged or iterative process of interaction. 周旋 isn't usually a one-time event; it suggests a back-and-forth, an ongoing effort to manage or maintain a situation or relationship.
Here are some example situations where 周旋 fits perfectly:
他善于在各种社交场合周旋。
- Translation hint
- He is good at socializing in various social situations.
为了公司的利益，他不得不和这些难缠的客户周旋。
- Translation hint
- For the company's benefit, he had to deal with these difficult clients.
她一直在努力和婆婆周旋。
- Translation hint
- She has been trying to deal with her mother-in-law.
In summary, while there are other words for 'dealing with' or 'socializing', 周旋 adds a layer of strategic engagement, effort, and often, a challenge that needs to be skillfully managed. It's a word for when you're not just passively interacting, but actively navigating a situation.
Examples by Level
他在生意场上很会周旋，总能把事情办成。
He is very good at socializing in the business world, always getting things done.
为了争取这个项目，他不得不和各方势力周旋。
To win this project, he had to deal with various forces.
她善于在复杂的家庭关系中周旋，维持和睦。
She is good at navigating complex family relationships to maintain harmony.
面对刁难的客户，销售人员需要灵活周旋。
Salespeople need to deal flexibly with difficult customers.
虽然身处困境，但他仍努力周旋，寻找转机。
Although in a difficult situation, he still tried to maneuver and find a turning point.
在谈判桌上，双方代表进行了长时间的周旋。
At the negotiating table, representatives from both sides engaged in a long period of maneuvering.
她巧妙地在不同意见之间周旋，最终促成了合作。
She skillfully navigated between different opinions, ultimately facilitating cooperation.
处理这类问题需要耐心和智慧，懂得如何周旋。
Dealing with such problems requires patience and wisdom, knowing how to handle situations.
Grammar Patterns
Sentence Patterns
和...周旋 (hé... zhōuxuán)
他很擅长和不同的人周旋，所以人缘很好。(Tā hěn shàncháng hé bùtóng de rén zhōuxuán, suǒyǐ rényuán hěn hǎo.) - He's good at socializing with different people, so he's very popular.
与...周旋 (yǔ... zhōuxuán)
为了完成这个项目，我需要与各种供应商周旋。(Wèile wánchéng zhège xiàngmù, wǒ xūyào yǔ gè zhǒng gōngyìngshāng zhōuxuán.) - To complete this project, I need to deal with various suppliers.
在...中周旋 (zài... zhōng zhōuxuán)
她在复杂的家庭关系中周旋，真的很不容易。(Tā zài fùzá de jiātíng guānxì zhōng zhōuxuán, zhēnde hěn bù róngyì.) - It's really not easy for her to deal with complex family relationships.
跟...周旋 (gēn... zhōuxuán)
他花了很多时间跟客户周旋，终于拿到了订单。(Tā huāle hěn duō shíjiān gēn kèhù zhōuxuán, zhōngyú ná dàole dìngdān.) - He spent a lot of time dealing with clients and finally got the order.
周旋于...之间 (zhōuxuányú... zhījiān)
她善于周旋于不同的派系之间，保持了很好的平衡。(Tā shànyú zhōuxuán yú bùtóng de pàixì zhījiān, bǎochíle hěn hǎo de pínghéng.) - She is good at maneuvering between different factions, maintaining a good balance.
与...巧妙地周旋 (yǔ... qiǎomiào de zhōuxuán)
他巧妙地与竞争对手周旋，最终取得了胜利。(Tā qiǎomiào de yǔ jìngzhēng duìshǒu zhōuxuán, zuìzhōng qǔdéle shènglì.) - He skillfully dealt with his competitors and finally achieved victory.
周旋了很久 (zhōuxuánle hěn jiǔ)
我们和对方周旋了很久，才达成一致。(Wǒmen hé duìfāng zhōuxuánle hěn jiǔ, cái dáchéng yīzhì.) - We negotiated with the other party for a long time before reaching an agreement.
不得不周旋 (bù dé bù zhōuxuán)
尽管他不喜欢，但为了工作他不得不与这些人周旋。(Jǐnguǎn tā bù xǐhuān, dàn wèile gōngzuò tā bù dé bù yǔ zhèxiē rén zhōuxuán.) - Although he doesn't like it, he has to deal with these people for work.
Test Yourself 48 questions
她喜欢和朋友一起去公园____。
Here, '玩' (wán) means to play or have fun, which fits the context of going to the park with friends. '周旋' (zhōuxuán) is too advanced and doesn't fit the simple context.
小明每天都去学校____。
'学习' (xuéxí) means to study, which is the primary activity at school. '周旋' is not appropriate here.
我喜欢和我的家人一起____。
'旅行' (lǚxíng) means to travel, which is a common activity to do with family. '周旋' is not used in this simple context.
我们周末去图书馆____。
'看书' (kànshū) means to read books, a common activity at a library. '周旋' does not fit.
他每天早上都去____。
'锻炼' (duànliàn) means to exercise, a common morning activity. '周旋' is not suitable for this simple sentence.
晚上我喜欢和朋友____。
'聊天' (liáotiān) means to chat, a common social activity with friends. '周旋' is too formal and complex for an A1 level.
This sentence means 'He socializes at the company.' The word order is Subject + Prepositional Phrase (Location) + Verb.
This sentence means 'She likes to socialize among friends.' The structure is Subject + Verb + '周旋在' + Noun Phrase (indicating among whom).
This sentence means 'He needs to deal with many people.' The structure is Subject + Need + '和' + Object + Verb.
Imagine you are at a new job. Write a short message to a colleague, asking for help to get familiar with the office. Try to use words related to 'dealing with' new situations.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
你好！我是新来的。请问您有空吗？我想请您帮我熟悉一下办公室的情况，谢谢！ (Hello! I'm new here. Are you free? I'd like to ask for your help to get familiar with the office, thank you!)
You are organizing a small gathering with friends. Write a short text message inviting them and mentioning that you will take care of the arrangements.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
大家好！这周末我们有个小聚会，我来安排，大家一起来玩吧！ (Hello everyone! We're having a small gathering this weekend, I'll take care of the arrangements, let's all come and have fun!)
You want to buy a present for a friend. Write a short message to another friend asking for advice on what to get. Use words like 'choose' and 'gift'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
我想给我朋友买个礼物，你有什么建议吗？不知道该怎么选择。(I want to buy a gift for my friend, do you have any suggestions? I don't know how to choose.)
小明的朋友建议他怎么做？ (What did Xiao Ming's friend suggest he do?)
Read this passage:
小明第一次参加学校的舞会，他有点紧张。他的朋友告诉他，不用担心，大家都很友好，他可以和大家多聊聊，很快就能适应。 (Xiao Ming attended the school dance for the first time, and he was a bit nervous. His friend told him not to worry, everyone was friendly, and he could talk more with everyone and adapt quickly.)
小明的朋友建议他怎么做？ (What did Xiao Ming's friend suggest he do?)
文章中提到 '他可以和大家多聊聊'。(The passage mentions 'he could talk more with everyone'.)
文章中提到 '他可以和大家多聊聊'。(The passage mentions 'he could talk more with everyone'.)
我在超市遇到什么问题？ (What problem did I encounter at the supermarket?)
Read this passage:
今天我在超市买东西，发现我的钱包不见了。我只好去服务台问问，希望有人捡到了。服务员很帮忙，她告诉我去哪里找。 (Today I was shopping at the supermarket and found my wallet was missing. I had to go to the service desk to ask, hoping someone found it. The attendant was very helpful, and she told me where to look.)
我在超市遇到什么问题？ (What problem did I encounter at the supermarket?)
文章中提到 '发现我的钱包不见了'。(The passage mentions 'found my wallet was missing'.)
文章中提到 '发现我的钱包不见了'。(The passage mentions 'found my wallet was missing'.)
公园里的小朋友在做什么？ (What were the children doing in the park?)
Read this passage:
周末我和家人一起去公园玩。公园里有很多人，小朋友们在草地上跑来跑去，大人们在聊天。我们玩得很开心，度过了一个愉快的下午。 (This weekend my family and I went to the park to play. There were many people in the park, children were running on the grass, and adults were chatting. We had a great time and spent a pleasant afternoon.)
公园里的小朋友在做什么？ (What were the children doing in the park?)
文章中提到 '小朋友们在草地上跑来跑去'。(The passage mentions 'children were running on the grass'.)
文章中提到 '小朋友们在草地上跑来跑去'。(The passage mentions 'children were running on the grass'.)
她很擅长在各种社交场合中______。
The sentence describes someone who is good at handling various social situations, which aligns with the meaning of '周旋'.
面对复杂的问题，他总是能巧妙地______。
Here, '周旋' means to skillfully deal with complex problems.
她不得不和很多不同的部门______，才能完成这个项目。
To complete the project, she needs to deal with many different departments, which is '周旋'.
在派对上和大家聊天互动，这是一种'周旋'。
Interacting and chatting at a party is a form of socializing, which is one meaning of '周旋'.
面对一个难缠的客户，努力解决问题是'周旋'。
Dealing with a difficult client and trying to solve problems fits the meaning of '周旋' (to deal with).
如果你一直在睡觉，这叫做'周旋'。
Sleeping is not related to socializing or dealing with situations, so it is not '周旋'.
Imagine you are at a new company event. How would you use your communication skills to socialize with new colleagues?
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
在公司活动中，我会主动与新同事交流，学习如何更好地与他们周旋，建立良好关系。(At company events, I would actively communicate with new colleagues, learning how to better socialize with them to build good relationships.)
You are organizing a team project. How would you deal with different opinions from team members to ensure the project runs smoothly?
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
在团队项目中，我会耐心听取不同意见，并周旋于这些意见之间，找到最佳解决方案，确保项目顺利进行。(In a team project, I would patiently listen to different opinions and navigate among them to find the best solution, ensuring the project runs smoothly.)
Describe a situation where you had to use your social skills to get through a difficult social gathering.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
有一次在一个我不认识很多人的社交场合，我努力与不同的人周旋，最终度过了一个愉快的夜晚。(Once at a social gathering where I didn't know many people, I worked hard to socialize with different individuals and eventually had a pleasant evening.)
根据短文，小李在派对上有什么困难？(According to the passage, what difficulty does Xiao Li have at parties?)
Read this passage:
小李不擅长在派对上周旋。他总是觉得和不认识的人说话很困难。他希望自己能更自信一些，更好地与人交流。
根据短文，小李在派对上有什么困难？(According to the passage, what difficulty does Xiao Li have at parties?)
短文明确提到小李觉得和不认识的人说话很困难，说明他不擅长周旋。(The passage clearly states that Xiao Li finds it difficult to talk to strangers, indicating he is not good at socializing.)
短文明确提到小李觉得和不认识的人说话很困难，说明他不擅长周旋。(The passage clearly states that Xiao Li finds it difficult to talk to strangers, indicating he is not good at socializing.)
经理在商业谈判中需要什么能力？(What ability does the manager need in business negotiations?)
Read this passage:
经理需要很好的沟通技巧，才能在复杂的商业谈判中周旋。他必须确保每个人都感到被倾听，并且能达成对公司有利的协议。
经理在商业谈判中需要什么能力？(What ability does the manager need in business negotiations?)
短文指出经理需要很好的沟通技巧才能在谈判中周旋，并达成有利的协议。(The passage indicates that the manager needs good communication skills to navigate negotiations and reach favorable agreements.)
短文指出经理需要很好的沟通技巧才能在谈判中周旋，并达成有利的协议。(The passage indicates that the manager needs good communication skills to navigate negotiations and reach favorable agreements.)
为什么小王不喜欢大型社交活动？(Why doesn't Xiao Wang like large social events?)
Read this passage:
虽然小王有很多朋友，但他并不喜欢参加大型社交活动。他觉得在很多人之间周旋让他感到疲惫。他更喜欢和几个亲密的朋友一起度过时光。
为什么小王不喜欢大型社交活动？(Why doesn't Xiao Wang like large social events?)
短文明确说明小王不喜欢大型社交活动的原因是“觉得在很多人之间周旋让他感到疲惫”。(The passage clearly states that the reason Xiao Wang dislikes large social events is that he 'feels tired socializing among many people'.)
短文明确说明小王不喜欢大型社交活动的原因是“觉得在很多人之间周旋让他感到疲惫”。(The passage clearly states that the reason Xiao Wang dislikes large social events is that he 'feels tired socializing among many people'.)
在复杂的社交场合，他总能巧妙地与各种人___。
“周旋”在这里表示在人际交往中灵活应对，和不同的人打交道。
为了达成这项交易，他花了很多时间与客户___。
“周旋”在此语境下指为了某个目的与人进行交涉、斡旋。
面对竞争对手的挑战，公司需要想办法___。
“周旋”可以表示在对抗中采取策略，与对方进行周旋。
她是一个很会社交的人，无论到哪里都能和大家___得很好。
“周旋得很好”在这里表示在社交场合中游刃有余，和大家关系融洽。
在与多方利益相关者___的过程中，保持冷静非常重要。
“周旋”强调的是在复杂关系中斡旋、处理的能力。
虽然情况很困难，但他仍在努力与各方势力___，争取最好的结果。
“周旋”在这里表示在不利局面下努力应对，寻求解决之道。
Imagine you're at a business dinner in China. You need to make a good impression and connect with several important clients. Describe how you would '周旋' (socialize/deal with) in this situation. What would you say and do?
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
在商务晚宴上，我会积极主动地和客户周旋。我会先介绍自己，然后询问他们的兴趣爱好，找到共同话题。我也会注意倾听他们的发言，适时表达我的看法，争取给他们留下一个好印象。
You are a new employee in a company with complex internal politics. You need to '周旋' (deal with) different departments and personalities to get your work done. Explain how you would navigate this environment.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
在新公司里，我会尝试与不同部门的同事周旋，了解他们的工作方式和需求。我会保持开放的态度，多听少说，避免卷入不必要的纷争。我的目标是建立良好的合作关系，确保工作顺利进行。
Think about a time you had to '周旋' (deal with) a difficult situation or person. Describe the situation and what strategies you used.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
有一次，我需要和一位非常固执的供应商周旋，争取更好的价格。我保持了耐心，反复解释我们的需求和预算，并提出了多种解决方案。最终，我们达成了一个双方都能接受的协议。
根据这段话，'周旋' 在商场上意味着什么？
Read this passage:
他在商场上周旋了多年，积累了丰富的经验。他知道如何与不同背景的人打交道，也懂得在复杂的谈判中维护自己的利益。因此，他总是能够成功地达成交易。
根据这段话，'周旋' 在商场上意味着什么？
文章中提到他“与不同背景的人打交道”和“在复杂的谈判中维护自己的利益”，这些都体现了“周旋”的含义。
文章中提到他“与不同背景的人打交道”和“在复杂的谈判中维护自己的利益”，这些都体现了“周旋”的含义。
这位女士为什么能够很快和大家'周旋'起来？
Read this passage:
她是个非常善于交际的人，无论走到哪里都能和大家周旋起来。她的幽默感和亲和力让她很快就能融入新的环境，赢得别人的好感。大家都喜欢和她聊天。
这位女士为什么能够很快和大家'周旋'起来？
文章中明确指出“她的幽默感和亲和力让她很快就能融入新的环境，赢得别人的好感”。
文章中明确指出“她的幽默感和亲和力让她很快就能融入新的环境，赢得别人的好感”。
在这段话中，'周旋' 强调了什么？
Read this passage:
为了完成这个项目，他不得不与各个部门的经理周旋。这需要极大的耐心和沟通技巧，因为每个部门都有自己的优先级和工作方式。但他最终还是成功地协调了各方，确保了项目的顺利进行。
在这段话中，'周旋' 强调了什么？
文章中提到“与各个部门的经理周旋”并且需要“极大的耐心和沟通技巧”，这都指向了处理复杂人际关系的能力。
文章中提到“与各个部门的经理周旋”并且需要“极大的耐心和沟通技巧”，这都指向了处理复杂人际关系的能力。
This sentence means 'He can handle himself well in all kinds of situations.' The structure '在...场合周旋自如' is a common way to express being adept at socializing or dealing with different environments.
This sentence translates to 'She is very good at networking and skilled at maneuvering in political circles.' '长袖善舞' (long sleeves good at dancing) is an idiom describing someone who is good at handling social situations or is influential.
This means 'Facing a complex situation, he must deal with it carefully.' The phrase '小心周旋' emphasizes the need for caution when navigating difficult circumstances.
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Summary
周旋 implies skillful handling of social interactions or difficult situations.
- socialize
- deal with
- maneuver
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