类别

• Pinyin: lèi bié
• Hanzi breakdown: 类 = 米 + 犬 (type/category — grain sorted like dogs herding); 别 = 另 + 刂 (distinction/separation)

Meaning

Category; classification; type; class.

A neutral, formal term for a category or type within a classification system. Used across academia, commerce, data science, and everyday contexts wherever items are grouped by shared characteristics. More systematically organised than 种类, and more formal than 种.

Examples

1. 图书馆按照类别对所有书籍进行了系统整理和编目。 The library systematically organized and cataloged all the books by category.
2. 参赛作品分为绘画、雕塑和装置艺术三个类别。 The entries are divided into three categories: painting, sculpture, and installation art.
3. 这份申报表要求详细填写商品的类别、规格和数量。 This application form requires you to fill in the product’s category, specifications, and quantity in detail.

Usage Guide

Context: academia, commerce, data classification, administration

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 请按照规定的类别如实填写申报信息。(Please fill in the declaration information truthfully according to the specified categories.)
• 这几种商品属于完全不同的类别，不能混合存放。(These products belong to entirely different categories and cannot be stored together.)

Don't Say

• 用类别指代单一个体 — 类别是集合概念，指一类事物，不用于描述单独的个体

Origin & History

类 (category/type) + 别 (distinction/difference)

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal