guanxi

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

• IPA^(key): /ˈkwanʃi/, /ˈɡwanʃi/

guanxi (uncountable)

1. (Chinese society) Connections; relationships; one's social or business network.

   Synonym: (from Russian) blat

   To open a new business in China you need guanxi.

   • 1996, James O'Reilly; Sean O'Reilly; Larry Habegger, editors, Travellers' Tales - Hong Kong‎:

     Who would dare to drive around in a [right-hand drive] car that was so obviously stolen and smuggled into the country? The police, of course! And Communisty Party officials. And those with guanxi with the police.

   • 1998, Stuart Cohen, Invisible World:

     By chance he'd happened to be in Hong Kong when Clayton had died, and his guanxi had smoothed out the paperwork that could have delayed things for weeks.

   • 2000, Yadong Luo, Strategy, Structure, and Performance of MNCs in China‎:

     It should be noted that the existence of a basis for guanxi does not imply that such an alliance will develop.

   • 2005, China-Britain Business Council

     Many foreigners claim to have guanxi with their Chinese counterparts; few actually do.

• network
• relationship

• guanxi on Wikipedia.Wikipedia