含量

• Pinyin: hán liàng
• Hanzi breakdown: 含 = 今 (now, phonetic) + 口 (mouth) — to contain; 量 = 旦 (dawn) + 里 (inside) — measuring what is inside

Meaning

Content; amount contained. The measurable quantity of a particular substance within something.

A technical term commonly used in science, nutrition, and industry. Frequently seen in collocations like 含金量 (gold content, or figuratively 'quality/value'), 含水量 (moisture content), 含糖量 (sugar content). Also used metaphorically to describe the quality or substance of something, as in 这篇文章含金量很高 (this article is of high quality).

Examples

1. 这种食物的蛋白质含量很高。 This type of food has a very high protein content.
2. 空气中的氧气含量大约是百分之二十一。 The oxygen content in the air is approximately twenty-one percent.
3. 医生建议选择含糖量低的饮料。 The doctor recommends choosing drinks with low sugar content.

Usage Guide

Context: science, nutrition, industry

Tone: technical

Do Say

• 你知道这个产品的酒精含量吗？(Do you know the alcohol content of this product?)
• 这门课程的含金量很高。(This course is of very high quality.)

Don't Say

• 这本书的含量很多 (Don't use 含量 for the amount of content in a book — use 内容 for content; 含量 is for measurable substances)

Origin & History

含 (hán, to contain) + 量 (liàng, amount/quantity) — literally 'the amount contained,' a straightforward scientific compound.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal