协议 (xiéyì) — agreement, protocol

协议 (xiéyì)

协议 refers to a formal agreement or accord reached between two or more parties, covering everything from business contracts to international treaties and technical protocols.

Meanings

1. [noun] agreement, accord, protocol (a formal agreement between parties)

Example Sentences

两国签署了一项关于自由贸易区建设的框架协议。 Liǎng guó qiānshǔ le yī xiàng guānyú zìyóu màoyì qū jiànshè de kuàngjià xiéyì. The two countries signed a framework agreement on the establishment of a free trade zone.

双方在经过谈判后终于达成了协议，化解了这场争端。 Shuāngfāng zài jīngguò tánpàn hòu zhōngyú dáchéng le xiéyì, huàjiě le zhè chǎng zhēngduān. After negotiations, the two sides finally reached an agreement and resolved the dispute.

该协议规定，任何一方不得单方面撤销合同条款。 Gāi xiéyì guīdìng, rènhé yī fāng bù dé dānfāngmiàn chèxiāo hétong tiáokuǎn. The agreement stipulates that neither party may unilaterally revoke the contract terms.

员工和公司签订了保密协议，禁止泄露商业机密。 Yuángōng hé gōngsī qiāndìng le bǎomì xiéyì, jìnzhǐ xièlù shāngyè jīmì. The employee and company signed a confidentiality agreement prohibiting the disclosure of trade secrets.

各国通过多边协议合作应对气候变化这一全球性挑战。 Gè guó tōngguò duōbiān xiéyì hézuò yìngduì qìhòu biànhuà zhè yī quánqiú xìng tiǎozhàn. Countries cooperate through multilateral agreements to address the global challenge of climate change.

网络通信协议是保证不同设备之间数据互通的技术标准。 Wǎngluò tōngxìn xiéyì shì bǎozhèng bùtóng shèbèi zhī jiān shùjù hùtōng de jìshù biāozhǔn. Network communication protocols are technical standards that ensure data interoperability between different devices.

Collocations

Usage Notes

协议 is a formal term for agreements of all kinds. Compared with 合同 (hétong, contract), which is more specifically a legal contract with binding obligations, 协议 is broader and can refer to any kind of formal agreement, including those that are more political or procedural in nature. In technology, 协议 is the standard translation for "protocol" (e.g., 通信协议, communication protocol; 网络协议, network protocol).

The verb phrase 签署协议 (to sign an agreement) and 达成协议 (to reach an agreement) are the two most common collocations at B2 level.

Memory Hook

协 means "to cooperate" and 议 means "to discuss/deliberate" -- 协议 is the result of cooperative discussion crystallized into a document, the moment when talking together becomes binding commitment.