shǒuxí zhíxíng guān: 首席执行官 - Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

• Keywords: shouxi zhixing guan, shǒuxí zhíxíng guān, 首席执行官, CEO in Chinese, Chinese for CEO, Chinese business titles, corporate structure China, 董事长, 总经理, zongjingli, dongshizhang
• Summary: Learn the meaning and use of 首席执行官 (shǒuxí zhíxíng guān), the official Chinese term for Chief Executive Officer (CEO). This guide breaks down the characters, explores its role in modern Chinese corporate culture, and contrasts it with other key titles like Chairman (董事长, dǒngshìzhǎng). Discover practical examples and avoid common mistakes to understand how business leadership is structured and discussed in China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shǒuxí zhíxíng guān
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: N/A (Advanced/Business Vocabulary)
• Concise Definition: The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a corporation.
• In a Nutshell: 首席执行官 (shǒuxí zhíxíng guān) is the formal, modern term for a CEO, directly mirroring the title used in Western corporations. It refers to the highest-ranking executive responsible for managing a company's daily operations and executing its strategic goals. While it is a direct translation, its practical authority can sometimes differ from its Western equivalent, depending on the company's structure.

• 首 (shǒu): This character means “head” or “first.” It signifies the top position or leader.
• 席 (xí): This character means “seat” or “place.” Combined with 首, 首席 (shǒuxí) literally means “first seat,” a common way to denote a “chief” or “head” of a group (e.g., chief conductor, principal violinist).
• 执 (zhí): Means “to hold” or “to grasp.”
• 行 (xíng): Means “to go,” “to do,” or “to carry out.” Combined, 执行 (zhíxíng) is a verb meaning “to execute” or “to implement.”
• 官 (guān): This character means “official” or “officer,” often one with governmental or organizational authority.

Putting it all together, 首席执行官 (shǒuxí zhíxíng guān) literally translates to “Chief Seat Executing Official.” This paints a very clear picture of the role: the person in the number one position (首席) who is responsible for carrying out (执行) the company's plans as an officer (官) of the corporation.

The term 首席执行官 is a relatively recent addition to the Chinese language, adopted as China's economy integrated with the global standard of corporate governance. Its significance lies less in ancient Chinese philosophy and more in how it interacts with pre-existing business structures. The most important cultural comparison is between the 首席执行官 (CEO) and the 董事长 (dǒngshìzhǎng), the Chairman of the Board.

• In the West (especially the US): The CEO is often seen as the ultimate boss. The roles of CEO and Chairman are sometimes even held by the same person. The CEO typically has immense power and public visibility.
• In China: The power dynamic can be different. The 董事长 (dǒngshìzhǎng) is often the founder, a major shareholder, or a representative of the state (in a State-Owned Enterprise). They frequently hold the ultimate authority and set the long-term vision, while the 首席执行官 is the professional manager hired to run the company day-to-day. The Chairman can hire or fire the CEO. Therefore, while the CEO executes strategy, the Chairman often wields the final power. Understanding this distinction is crucial to comprehending the hierarchy in many Chinese companies.

This term is used in highly formal and professional contexts.

• Formality: 首席执行官 is a formal title. You will see it on business cards, in annual reports, during official company announcements, and in financial news.
• Abbreviations: In less formal business conversations, especially within the tech and finance industries, it's very common for Chinese speakers to simply use the English letters “CEO”. For example, “我们公司的CEO是美国人” (Wǒmen gōngsī de CEO shì Měiguó rén - Our company's CEO is American).
• Daily Address: You would almost never address someone directly as “首席执行官”. Instead, you would use their surname plus a more general title like 总 (zǒng), which is short for General Manager (总经理 zǒngjīnglǐ). For example, a CEO named Zhang Wei would be addressed as 张总 (Zhāng zǒng).

• Example 1:
  • 苹果公司的首席执行官是蒂姆·库克。
  • Pinyin: Píngguǒ gōngsī de shǒuxí zhíxíng guān shì Dìmǔ·Kùkè.
  • English: The CEO of Apple Inc. is Tim Cook.
  • Analysis: A simple, factual statement used in news or general knowledge. This is a very common structure for identifying a person's title.
• Example 2:
  • 作为首席执行官，我的首要任务是为股东创造价值。
  • Pinyin: Zuòwéi shǒuxí zhíxíng guān, wǒ de shǒuyào rènwù shì wèi gǔdōng chuàngzào jiàzhí.
  • English: As the CEO, my primary responsibility is to create value for the shareholders.
  • Analysis: This sentence demonstrates the term being used in the first person during a formal speech or statement.
• Example 3:
  • 公司董事会宣布任命一位新的首席执行官。
  • Pinyin: Gōngsī dǒngshìhuì xuānbù rènmìng yí wèi xīn de shǒuxí zhíxíng guān.
  • English: The company's board of directors announced the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer.
  • Analysis: This highlights the formal context of corporate announcements. The measure word for a respected professional, 位 (wèi), is used.
• Example 4:
  • 他辞去了首席执行官的职务，但仍然担任董事长。
  • Pinyin: Tā cíqùle shǒuxí zhíxíng guān de zhíwù, dàn réngrán dānrèn dǒngshìzhǎng.
  • English: He resigned from the position of CEO but still serves as the Chairman of the Board.
  • Analysis: This sentence directly illustrates the distinction between the CEO and Chairman roles, a key cultural point.
• Example 5:
  • 我们的首席执行官将在下周的全体会议上发表演讲。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen de shǒuxí zhíxíng guān jiàng zài xiàzhōu de quántǐ huìyì shàng fābiǎo yǎnjiǎng.
  • English: Our CEO will give a speech at next week's all-hands meeting.
  • Analysis: Used within a company to refer to the CEO in a formal but internal context.
• Example 6:
  • 成为一家跨国公司的首席执行官是许多商学院学生的目标。
  • Pinyin: Chéngwéi yì jiā kuàguó gōngsī de shǒuxí zhíxíng guān shì xǔduō shāngxuéyuàn xuéshēng de mùbiāo.
  • English: Becoming the CEO of a multinational corporation is the goal of many business school students.
  • Analysis: This shows the term used as a career aspiration or concept.
• Example 7:
  • 根据首席执行官的最新指令，我们将调整市场策略。
  • Pinyin: Gēnjù shǒuxí zhíxíng guān de zuìxīn zhǐlìng, wǒmen jiāng tiáozhěng shìchǎng cèlüè.
  • English: According to the CEO's latest directive, we will adjust our market strategy.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates the authority of the CEO in giving orders and setting direction.
• Example 8:
  • 这家初创公司正在寻找一位有远见的首席执行官。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā chuàngyè gōngsī zhèngzài xúnzhǎo yí wèi yǒu yuǎnjiàn de shǒuxí zhíxíng guān.
  • English: This startup is looking for a visionary CEO.
  • Analysis: Here, the title is modified by an adjective (有远见的, visionary) to describe the desired qualities for the role.
• Example 9:
  • 记者问首席执行官如何看待未来的经济形势。
  • Pinyin: Jìzhě wèn shǒuxí zhíxíng guān rúhé kàndài wèilái de jīngjì xíngshì.
  • English: The reporter asked the CEO for his view on the future economic situation.
  • Analysis: A typical example from a press conference or media interview context.
• Example 10:
  • 虽然他是首席执行官，但他为人非常谦虚。
  • Pinyin: Suīrán tā shì shǒuxí zhíxíng guān, dàn tā wéirén fēicháng qiānxū.
  • English: Although he is the CEO, he is a very humble person.
  • Analysis: This sentence contrasts the high-status, formal title with a personal characteristic.

• Confusing with 董事长 (dǒngshìzhǎng): The most common mistake is assuming the CEO is always the most powerful person. In many Chinese companies, the Chairman of the Board (董事长) holds more power. The CEO executes, but the Chairman commands.
  • Incorrect: “The CEO fired the Chairman.” (This is structurally almost impossible in China).
  • Correct: “董事长决定更换公司的首席执行官。” (The Chairman decided to replace the company's CEO.)
• Using it as a Direct Address: Never walk up to a CEO and say “你好, 首席执行官!” (Nǐ hǎo, shǒuxí zhíxíng guān!). This is socially awkward and overly formal.
  • Incorrect: “首席执行官，这个报告写好了。” (CEO, this report is finished.)
  • Correct: “王总，这个报告写好了。” (Boss Wang / General Manager Wang, this report is finished.) Use their surname + 总 (zǒng) or 经理 (jīnglǐ).
• Assuming it's the only word for “Boss”: For a small shop owner, a restaurant manager, or your direct superior who isn't the CEO, the word is 老板 (lǎobǎn). 首席执行官 is exclusively for the head of a corporation.

• 董事长 (dǒngshìzhǎng) - Chairman of the Board. The official who presides over the board of directors; often holds more ultimate power than the CEO in Chinese companies.
• 总经理 (zǒngjīnglǐ) - General Manager (GM). A high-level executive role. In some companies, it's equivalent to the CEO; in others, it's a step below the CEO, responsible for a specific region or business unit.
• 总裁 (zǒngcái) - President. Another top executive title, often translated as “President” or “CEO”. Its specific rank relative to CEO and GM can vary by company structure.
• 老板 (lǎobǎn) - Boss, owner. A much more general and informal term used for anyone from a small shop owner to the founder of a large company.
• 高管 (gāoguǎn) - Senior Executive. A general term for any high-level manager, short for 高级管理人员 (gāojí guǎnlǐ rényuán).
• 执行 (zhíxíng) - To execute, to implement. The core action associated with the CEO's role.
• 公司 (gōngsī) - Company, corporation. The type of organization a CEO leads.
• 董事会 (dǒngshìhuì) - Board of Directors. The governing body that the CEO reports to, and which is led by the Chairman.