‘妥协’ (tuǒ xié) means 'compromise' — a mutual adjustment where each side gives up something to reach agreement. The character 妥 (tuǒ) means 'proper', 'appropriate', or 'settled', while 协 (xié) means 'to cooperate' or 'to coordinate'. Together, they convey the idea of reaching a mutually acceptable solution through cooperation and concession. It’s commonly used in discussions about negotiations, relationships, politics, and everyday disagreements — for example, between partners, coworkers, or governments.

As both a noun and verb, 妥协 often carries a neutral-to-slightly-negative connotation: while it implies pragmatism and maturity, it can also suggest weakness or surrender if one side yields too much without principle. In formal writing and speech, it’s standard; in casual conversation, people may use simpler alternatives like ‘让步’ (ràngbù, 'to give in') or ‘商量着办’ (shāngliang zhe bàn, 'work it out together').