社会 (shèhuì) — society

社会 (shèhuì)

社会 refers to human beings collectively living in organized communities with shared laws, traditions, and values, and is one of the most fundamental concepts in Chinese social science discourse.

Meanings

1. [noun] society; community; the social world

Example Sentences

每个公民都有责任为社会的发展做出贡献。 Měi gè gōngmín dōu yǒu zérèn wèi shèhuì de fāzhǎn zuò chū gòngxiàn. Every citizen has a responsibility to contribute to the development of society.

信息技术的发展深刻地改变了现代社会的面貌。 Xìnxī jìshù de fāzhǎn shēnkè de gǎibiàn le xiàndài shèhuì de miànmào. The development of information technology has profoundly changed the face of modern society.

减少贫富差距是构建和谐社会的重要目标。 Jiǎnshǎo pínfù chājù shì gòujiàn héxié shèhuì de zhòngyào mùbiāo. Reducing the gap between rich and poor is an important goal in building a harmonious society.

社会舆论对政策制定具有越来越大的影响力。 Shèhuì yúlùn duì zhèngcè zhìdìng jùyǒu yuèlái yuè dà de yǐngxiānglì. Social public opinion has an increasingly large influence on policy-making.

老龄化社会对医疗和养老体系提出了新的挑战。 Lǎolínghuà shèhuì duì yīliáo hé yǎnglǎo tǐxì tí chū le xīn de tiǎozhàn. An aging society poses new challenges to healthcare and elderly care systems.

企业应当承担相应的社会责任，而不仅仅追求利润。 Qǐyè yīngdāng chéngdān xiāngyìng de shèhuì zérèn, ér bùjǐnjǐn zhuīqiú lìrùn. Enterprises should take on corresponding social responsibility, not merely pursue profit.

Collocations

Usage Notes

社会 is a high-frequency word that appears extensively in political, academic, journalistic, and everyday discourse. At the B2 level, learners should be comfortable with its many compounds: 社会主义 (socialism), 社会科学 (social science), 社会保障 (social security), 社会责任 (social responsibility).

In Chinese political language, terms like 和谐社会 (harmonious society) and 小康社会 (moderately prosperous society) carry specific policy meanings that are important to recognize.

Memory Hook

社 (community/altar) + 会 (gathering/meeting) -- a gathering of the community -- society.