零件

• Pinyin: líng jiàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 零 = 雨 + 令 (scattered, small); 件 = 亻 (person) + 牛 (ox) — item, piece

Meaning

Components; spare parts. Individual mechanical or structural parts that make up a larger device or machine.

Common in manufacturing, engineering, and repair contexts. Refers to individual parts that can be replaced or assembled. Widely used in automotive, electronics, and precision instrument industries.

Examples

1. 这台老机器的零件已经停产，只能从二手市场上寻找替代品。 Parts for this old machine are no longer made, so we can only look for substitutes in the secondhand market.
2. 工厂每年采购大量标准零件，以确保生产线不会因供应中断而停工。 The factory purchases large quantities of standard parts each year to ensure the production line won’t shut down due to supply disruptions.
3. 在精密仪器制造中，每一个零件的公差都必须符合严格的国际标准。 In precision instrument manufacturing, the tolerances of every single component must meet strict international standards.

Usage Guide

Context: manufacturing, engineering, automotive

Tone: technical

Do Say

• 这辆车需要更换几个关键零件。(This car needs several key parts replaced.)
• 我们的仓库里备有这款零件的充足库存。(Our warehouse has a sufficient stock of this component.)

Don't Say

• 把'零件'用于软件模块 — 软件中的组件通常叫'模块'或'组件' (Don't use 零件 for software modules — use 模块 or 组件 instead)

Origin & History

零 (scattered, small, leftover) + 件 (piece, item) — scattered individual pieces or components.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal