录取

You usually see it in the passive voice. For example, 'I was accepted by the university.' In Chinese, you say 我被录取了. The word 被 (bèi) is your best friend here. It marks that you are the lucky winner. You can also use it as a noun. An 'acceptance letter' is a 录取通知书. It sounds fancy because it is fancy.

Use it when discussing university entrance exams (Gaokao). Use it when you finally land that corporate job. It fits perfectly in formal emails. It also works when bragging to your parents. If you see your name on a list, 录取 is the word you want to see next to it.

Don't use it for casual social invites. If a friend invites you to dinner, don't say you were 录取'd. That sounds like your friend has a HR department. Also, don't use it for buying tickets. You 'buy' a ticket; you don't get 'accepted' by a movie theater. Keep it for competitive situations where someone had to judge you.

In China, 录取 is a high-stakes word. The education system is incredibly competitive. For many, seeing 录取 on a screen is a life-changing moment. It represents years of hard work paying off. It is often celebrated with massive family dinners. Parents might even post the 录取通知书 on WeChat to show off a bit. It is a word heavy with pride and relief.

You will often hear 录取通知书 (acceptance letter). Another one is 录取分数线 (the cutoff score). If you are 'admitted early,' it is 提前录取. If you are looking for the 'admission rate,' use 录取率. These are the bread and butter of school talk.