类型

• Pinyin: lèi xíng
• Hanzi breakdown: 类 = 米 (rice) + 犬 (dog) — originally classifying grains, extended to categories; 型 = 刑 (mould) + 土 (earth) — a mould or pattern

Meaning

Type; category; genre. Used to classify things into groups based on shared characteristics.

A formal and widely used noun for categorising things. Common in discussions about movies, books, personality, products, and data. Often paired with adjectives or used with 属于 (belong to), 分为 (divided into), or 各种 (various kinds of).

Examples

1. 你喜欢什么类型的电影？ What type of movies do you like?
2. 这种类型的工作需要很强的沟通能力。 This type of job requires strong communication skills.
3. 市场上有各种类型的手机，选哪个好呢？ There are all kinds of phones on the market — which one should I pick?

Usage Guide

Context: entertainment, work, technology, academics

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这部小说属于科幻类型。(This novel belongs to the science fiction genre.)
• 你适合哪种类型的工作？(What type of work suits you?)

Don't Say

• 他是好人类型 (Don't use 类型 directly to describe a person's character — say 他是好人 or 他属于那种很好的人 instead)

Origin & History

Composed of 类 (kind, category) and 型 (model, pattern). Together they mean a categorised pattern or type — a modern compound reflecting systematic classification.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal