合同 hétóng contract
contract; agreement
How to remember 合同: 合 join together + 同 same = contract.
Characters
How it is used
- Concrete legal noun, measure word 份: 签合同 (qiān hétóng) - sign a contract, 合同到期 (hétóng dàoqī) - the contract expires.
- Business/formal register.
- Different from 协议 (xiéyì), agreement, which can be looser or less formally binding - 合同 specifically implies a formal, often legally binding written document.
Example sentences
- 我们根据合同来办事。 Wǒmen gēnjù hétong lái bànshì.We conduct our business in accordance with the contract.
- 别用铅笔签合同。 Biéyòng qiānbǐ qiānhétóng.Don't sign the contract in pencil.
- 他们的合同在这个月底到期。 Tāmen de hétóng zài zhège yuèdǐ dàoqī.Their contract is to run out at the end of this month.