nz-business-english
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ChineseNZ Business English
新西兰商务英语
Professional but approachable. Warm without being over-the-top. Inclusive by default. Write like a competent Kiwi professional -- not like an Australian pretending to be from New Zealand, not like someone who just discovered Te Reo, and not like a corporate drone.
NZ English is close to Australian English in spelling and register, but softer in tone, more collaborative in framing, and increasingly incorporates Te Reo Maori in everyday business use.
专业但易于亲近，温暖不过分，默认保持包容性。写作风格要像一名干练的新西兰职场人士——不要模仿假装新西兰人的澳大利亚人，不要像刚接触毛利语（Te Reo）的人，也不要像刻板的企业文书。
新西兰英语在拼写和语体上与澳大利亚英语相近，但语气更柔和，表述更具协作性，且日常商务场景中越来越多地融入毛利语（Te Reo Maori）。
Spelling (EN-NZ)
拼写规则（EN-NZ）
EN-NZ follows the same conventions as EN-AU:
| Pattern | New Zealand | Not |
|---|---|---|
| -our | colour, favour, honour, behaviour | color, favor |
| -ise | organise, realise, specialise, recognise | organize, realize |
| -re | centre, fibre, metre, theatre | center, fiber |
| -ence | licence (noun), defence, offence | license (noun), defense |
| Double L | travelling, cancelling, modelling | traveling, canceling |
Noun/verb splits:
| Noun | Verb |
|---|---|
| licence | license |
| practice | practise |
| advice | advise |
NZ-specific vocabulary:
| NZ term | AU/US equivalent |
|---|---|
| diary | calendar / schedule |
| ring | call / phone |
| fortnight | two weeks (uncommon in US) |
| bach (North Island) / crib (South Island) | holiday house |
| whanau | family / team (Te Reo, widely understood) |
Date format: Day Month Year, no comma -- 15 January 2026. Same as UK/AU convention.
EN-NZ拼写遵循与EN-AU相同的惯例：
| 规则模式 | 新西兰英语 | 避免使用 |
|---|---|---|
| -our结尾 | colour, favour, honour, behaviour | color, favor |
| -ise结尾 | organise, realise, specialise, recognise | organize, realize |
| -re结尾 | centre, fibre, metre, theatre | center, fiber |
| -ence结尾 | licence（名词）, defence, offence | license（名词）, defense |
| 双写L | travelling, cancelling, modelling | traveling, canceling |
名词/动词区分：
| 名词 | 动词 |
|---|---|
| licence | license |
| practice | practise |
| advice | advise |
新西兰专属词汇：
| 新西兰术语 | 澳/美对应表达 |
|---|---|
| diary | calendar / schedule |
| ring | call / phone |
| fortnight | two weeks（美国不常用） |
| bach（北岛）/ crib（南岛） | holiday house |
| whanau | family / team（毛利语，广泛被理解） |
日期格式： 日 月 年，无逗号——例如15 January 2026。与英国/澳大利亚惯例一致。
Te Reo Maori in Business
商务场景中的毛利语（Te Reo Maori）使用
Te Reo greetings and phrases are increasingly standard in NZ business, especially in government, education, and community-facing organisations. Use them naturally, not performatively.
| Phrase | Use |
|---|---|
| Kia ora | General greeting -- equivalent to "Hi". Safe default for any context. |
| Kia ora [Name] | Personal greeting. Widely used in emails. |
| Nga mihi | "With thanks / regards" -- common sign-off |
| Nga mihi nui | "With great thanks" -- warmer, for appreciative contexts |
| Morena | "Good morning" -- informal, internal comms |
| Ka pai | "Good / well done" -- informal acknowledgement |
When to use: Match the organisation's culture. Government and iwi organisations expect it. Corporate clients may or may not use it -- follow their lead. When in doubt, "Kia ora" as a greeting is universally appropriate in NZ.
When not to use: Don't sprinkle random Te Reo words through otherwise English text for decoration. Use complete phrases that you understand the meaning of.
毛利语问候语和短语在新西兰商务场景中日益标准化，尤其是在政府、教育和面向社区的机构中。要自然使用，而非刻意为之。
| 短语 | 使用场景 |
|---|---|
| Kia ora | 通用问候语——等同于“Hi”，适用于任何场景的安全选择。 |
| Kia ora [姓名] | 个性化问候，广泛用于邮件中。 |
| Nga mihi | “致以感谢/问候”——常见的结束语 |
| Nga mihi nui | “深表感谢”——语气更温暖，用于表达感激的场景 |
| Morena | “早上好”——非正式，适用于内部沟通 |
| Ka pai | “很棒/做得好”——非正式的认可表达 |
使用时机： 匹配机构文化。政府和毛利部落（iwi）机构会期待使用毛利语；企业客户可能使用也可能不使用——跟随对方的做法。如有疑问，“Kia ora”作为问候语在新西兰是普遍适用的。
避免使用的情况： 不要在英文文本中随意穿插毛利语单词作为装饰。只使用你理解其含义的完整短语。
Tone Ladder
语气层级
Match formality to context. Default to "warm professional" -- a touch softer and more collaborative than Australian.
| Context | Formality | Greeting | Sign-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slack/Teams (internal) | Casual | "Hey" / "Kia ora" | None needed |
| Email to existing client | Warm professional | "Kia ora [Name]" / "Hi [Name]" | "Cheers" / "Nga mihi" |
| Email to new client | Professional | "Kia ora [Name]" / "Hi [Name]" | "Kind regards" / "Nga mihi" |
| Proposal or quote | Professional | "Kia ora [Name]" | "Kind regards" / "Nga mihi" |
| Follow-up after meeting | Warm professional | "Hi [Name]" | "Cheers" / "Thanks" |
| Cold outreach | Warm professional | "Kia ora [Name]" / "Hi [Name]" | "Kind regards" |
| Formal letter or legal | Formal | "Dear [Name]" | "Yours sincerely" / "Nga mihi" |
Never use: "Dear Sir/Madam" (unless legal/unknown), "Warmest regards", "Respectfully yours".
根据场景匹配正式程度。默认采用“温暖专业”风格——比澳大利亚商务英语略柔和、更具协作性。
| 场景 | 正式程度 | 问候语 | 结束语 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slack/Teams（内部） | 随意 | "Hey" / "Kia ora" | 无需结束语 |
| 给现有客户的邮件 | 温暖专业 | "Kia ora [姓名]" / "Hi [姓名]" | "Cheers" / "Nga mihi" |
| 给新客户的邮件 | 专业 | "Kia ora [姓名]" / "Hi [姓名]" | "Kind regards" / "Nga mihi" |
| 提案或报价 | 专业 | "Kia ora [姓名]" | "Kind regards" / "Nga mihi" |
| 会议跟进邮件 | 温暖专业 | "Hi [姓名]" | "Cheers" / "Thanks" |
| 陌生开发邮件 | 温暖专业 | "Kia ora [姓名]" / "Hi [姓名]" | "Kind regards" |
| 正式信函或法律文书 | 正式 | "Dear [姓名]" | "Yours sincerely" / "Nga mihi" |
绝对避免使用： "Dear Sir/Madam"（除非是法律文书/收件人未知）、"Warmest regards"、"Respectfully yours"。
Sign-off Ranking
结束语使用频率排名
From most to least common in NZ SME context:
- Cheers -- default, works almost everywhere
- Nga mihi -- warm, culturally appropriate, increasingly standard
- Thanks -- when asking for something or appreciating effort
- Kind regards -- one step more formal, good for new clients
- Regards -- neutral, slightly cooler
Avoid: "Best" (reads as American), "Warm regards" (overdone), "Ta" (too casual for written comms).
在新西兰中小企业场景中，从最常用到最不常用：
- Cheers——默认选项，几乎适用于所有场景
- Nga mihi——温暖、符合文化习惯，日益成为标准用法
- Thanks——用于请求帮助或表达感激时
- Kind regards——比Cheers正式一级，适合新客户
- Regards——中性，语气略冷淡
避免使用： "Best"（带有美式风格）、"Warm regards"（过于刻意）、"Ta"（过于随意，不适合书面商务沟通）。
Avoid List
避免使用的表达列表
Foreign Corporate-isms
外来企业行话
Replace these reflexively:
| Instead of | Write |
|---|---|
| "reach out" | "get in touch" / "contact" |
| "circle back" | "follow up" / "come back to" |
| "touch base" | "check in" / "catch up" |
| "leverage" (verb) | "use" / "make the most of" |
| "moving forward" | "from here" / "going forward" (or drop it) |
| "actionable insights" | "useful information" / "what we found" |
| "deep dive" | "closer look" / "detailed review" |
| "bandwidth" (for time) | "time" / "capacity" |
| "deliverables" | "what we'll provide" / "the work" |
| "align on" | "agree on" / "sort out" |
需主动替换以下表达：
| 避免使用 | 替换为 |
|---|---|
| "reach out" | "get in touch" / "contact" |
| "circle back" | "follow up" / "come back to" |
| "touch base" | "check in" / "catch up" |
| "leverage"（动词） | "use" / "make the most of" |
| "moving forward" | "from here" / "going forward"（或直接省略） |
| "actionable insights" | "useful information" / "what we found" |
| "deep dive" | "closer look" / "detailed review" |
| "bandwidth"（指时间） | "time" / "capacity" |
| "deliverables" | "what we'll provide" / "the work" |
| "align on" | "agree on" / "sort out" |
Forced Kiwi-isms
刻意的新西兰俚语
Avoid in written professional comms:
- "Sweet as", "choice", "mean as" -- spoken slang, not business writing
- "Bro" / "cuz" -- casual spoken, inappropriate in professional writing
- "She'll be right" -- fine spoken, dismissive in writing about real issues
- "Chur" -- very informal, not for business emails
- Overuse of Te Reo for decoration -- use phrases you understand, not random words
- "No worries" for serious issues -- fine for acknowledgements, wrong for "Your site has been offline for two days"
书面专业沟通中避免使用：
- "Sweet as", "choice", "mean as"——口语俚语，不适合商务写作
- "Bro" / "cuz"——口语化表达，专业写作中不合适
- "She'll be right"——口语中没问题，但书面上用于描述实际问题时显得敷衍
- "Chur"——非常非正式，不适合商务邮件
- 为装饰而过度使用毛利语——只使用你理解含义的短语，而非随意插入单词
- 在严肃问题中使用"No worries"——用于日常确认没问题，但不适合“你的网站已离线两天”这类场景
Australian-isms That Don't Apply
不适用的澳大利亚俚语
- "Arvo", "brekkie", "barbie" -- Australian slang, not NZ
- "G'day" -- distinctly Australian, not Kiwi
- "Fair dinkum" -- Australian, not used in NZ
- "Arvo", "brekkie", "barbie"——澳大利亚俚语，新西兰不使用
- "G'day"——典型澳大利亚表达，新西兰不用
- "Fair dinkum"——澳大利亚表达，新西兰不使用
Writing Principles
写作原则
-
Lead with the point. First sentence answers the question or states the purpose. Context comes after, not before.
-
Short paragraphs. Two to three sentences max. One idea per paragraph. White space is your friend.
-
Natural contractions. "We've", "I'll", "that's", "won't" -- reads human. Ease off in proposals, but emails should sound like a person wrote them.
-
Active voice. "We'll send the report Monday" not "The report will be sent on Monday."
-
Collaborative framing. NZ business culture skews collaborative. "We could look at this together" rather than "I'll handle this". "What do you think?" is a natural closer.
-
One ask per email. Multiple requests? Number them. Don't bury the second ask in paragraph four.
-
Match their energy. Short email from client? Short reply. Detailed brief? Detailed response. Don't write five paragraphs when two lines will do.
- 开门见山：第一句就回答问题或说明目的，背景信息放在后面，而非开头。
- 段落简短：每段最多2-3句话，每段一个核心观点。留白是你的好帮手。
- 自然使用缩写："We've", "I'll", "that's", "won't"——读起来更像真人撰写。提案中可适当减少，但邮件应听起来自然。
- 主动语态：用"We'll send the report Monday"而非"The report will be sent on Monday."
- 协作式表述：新西兰商务文化偏向协作。用"We could look at this together"而非"I'll handle this"。结尾自然使用"What do you think?"。
- 单封邮件一个请求：如有多个请求，请编号列出。不要把第二个请求隐藏在第四段中。
- 匹配对方沟通风格：客户邮件简短？你的回复也简短。客户提供详细简报？你的回复也要详细。不要用五段话回复两行内容。
Examples
示例
Status update to existing client
给现有客户的状态更新邮件
Too corporate:
Dear Mr Thompson, I am writing to provide you with an update regarding the progress of your website redesign project. Please find below a summary of the deliverables completed to date and the anticipated timeline for remaining action items.
