Essential Legal Chinese Vocabulary and Phrases for Lawyers!

Learning legal Chinese is not just about memorizing formal terminology.

For lawyers and legal professionals, the real challenge is knowing how to phrase things naturally and appropriately in professional settings.

In meetings, negotiations, and client conversations, many commonly used Chinese expressions may sound polite or even vague.

But in reality, they carry very specific legal and professional meaning.Understanding these expressions can significantly improve how confident, clear, and natural your Chinese sounds at work.

Below are some essential legal Chinese vocabulary items and phrases for lawyers, explained through how they are actually used in real professional conversations.

1. 律师（lǜ shī） – Lawyer

In professional settings, lawyers usually introduce not only their title but also their area of practice.

Wǒ shì lǜ shī.
我是律师。
I’m a lawyer.

Wǒ zhǔ yào zuò shāng wù lǜ shī.
我主要做商务律师。
I mainly work as a corporate lawyer. 

Wǒ zài zhè jiā lǜ shī shì wù suǒ gōng zuò.
我在这家律师事务所工作。
I work at this law firm.

2. 法律意见（fǎ lǜ yì jiàn） – Legal opinion

This phrase is commonly used to express professional judgment while keeping a neutral tone.

Zhè zhǐ shì wǒ de fǎ lǜ yì jiàn.
这只是我的法律意见。
This is just my legal opinion.

Cóng fǎ lǜ jiǎo dù lái kàn, wǒ men yǒu bù tóng de yì jiàn.
从法律角度来看，我们有不同的意见。
From a legal perspective, we have a different opinion.

Zhè ge wèn tí hái xū yào tīng yī xià lǜ shī de fǎ lǜ yì jiàn.
这个问题还需要听一下律师的法律意见。
This issue still needs legal input from a lawyer.

3. 合同（hé tóng） – Contract in Legal and Business Settings

Lawyers often avoid direct commands and focus on review and process. 

Zhè fèn hé tóng xū yào zài kàn yī xià.
这份合同需要再看一下。
This contract needs further review.

Hé tóng de jǐ gè tiáo kuǎn kě néng yào xiū gǎi.
合同的几个条款可能要修改。
Several clauses in the contract may need revision.

Zhè ge hé tóng xiàn zài hái bù néng qiān.
这个合同现在还不能签。
This contract cannot be signed yet.

4. 责任（zé rèn） – Responsibility or Liability

This term is frequently used when clarifying obligations.

Zhè fāng miàn de zé rèn hái xū yào jìn yī bù míng què.
这方面的责任还需要进一步明确。
Responsibility in this area still needs clarification.

Zhè ge zé rèn yīng gāi yóu nǎ yī fāng chéng dān？
这个责任应该由哪一方承担？
Which party should bear this responsibility?

Zhè gè wèn tí shè jí fǎ lǜ zé rèn.
这个问题涉及法律责任。
This issue involves legal liability.

5. 不太合适（bù tài hé shì） – A Polite Way Lawyers Say No

This phrase is commonly used to reject proposals without confrontation. 

Mù qián kàn lái, zhè yàng zuò bù tài hé shì.
目前看来，这样做不太合适。
At the moment, this approach does not seem appropriate. 

Zài zhè zhǒng qíng kuàng xià, zhè gè ān pái kě néng bù tài hé shì.
在这种情况下，这个安排可能不太合适。
In this situation, this arrangement may not be appropriate.

6. 进一步讨论（jìn yī bù tǎo lùn） – Discuss Further

Lawyers often delay decisions to allow more analysis.

Zhè ge wèn tí kě yǐ jìn yī bù tǎo lùn.
这个问题可以进一步讨论。
This issue can be discussed further.

Wǒ men kě yǐ huì hòu zài jìn yī bù tǎo lùn.
我们可以会后再进一步讨论。
We can discuss this further after the meeting.

7. 风险（fēng xiǎn） – Risk in Legal Discussions

Risk is usually framed cautiously. 

Zhè lǐ miàn kě néng cún zài yī xiē fēng xiǎn.
这里面可能存在一些风险。
There may be some risks involved. 

Wǒ men xū yào píng gū xiāng guān de fēng xiǎn.
我们需要评估相关的风险。
We need to assess the related risks.

8. 我们的理解是（wǒ men de lǐ jiě shì） – Our understanding is

This phrase helps state a position diplomatically. 

Wǒ men de lǐ jiě shì, zhè gè tiáo kuǎn bìng bù shì qiáng zhì de.
我们的理解是，这个条款并不是强制的。
Our understanding is that this clause is not mandatory. 

Àn wǒ men de lǐ jiě, zhè ge ān pái shì kě xíng de.
按我们的理解，这个安排是可行的。
Based on our understanding, this arrangement is feasible.

Why These Legal Chinese Phrases Matter More Than Terminology

Many learners focus heavily on legal vocabulary.

However, in real legal Chinese, tone, phrasing, and context matter just as much as technical terms.

Using the right expressions helps lawyers and legal professionals:

• sound professional without sounding aggressive
• disagree without escalating tension
• communicate clearly in meetings, negotiations, and client conversations

At eChineseLearning, one-on-one Chinese lessons are designed specifically for professionals.

Lawyers can practice legal Chinese through real-world scenarios such as contract discussions, negotiations, and business meetings.Try a free trial lesson today and learn how legal Chinese is actually used in professional environments.

Quiz：You are reviewing a contract and want to say that some parts still need work.Which sentence sounds the most natural?

A.Zhè ge hé tóng bù hǎo.
这个合同不好。
This contract is bad.

B.Wǒ bù xǐ huan zhè ge hé tóng.
我不喜欢这个合同。
I don’t like this contract.

C.Zhè fèn hé tóng xū yào zài kàn yī xià.
这份合同需要再看一下。
This contract needs further review.

👉 Comment your answer below!