Chinese word

石油

Pronunciation

Pinyinshí yóu

Meaning

  • nounoil

Example

最近石油价格又涨了。zuì jìn shí yóu jià gé yòu zhǎng le

Oil prices have risen again recently.

Illustration for 石油 (oil)

More examples

我们从国外买石油。wǒ men cóng guó wài mǎi shí yóu

We buy oil from abroad.

Core concept

A dark, burnable liquid drawn from beneath rock and refined into fuels and other useful products.

Common phrases

  • 买石油mǎi shí yóu

    buy oil

  • 卖石油mài shí yóu

    sell oil

  • 石油价格shí yóu jià gé

    oil prices

Similar words

原油yuán yóu: Petroleum in its natural, unprocessed form as taken from the ground.
汽油qì yóu: Liquid fuel made for engines in cars and motorcycles.
燃料rán liào: Material used by burning it to provide heat or energy.
油yóu: A viscous liquid used in cooking or to help machines work.

Definition in Chinese

存在于地下岩层或岩石裂缝中、可燃的黑色或棕色液体，通常指原油及其制品。cún zài yú dì xià yán céng huò yán shí liè fèng zhōng kě rán de hēi sè huò zōng sè yè tǐ tōng cháng zhǐ yuán yóu jí qí zhì pǐn

Word origin

The compound 石 (shí, "stone") + 油 (yóu, "oil") presents oil as a burnable liquid associated with underground rock.

Usage tips

  • In everyday news and conversation, this noun often appears with words about price, supply, and industry, especially in discussions of energy and the economy.

Other meanings

  • crude oilnoun

Word lists with this word