péixùn: 培训 - Training, To Train, To Groom

• Keywords: 培训, péixùn, Chinese for training, professional training in Chinese, job training, skills training, 培训 vs 训练, Chinese training course, employee training, corporate training China, HSK training.
• Summary: Discover the meaning of 培训 (péixùn), the essential Chinese word for “training.” This page breaks down what 培训 means, how to use it in professional and personal contexts, and its cultural importance in modern China. Learn the crucial difference between 培训 (péixùn) and 训练 (xùnliàn), and see practical example sentences for everything from new employee training to language courses.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): péi xùn
• Part of Speech: Verb, Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To train or cultivate skills and knowledge; a training session or program.
• In a Nutshell: 培训 (péixùn) is the go-to word for any kind of structured learning aimed at improving a specific skill or body of knowledge. It's less about physical drills and more about developing competence, whether for a job, a test, or a new software. Think of it as “professional development,” “a workshop,” or “a training course” all rolled into one versatile term.

• 培 (péi): To cultivate, to nurture, to bank up with earth. This character contains the earth radical (土), evoking the image of a farmer carefully tending to a plant, providing it with soil and resources to grow strong.
• 训 (xùn): To instruct, to teach, to guide. This character features the speech radical (讠), signifying words, instruction, and the passing down of knowledge.
• Together, 培训 (péixùn) literally means “to cultivate through instruction.” This beautiful combination highlights the Chinese view of training not as a mechanical process, but as a nurturing one—developing a person's abilities like a gardener cultivates a plant.

In a society that deeply values education and self-improvement, 培训 (péixùn) is a cornerstone of modern Chinese life. It represents the relentless drive for personal and professional advancement in a highly competitive environment. From fresh graduates to seasoned executives, almost everyone participates in some form of 培训 to stay relevant and get ahead. This contrasts with the Western concept of “training,” which can sometimes carry a connotation of being a mandatory, one-time corporate requirement. In China, 培训 is often actively sought out by individuals. The 培训 industry is massive, covering everything from exam prep for the grueling gaokao (高考) to corporate leadership seminars and English language courses. It's a proactive investment in oneself, reflecting the belief that continuous learning is not just beneficial, but essential for success.

培训 (péixùn) is a highly versatile term used in many contexts, almost always with a neutral or positive connotation.

• As a Noun: Refers to a training session, program, or course.
  • `一个培训 (yī gè péixùn)` - A training session.
  • `参加培训 (cānjiā péixùn)` - To participate in training.
  • `培训班 (péixùn bān)` - A training class or workshop.
• As a Verb: Means “to train” someone or a group of people.
  • `公司培训新员工 (gōngsī péixùn xīn yuángōng)` - The company trains new employees.
  • `我想培训我的团队 (wǒ xiǎng péixùn wǒ de tuánduì)` - I want to train my team.

It's used formally in business and educational settings. You wouldn't use it informally to say you're “training” your friend to play a video game; for that, you'd simply use `教 (jiāo)` - to teach.

