物流

• Pinyin: wù liú
• Hanzi breakdown: 物 = 牛 + 勿 (ox + prohibition mark — originally cattle as goods, now all things/materials); 流 = 氵 + 㐬 (water + flowing — to flow)

Meaning

Logistics; the planning and management of the movement and storage of goods, materials, and information.

Central to China's e-commerce boom and manufacturing supply chains. Encompasses transportation, warehousing, distribution, and supply chain management. 物流业 (logistics industry) is a key component of China's economic infrastructure.

Examples

1. 电商平台的迅猛发展对国内物流体系的配送效率提出了更高要求。 The rapid growth of e-commerce has placed higher demands on the efficiency of domestic logistics and delivery systems.
2. 该跨国公司在华建立了覆盖全国的物流网络，以确保货物能够在最短时间内送达各地经销商。 The multinational corporation built a nationwide logistics network in China to ensure goods reach distributors across the country in the shortest possible time.
3. 政府大力支持智慧物流技术的研发与应用，以降低整体供应链的运营成本。 The government strongly supports the development and adoption of smart logistics technologies to reduce overall supply-chain operating costs.

Usage Guide

Context: e-commerce, supply chain, business, manufacturing, transportation

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 冷链物流在国内推广后，生鲜农产品从产地到餐桌的时间大大缩短，品质也更有保障。(After cold-chain logistics was promoted nationwide, the time for fresh produce to go from origin to table was greatly shortened, and quality was better protected.)
• 这家企业全面升级物流系统后，可实时监控全国仓储节点，及时调配库存，解决了积压和延误。(After upgrading its logistics system, the company can monitor storage nodes nationwide in real time, adjust inventory promptly, and solve backlog and delays.)

Don't Say

• 物流 to mean simple delivery or courier service in everyday conversation — use 快递 for parcel/courier delivery; 物流 refers to the broader system or industry of goods movement and supply chain management

Origin & History

物 (goods, materials) + 流 (flow, movement) — the flow of goods; modelled on concepts from 20th-century supply chain management theory

Cultural Context

Era: Post-reform era, accelerated post-2010

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal