天然气

• Pinyin: tiān rán qì
• Hanzi breakdown: 天 = heaven/natural; 然 = 月 (moon) + 犬 (dog) + 灬 (fire), so/thus; 气 = steam rising, gas

Meaning

Natural gas; a fossil fuel used for heating and cooking.

The gaseous fossil fuel found underground, primarily composed of methane. Used for household cooking and heating, power generation, and industrial purposes. Distinguished from 煤气 (coal gas/town gas) which is manufactured. An important energy source in modern China.

Examples

1. 我们家做饭用的是天然气，比电更省钱。 Our family uses natural gas for cooking — it's cheaper than electricity.
2. 冬天供暖主要靠天然气，最近价格涨了不少。 Winter heating mainly relies on natural gas, and prices have risen quite a bit recently.
3. 这个地区发现了大型天然气田，将会带动当地经济发展。 A large natural gas field was discovered in this region, which will boost local economic development.

Usage Guide

Context: energy, household, industry

Tone: informative

Do Say

• 天然气管道。(Natural gas pipeline.)
• 检查一下天然气有没有漏。(Check if there's a natural gas leak.)

Don't Say

• 开天然气 when turning on the stove — usually say 开火 or 开煤气; 天然气 refers to the fuel itself

Origin & History

Compound of 天然 (natural) + 气 (gas), literally meaning natural gas.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal