Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== 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.