召开 zhàokāi to convene (a conference or meeting)
to convene (a conference or meeting); to convoke; to call together
How to remember 召开: 召 summon + 开 open = to convene (a conference or meeting).
Characters
How it is used
- Formal verb that collocates almost exclusively with meetings: 召开会议 (zhàokāi huìyì) - convene a meeting, 召开大会 (zhàokāi dàhuì) - hold a conference.
- Written/formal register - government, business, official contexts - not used for a casual get-together (聚会 uses 开 or 举办, not 召开).
- Different from plain 开会 (kāihuì), the everyday verb for having a meeting - 召开 stresses that someone formally called the meeting together.
Example sentences
- 会议将在下周日召开。 Huìyì jiāng zài xià zhōurì zhàokāi.The meeting will take place next Sunday.
- 委员会一个月召开两次。 Wěiyuánhuì yígèyuè zhàokāi liǎngcì.The committee meets twice a month.