Right tone:
Kia ora David,Quick update on the website -- we've finished the homepage and the three main service pages. Looking good so far.Next up is the contact form and booking system, which we'll have sorted by end of next week. I'll send through a preview link once it's live on the staging site.Cheers, [Your name]
过于刻板的写法：
Dear Mr Thompson, I am writing to provide you with an update regarding the progress of your website redesign project. Please find below a summary of the deliverables completed to date and the anticipated timeline for remaining action items.
合适的语气：
Kia ora David,快速更新一下网站项目的进展——我们已经完成了主页和三个主要服务页面的制作，目前效果不错。接下来是联系表单和预订系统，我们会在下周完成。一旦在测试站点上线，我会发送预览链接给您。Cheers, [你的姓名]
Delivering a quote
报价邮件
Too stiff:
Dear Client, Please find attached our formal quotation for the proposed scope of work as discussed. We trust this meets your requirements and look forward to your favourable response at your earliest convenience.
Right tone:
Kia ora Sarah,Thanks for the chat yesterday -- good to get a clear picture of what you need.I've put together a quote based on what we discussed. The short version: $4,500 for the full site, including the booking system. That covers design, development, and getting it live on your domain.Happy to jump on a call if you've got any questions.Nga mihi, [Your name]
过于生硬的写法：
Dear Client, Please find attached our formal quotation for the proposed scope of work as discussed. We trust this meets your requirements and look forward to your favourable response at your earliest convenience.
合适的语气：
Kia ora Sarah,感谢昨天的沟通——很高兴明确了解您的需求。我根据我们讨论的内容整理了一份报价。简要说明：整个网站（包括预订系统）费用为4500新西兰元，涵盖设计、开发和域名上线服务。如果您有任何问题，随时可以打电话沟通。Nga mihi, [你的姓名]
Saying no to a request
拒绝请求的邮件
Too blunt:
We can't do that.
Too soft:
While we certainly appreciate your suggestion and would love to explore this further, unfortunately at this current juncture it may not be feasible for us to accommodate this particular request.
Right tone:
Kia ora Mark,Thanks for thinking of us for this. Unfortunately it's not something we can take on right now -- we're at capacity through March.If timing works, we'd be happy to look at it in April. Otherwise, I can put you in touch with a couple of people who might be able to help sooner.Cheers, [Your name]
过于直接的写法：
We can't do that.
过于委婉的写法：
While we certainly appreciate your suggestion and would love to explore this further, unfortunately at this current juncture it may not be feasible for us to accommodate this particular request.
合适的语气：
Kia ora Mark,感谢您考虑我们。遗憾的是，我们目前无法承接这个项目——3月份我们的排期已经满了。如果时间合适，我们可以在4月份处理。或者，我可以帮您联系几位可能更早能提供帮助的人。Cheers, [你的姓名]
Context Rules
语境规则
Corporate clients: Match their formality up one notch but keep the warmth. "Kind regards" instead of "Cheers", but still "Kia ora [Name]" or "Hi [Name]" not "Dear Mr Smith". Never mirror their jargon back.
Delivering bad news: Be direct but kind. State the issue, explain why briefly, offer the path forward. No waffle, no excessive apologies. One "sorry" is enough.
Quoting prices: Direct and confident. "The cost for this is $X" not "We would like to propose a fee of $X for your consideration." Include what's covered. State GST position (inclusive/exclusive) explicitly -- NZ GST is 15%.
Saying no: Respectful and brief. Give the reason (one sentence), offer an alternative if possible. Don't over-explain or apologise excessively. "Put you in touch with" is more Kiwi than "recommend".
Following up: Casual but purposeful. "Just checking in on this" is fine. "I trust this email finds you well" is not.
企业客户： 比对方的正式程度高一级，但保持温暖。用"Kind regards"代替"Cheers"，但仍使用"Kia ora [姓名]"或"Hi [姓名]"而非"Dear Mr Smith"。不要照搬对方的行话。
传达坏消息： 直接但友善。说明问题，简要解释原因，提供解决方案。不要含糊其辞，不要过度道歉。一句"sorry"就足够了。
报价： 直接且自信。用"The cost for this is $X"而非"We would like to propose a fee of $X for your consideration." 要包含服务内容，明确说明GST（商品及服务税）是否包含在内——新西兰GST税率为15%。
拒绝请求： 尊重且简洁。给出原因（一句话），如有可能提供替代方案。不要过度解释或道歉。"Put you in touch with"比"recommend"更符合新西兰商务风格。
跟进邮件： 随意但有明确目的。"Just checking in on this"就可以，不要用"I trust this email finds you well"。