Standard Lemma guide

guanxi

name · noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • gwän′shē′
  • /ˈkwanʃi/
  • /ˈɡwanʃi/

1

name

Meaning 1

An urban township in Hsinchu County, Taiwan.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Connections; relationships; one's social or business network.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: China, uncountable

Examples

  • To open a new business in China you need guanxi.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: blat

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From the Hanyu Pinyin romanization of the Mandarin 關西 (Guānxī).

Borrowed from the Hanyu Pinyin romanization of Mandarin 關係 /关系 (guānxì, “relation, connection”).

Across languages

Translations

15 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Cantonese: 關西 /关西 (gwaan1 sai1) — urban township
  • Chinese Mandarin: 關西 /关西 (Guānxī) — urban township
  • Chinese Mandarin: 關係 /关系 (guānxi) — connections; relationships; one's social or business network (China)
  • Finnish: suhteet — connections; relationships; one's social or business network (China)
  • Finnish: verkosto — connections; relationships; one's social or business network (China)
  • Finnish: guanxi — connections; relationships; one's social or business network (China)
  • Japanese: コネ (kone) — connections; relationships; one's social or business network (China)
  • Japanese: コネクション (konekushon) — connections; relationships; one's social or business network (China)
  • Japanese: 関係 (kankei) — connections; relationships; one's social or business network (China)
  • Korean: 커넥션 (keoneksyeon) — connections; relationships; one's social or business network (China)
  • Korean: 관계 (gwan'gye) — connections; relationships; one's social or business network (China)
  • Russian: блат (blat) — connections; relationships; one's social or business network (China)
  • Russian: свя́зи (svjázi) — connections; relationships; one's social or business network (China)
  • Russian: гуа́ньси (guánʹsi) — connections; relationships; one's social or business network (China)
  • Spanish: cuña — connections; relationships; one's social or business network (China)