工序

• Pinyin: gōng xù
• Hanzi breakdown: 工 = work; 序 = 广 + 予 (sequence, order)

Meaning

Process step; production procedure. An individual stage or operation within a manufacturing or production workflow.

A technical term used in manufacturing, engineering, and quality control. Emphasises the sequential and structured nature of production. Key concept in lean manufacturing and process optimisation.

Examples

1. 每道工序都需要严格质量检验。 Every step of the process requires strict quality inspection.
2. 优化工序可以有效提升生产效率。 Optimizing process steps can effectively improve production efficiency.
3. 该产品的生产涉及三十多道工序。 Producing this product involves more than thirty process steps.

Usage Guide

Context: manufacturing, engineering, quality control

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 任何一道工序出现问题都可能影响最终产品的质量。(A problem at any single process step may affect the quality of the final product.)
• 工厂对每道工序都制定了详细的操作规程。(The factory has developed detailed operating procedures for each process step.)

Don't Say

• 工序 for general steps in a non-manufacturing context — use 步骤 or 环节; 工序 is specific to production/manufacturing

Origin & History

工 (work/production) + 序 (sequence/order)

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Industrial/Technical