原料
yuán liào HSK 5

English Meaning

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📚 Example Sentences

这种原料来自国外。
Zhè zhǒng yuánliào láizì guówài.
This raw material comes from abroad.
工厂需要更多原料。
Gōngchǎng xūyào gèng duō yuánliào.
The factory needs more raw materials.
原料的质量很重要。
Yuánliào de zhìliàng hěn zhòngyào.
The quality of raw materials is very important.
我们需要原料。
Wǒmen xūyào yuánliào.
We need raw materials.
原料很便宜。
Yuánliào hěn piányi.
Raw materials are cheap.

💡 Memory Tip

Break the characters down: 原 (yuán) means 'original' or 'source,' and 料 (liào) means 'material.' Think of it as the 'original material' you start with before making anything.

📝 Usage Notes

This word is neutral in register, used in both formal and informal contexts, and is common in written and spoken language. It is most frequently used in contexts related to manufacturing, industry, cooking, and production, such as discussing supply chains, recipes, or factory operations.

📖 Grammar Points

Primarily used as a noun, often modified by other nouns (e.g., 食品原料 - food ingredients) or adjectives (e.g., 优质原料 - high-quality raw materials). It commonly serves as the subject or object in sentences about production and supply.

🏯 Cultural Notes

In China's rapid industrial and economic development, discussions about 原料 supply, cost, and sustainability (e.g., in manufacturing and food safety) are very common in news and business contexts.

🔄 Similar Words

材料 (cáiliào) also means 'material,' but it is broader and can refer to both raw and processed materials. 原料 specifically emphasizes the raw, unprocessed state. 物资 (wùzī) means 'goods and materials' in a more general, often logistical sense, not necessarily raw.

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