• Example 1:
  • 公司下个月会为新员工组织一次培训。
  • Pinyin: Gōngsī xià ge yuè huì wèi xīn yuángōng zǔzhī yī cì péixùn.
  • English: The company will organize a training for new employees next month.
  • Analysis: Here, 培训 is used as a noun, referring to a specific training event. This is a very common corporate usage.
• Example 2:
  • 为了找到更好的工作，他参加了一个专业的技能培训。
  • Pinyin: Wèile zhǎodào gèng hǎo de gōngzuò, tā cānjiā le yī gè zhuānyè de jìnéng péixùn.
  • English: In order to find a better job, he participated in a professional skills training.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the cultural context of using 培训 for self-improvement and career advancement. `技能培训 (jìnéng péixùn)` means “skills training.”
• Example 3:
  • 这家公司很重视员工培训，每年都有很多课程。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngsī hěn zhòngshì yuángōng péixùn, měi nián dōu yǒu hěn duō kèchéng.
  • English: This company places great importance on employee training; there are many courses every year.
  • Analysis: `员工培训 (yuángōng péixùn)` is a set phrase for “employee training” or “staff development.”
• Example 4:
  • 我们需要培训销售团队，提高他们的沟通技巧。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen xūyào péixùn xiāoshòu tuánduì, tígāo tāmen de gōutōng jìqiǎo.
  • English: We need to train the sales team to improve their communication skills.
  • Analysis: In this example, 培训 functions as a verb, meaning “to train” a group of people.
• Example 5:
  • 这个培训课程的费用是多少？
  • Pinyin: Zhè ge péixùn kèchéng de fèiyòng shì duōshǎo?
  • English: What is the fee for this training course?
  • Analysis: `培训课程 (péixùn kèchéng)` is another common collocation, meaning “training course.”
• Example 6:
  • 我被公司派到上海去接受为期一周的培训。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bèi gōngsī pài dào Shànghǎi qù jiēshòu wéiqī yī zhōu de péixùn.
  • English: I was sent by the company to Shanghai to receive a week-long training.
  • Analysis: The structure `接受…培训 (jiēshòu…péixùn)` means “to receive training.”
• Example 7:
  • 很多家长在暑假会给孩子报各种培训班。
  • Pinyin: Hěn duō jiāzhǎng zài shǔjià huì gěi háizi bào gèzhǒng péixùn bān.
  • English: Many parents enroll their children in various training classes during the summer vacation.
  • Analysis: This shows how 培训 extends beyond the corporate world into education. `培训班 (péixùn bān)` is a “training class” or “cram school.”
• Example 8:
  • 安全培训对每个员工来说都至关重要。
  • Pinyin: Ānquán péixùn duì měi ge yuángōng lái shuō dōu zhì guān zhòngyào.
  • English: Safety training is crucial for every employee.
  • Analysis: 培训 can be combined with many topics, such as `安全 (ānquán)` for safety, `管理 (guǎnlǐ)` for management, etc.
• Example 9:
  • 通过这次培训，我学到了很多实用的知识。
  • Pinyin: Tōngguò zhè cì péixùn, wǒ xuédào le hěn duō shíyòng de zhīshi.
  • English: Through this training, I learned a lot of practical knowledge.
  • Analysis: A good sentence for expressing the positive outcome of attending a 培训.
• Example 10:
  • 他是一位经验丰富的培训师。
  • Pinyin: Tā shì yī wèi jīngyàn fēngfù de péixùn shī.
  • English: He is a very experienced trainer.
  • Analysis: Adding the character `师 (shī)`, meaning “teacher,” creates the word `培训师 (péixùnshī)`, which means “trainer” or “instructor.”

The most common point of confusion for learners is the difference between 培训 (péixùn) and 训练 (xùnliàn). They can both be translated as “training,” but they are not interchangeable.

• 培训 (péixùn): Focuses on knowledge, skills, and intellectual competence. It's about cultivating ability through instruction, often in a classroom or professional setting.
  • Think: Management seminars, software workshops, language courses, professional development.
• 训练 (xùnliàn): Focuses on physical conditioning, practice, and repetitive drills. It's about building muscle memory, endurance, or specific, repeatable actions.
  • Think: Military drills, sports practice, athletic conditioning, animal training.

Common Mistakes:

• INCORRECT: 我要去培训我的狗。(Wǒ yào qù péixùn wǒ de gǒu.)
  • Reason: Training a dog involves repetitive commands and actions, not intellectual development.
  • CORRECT: 我要去训练我的狗。(Wǒ yào qù xùnliàn wǒ de gǒu.)
• INCORRECT: 运动员每天都在接受严格的培训。(Yùndòngyuán měitiān dōu zài jiēshòu yángé de péixùn.)
  • Reason: An athlete's daily routine is about physical drills and conditioning.
  • CORRECT: 运动员每天都在接受严格的训练。(Yùndòngyuán měitiān dōu zài jiēshòu yángé de xùnliàn.)
• INCORRECT: 这个项目经理训练听起来很有趣。(Zhège xiàngmù jīnglǐ xùnliàn tīng qǐlái hěn yǒuqù.)
  • Reason: Project management involves knowledge, strategy, and skills, not physical drills.
  • CORRECT: 这个项目经理培训听起来很有趣。(Zhège xiàngmù jīnglǐ péixùn tīng qǐlái hěn yǒuqù.)

• 训练 (xùnliàn) - The most important related term. Refers to training through drills, practice, and physical conditioning.
• 教育 (jiàoyù) - Education. A much broader term referring to the formal education system (schools, universities) and moral upbringing.
• 培养 (péiyǎng) - To cultivate, to foster. Similar to 培训 but implies a longer, more holistic process of developing a person's character, habits, or talents.
• 课程 (kèchéng) - Course, curriculum. A 培训 is often made up of one or more 课程.
• 讲座 (jiǎngzuò) - Lecture, seminar. A common format for delivering a 培训.
• 辅导 (fǔdǎo) - To tutor, to coach. More personal and one-on-one than 培训, often used for academic subjects.
• 学习 (xuéxí) - To study, to learn. The general act of acquiring knowledge, which is the goal of attending a 培训.
• 上课 (shàng kè) - To attend class. The action you take when you go to a `培训班 (péixùn bān)`.