样本

yàngběn: 样本 - Sample, Specimen, Example

Quick Summary

  • Keywords: 样本, yangben, what does yangben mean, sample in Chinese, specimen in Chinese, Chinese word for sample, example in Chinese, 样本 vs 例子, medical specimen, product sample, data sample
  • Summary: Learn the essential Chinese noun 样本 (yàngběn), which translates to “sample,” “specimen,” or “model.” This term is crucial in technical, scientific, and business contexts, referring to a representative part taken from a larger whole for testing, analysis, or demonstration. Whether you're discussing a medical specimen, a product sample for quality control, or a data sample for a research study, understanding 样本 is key to navigating formal and professional conversations in Mandarin Chinese.

Core Meaning

  • Pinyin (with tone marks): yàngběn
  • Part of Speech: Noun
  • HSK Level: HSK 5
  • Concise Definition: A sample, specimen, or model taken from a larger group to represent the whole.
  • In a Nutshell: 样本 (yàngběn) is the word for a representative piece of a larger thing. Think of it as a concrete “slice” used for analysis or demonstration. It's the blood sample a doctor takes to understand your health, the fabric swatch a designer shows you for a new sofa, or the set of data a researcher analyzes to understand a trend. It's a formal, technical term for a part that stands in for the whole.

Character Breakdown

  • 样 (yàng): This character means “pattern,” “type,” or “manner.” It's found in common words like `样子 (yàngzi)` for “appearance” and `一样 (yíyàng)` for “the same.” It contributes the idea of a specific “type” or “form.”
  • 本 (běn): This character originally pictured a tree (木) with a mark at its base, meaning “root” or “origin.” It has since expanded to mean “source,” “foundation,” or “copy” (as in a book, `书本 shūběn`).
  • When combined, 样本 (yàngběn) literally means “pattern-source” or “type-origin.” This powerfully conveys the idea of a sample that represents the original pattern or source material.

Cultural Context and Significance

  • While not a deeply philosophical term like 关系 (guānxi), 样本 (yàngběn) plays a vital role in the practical, modern aspects of Chinese society. Its frequent use reflects China's position as a global manufacturing powerhouse and a growing leader in scientific research. The concept of verifying quality, authenticity, and safety through a 样本 is a cornerstone of international trade and scientific rigor.
  • Comparison to “Sample”: In English, “sample” can be very broad. You can have a “free food sample” at a store, which is a casual, consumable item. In Chinese, 样本 (yàngběn) is almost never used for this. You wouldn't ask for a `食品样本 (shípǐn yàngběn)` to eat. Instead, you'd use `试吃 (shìchī)`, meaning “to try eating.” 样本 implies the item is for analysis, testing, or display, not immediate personal use or consumption. It carries a more formal, technical, and objective connotation than the all-purpose English word “sample.”

Practical Usage in Modern China

  • 样本 is a standard, neutral term used in formal and professional settings.
  • Medical and Scientific Contexts: This is one of its most common uses. It refers to any biological material taken for testing.
    • `血液样本 (xuèyè yàngběn)` - blood sample
    • `尿液样本 (niàoyè yàngběn)` - urine sample
    • `组织样本 (zǔzhī yàngběn)` - tissue specimen
  • Business and Manufacturing: It's essential for quality control (QC), sales, and production.
    • `产品样本 (chǎnpǐn yàngběn)` - product sample
    • `布料样本 (bùliào yàngběn)` - fabric sample/swatch
    • `质量检测样本 (zhìliàng jiǎncè yàngběn)` - quality inspection sample
  • Research and Statistics: It refers to a subset of a population or data set.
    • `调查样本 (diàochá yàngběn)` - survey sample
    • `随机样本 (suíjī yàngběn)` - random sample
    • `数据样本 (shùjù yàngběn)` - data sample

Example Sentences

  • Example 1:
    • 医生需要一份你的血液样本进行化验。
    • Pinyin: Yīshēng xūyào yī fèn nǐ de xuèyè yàngběn jìnxíng huàyàn.
    • English: The doctor needs a blood sample from you for a lab test.
    • Analysis: A classic and very common use of 样本 in a medical context. `化验 (huàyàn)` is the lab test performed on the sample.
  • Example 2:
    • 在我们下大订单之前，可以先寄一些产品样本给我们吗？
    • Pinyin: Zài wǒmen xià dà dìngdān zhīqián, kěyǐ xiān jì yīxiē chǎnpǐn yàngběn gěi wǒmen ma?
    • English: Before we place a large order, could you send us some product samples first?
    • Analysis: This demonstrates the term's use in a typical B2B (business-to-business) transaction.
  • Example 3:
    • 这项研究的样本量太小，所以结论可能不准确。
    • Pinyin: Zhè xiàng yánjiū de yàngběn liàng tài xiǎo, suǒyǐ jiélùn kěnéng bù zhǔnquè.
    • English: The sample size for this research is too small, so the conclusion might not be accurate.
    • Analysis: Here, 样本 is used in a statistical or academic context. `样本量 (yàngběn liàng)` is the specific term for “sample size.”
  • Example 4:
    • 我们必须对照样本检查这批货的颜色。
    • Pinyin: Wǒmen bìxū duìzhào yàngběn jiǎnchá zhè pī huò de yánsè.
    • English: We must check the color of this batch of goods against the sample.
    • Analysis: This highlights its function as a standard for comparison in quality control.
  • Example 5:
    • 地质学家从火山附近收集了一些岩石样本。
    • Pinyin: Dìzhìxuéjiā cóng huǒshān fùjìn shōujíle yīxiē yánshí yàngběn.
    • English: The geologist collected some rock samples from near the volcano.
    • Analysis: Shows its use in field science, referring to physical specimens.
  • Example 6:
    • 客户对我们提供的面料样本很满意。
    • Pinyin: Kèhù duì wǒmen tígōng de miànliào yàngběn hěn mǎnyì.
    • English: The client was very satisfied with the fabric samples we provided.
    • Analysis: A common scenario in industries like fashion, interior design, or manufacturing.
  • Example 7:
    • 每一个样本都必须贴上清晰的标签。
    • Pinyin: Měi yī ge yàngběn dōu bìxū tiēshang qīngxī de biāoqiān.
    • English: Every single specimen must be affixed with a clear label.
    • Analysis: This sentence emphasizes the procedural and careful handling associated with 样本.
  • Example 8:
    • 这个统计数据来自于一个全国性的随机样本。
    • Pinyin: Zhè ge tǒngjì shùjù láizì yú yī ge quánguóxìng de suíjī yàngběn.
    • English: This statistical data comes from a nationwide random sample.
    • Analysis: `随机样本 (suíjī yàngběn)` is a fixed phrase for “random sample” in statistics.
  • Example 9:
    • 警方在犯罪现场提取了DNA样本。
    • Pinyin: Jǐngfāng zài fànzuì xiànchǎng tíqǔle DNA yàngběn.
    • English: The police extracted a DNA sample at the crime scene.
    • Analysis: Demonstrates the term's usage in a forensic context. `提取 (tíqǔ)` means to extract or retrieve.
  • Example 10:
    • 这是我们最新设计的墙纸样本，您看一下。
    • Pinyin: Zhè shì wǒmen zuìxīn shèjì de qiángzhǐ yàngběn, nín kàn yīxià.
    • English: This is the sample of our newest wallpaper design, please take a look.
    • Analysis: A polite, formal way to present a sample to a customer or client.

Nuances and Common Mistakes

  • `样本 (yàngběn)` vs. `例子 (lìzi)`: This is the most critical distinction for learners. They both can be translated as “example,” but are used completely differently.
    • `样本 (yàngběn)` is a physical or data-based representative of a larger group (a specimen, a sample).
    • `例子 (lìzi)` is an abstract instance or story used to illustrate a point or explain something.
    • Incorrect: `我给你一个血液例子。` (I'll give you a blood example.)
    • Correct: `我给你一个血液样本。` (I'll give you a blood sample.)
    • Incorrect: `比如说，我给你一个样本。昨天我迟到了。` (For instance, I'll give you a sample. I was late yesterday.)
    • Correct: `比如说，我举个例子。昨天我迟到了。` (For instance, I'll give an example. I was late yesterday.)
  • `样本 (yàngběn)` vs. `样品 (yàngpǐn)`: These are very close but have a key difference.
    • `样品 (yàngpǐn)` refers specifically to a product sample intended for commercial display, testing, or trade. The character `品 (pǐn)` means “product” or “goods.”
    • `样本 (yàngběn)` is a broader, more general term. It can be a product sample, but it can also be a blood sample, a data sample, a rock sample, etc.
    • You can call a product sample a 样本, but you would never call a blood sample a 样品. When in doubt in a business context, `样品` is often more precise for a commercial good.

Related Terms and Concepts

  • 样品 (yàngpǐn) - A product sample. A more specific type of `样本` used exclusively for commercial goods.
  • 例子 (lìzi) - The most common word for an abstract “example” or “instance” used to explain something. The primary source of confusion with `样本`.
  • 标本 (biāoběn) - A specimen, especially one that is preserved and mounted for scientific study or display, like an insect in a frame or a pressed flower. More formal and scientific than `样本`.
  • 模型 (móxíng) - A model, mockup, or replica (e.g., a model airplane, an architectural model). It represents the form and structure, not a piece of the original substance.
  • 范例 (fànlì) - A model example, a paradigm case. An ideal or representative case to be studied or followed, more abstract than `样本`.
  • 抽样 (chōuyàng) - (Verb) To sample; the act of taking a sample.
  • 化验 (huàyàn) - (Verb/Noun) To conduct a laboratory test; a lab test. This is what is often performed on a `样本`.
  • 试用装 (shìyòngzhuāng) - A trial-size package, like a small bottle of shampoo or lotion. The “sample” you get at a cosmetics counter.