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. ====== jìnkǒu: 进口 - To Import; Imports ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** jinkou, 进口, Chinese word for import, import to China, imported goods China, jinkou meaning, China import export, Chinese trade terms, HSK 4 vocabulary * **Summary:** Learn the essential Chinese word **进口 (jìnkǒu)**, which means 'to import' or 'imports'. This comprehensive guide explores its meaning, character breakdown, and practical usage in conversations about trade, shopping for **imported goods in China**, and understanding the country's global economic role. Discover how **jìnkǒu** is used in everyday sentences and how it contrasts with its opposite, 出口 (chūkǒu), 'to export', making it a crucial term for anyone interested in modern China. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** jìnkǒu * **Part of Speech:** Verb / Noun * **HSK Level:** HSK 4 * **Concise Definition:** To bring goods or services into a country from abroad; an imported article or service. * **In a Nutshell:** Jìnkǒu is a straightforward and logical term combining 'to enter' (进) and 'port' or 'mouth' (口). It literally means "to enter the port," a perfect image for goods arriving in a country from overseas. Whether you're talking about French wine, German cars, or American movies, if it comes from another country into China, it's considered **进口 (jìnkǒu)**. It can be used as a verb ("to import") or a noun ("an import"). ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **进 (jìn):** This character means "to enter" or "to advance." It's a combination of the 'walk' radical (辶) and a character representing a well (井). You can picture someone walking towards and entering a new space. * **口 (kǒu):** This character is a pictogram of a mouth. By extension, it means any kind of "opening," including a doorway, an entrance, or, in this context, a "port." * **Combined Meaning:** Putting them together, **进口 (jìnkǒu)** creates a vivid picture: goods "entering" (进) through a "port" or "opening" (口) into the country. It’s a very logical and descriptive word for the act of importing. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== In recent decades, the term **进口 (jìnkǒu)** has taken on significant cultural weight in China. As the economy opened up and the middle class grew, "进口" became a powerful buzzword associated with quality, safety, prestige, and modernity. While in the West, "imported" can be a neutral descriptor, in China, the label **进口** on products like baby formula, cosmetics, wine, and luxury cars often implies superiority to domestic alternatives. This stems from historical food safety scandals and a growing consumer desire for high-quality, globally recognized brands. Owning **进口** goods can be a way to display one's wealth, taste, and social status, tying into the cultural concept of [[面子 (miànzi)|face]]. The immense popularity of [[代购 (dàigòu)|daigou]] (overseas personal shoppers) is a direct result of this high demand for authentic **进口** products. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== **进口 (jìnkǒu)** is a common and versatile word used in many contexts. * **As a verb:** It means "to import." (e.g., "Our company imports coffee beans.") * **As a noun:** It means "an import" or "imports." (e.g., "The value of our imports is rising.") * **As an adjective (modifier):** This is very common. Placed directly before a noun, it means "imported." For example, **进口车 (jìnkǒu chē)** is an "imported car" and **进口食品 (jìnkǒu shípǐn)** is "imported food." Note that you usually don't need to add the particle `的 (de)`. You will see and hear this term constantly in news reports about the economy, in business negotiations, and especially while shopping in supermarkets or on e-commerce platforms like Taobao and JD.com. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 我们公司每年从巴西**进口**大量咖啡豆。 * Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī měi nián cóng Bāxī **jìnkǒu** dàliàng kāfēi dòu. * English: Our company imports a large quantity of coffee beans from Brazil every year. * Analysis: Here, **进口** is used as a verb, meaning "to import." This is a typical business context. * **Example 2:** * 这辆车是**进口**的还是国产的？ * Pinyin: Zhè liàng chē shì **jìnkǒu** de háishì guóchǎn de? * English: Is this car imported or domestically produced? * Analysis: A very common question when shopping for big-ticket items. **进口** is contrasted with its opposite, [[国产 (guóchǎn)|guóchǎn]] (domestically produced). * **Example 3:** * 我更喜欢**进口**啤酒的味道。 * Pinyin: Wǒ gèng xǐhuān **jìnkǒu** píjiǔ de wèidào. * English: I prefer the taste of imported beer. * Analysis: **进口** acts as an adjective here, modifying "beer" (啤酒). This shows a personal preference often related to perceived quality. * **Example 4:** * 今年我国的**进口**总额超过了预期。 * Pinyin: Jīnnián wǒguó de **jìnkǒu** zǒng'é chāoguòle yùqī. * English: This year, our country's total value of imports exceeded expectations. * Analysis: In this sentence, **进口** functions as a noun, referring to the concept of "imports" in an economic context. * **Example 5:** * 超市里有一个专门卖**进口**食品的区域。 * Pinyin: Chāoshì lǐ yǒu yīgè zhuānmén mài **jìnkǒu** shípǐn de qūyù. * English: In the supermarket, there is a special section that sells imported food. * Analysis: This demonstrates the adjectival use of **进口** again, modifying 食品 (shípǐn), "food products." This is a very common sight in modern Chinese cities. * **Example 6:** * **进口**关税的调整会影响很多行业。 * Pinyin: **Jìnkǒu** guānshuì de tiáozhěng huì yǐngxiǎng hěnduō hángyè. * English: The adjustment of import tariffs will affect many industries. * Analysis: **进口** modifies 关税 (guānshuì), "tariffs," to specify them as "import tariffs." This is a key term in international trade news. * **Example 7:** * 这部电影是从好莱坞**进口**的。 * Pinyin: Zhè bù diànyǐng shì cóng Hǎoláiwù **jìnkǒu** de. * English: This movie was imported from Hollywood. * Analysis: **进口** can also apply to non-physical goods like intellectual property (movies, software, music). * **Example 8:** * 他们的主要业务是**进口**和出口。 * Pinyin: Tāmen de zhǔyào yèwù shì **jìnkǒu** hé chūkǒu. * English: Their main business is import and export. * Analysis: This sentence shows **进口** used alongside its direct antonym, [[出口 (chūkǒu)|chūkǒu]] (export), which is a very common pairing. * **Example 9:** * 由于严格的检疫，**进口**水果的价格很高。 * Pinyin: Yóuyú yángé de jiǎnyì, **jìnkǒu** shuǐguǒ de jiàgé hěn gāo. * English: Due to strict quarantine, the price of imported fruit is very high. * Analysis: A practical sentence explaining a common phenomenon. **进口** modifies 水果 (shuǐguǒ), "fruit." * **Example 10:** * 她只用**进口**的化妆品，因为她觉得更安全。 * Pinyin: Tā zhǐ yòng **jìnkǒu** de huàzhuāngpǐn, yīnwèi tā juédé gèng ānquán. * English: She only uses imported cosmetics because she feels they are safer. * Analysis: This sentence captures the cultural nuance of **进口** being associated with safety and quality, a major driver of consumer behavior in China. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **Mistake 1: Using 进口 for people or abstract ideas.** * **进口** is used for goods and services (products, movies, software), but not typically for people or abstract concepts like culture or philosophy. You would not say you "imported" a foreign teacher (你**进口**了一位外教). Instead, you would say you "hired" one (你**请**了一位外教 - nǐ qǐngle yī wèi wàijiào). * **Mistake 2: Confusing 进口 (jìnkǒu) and 出口 (chūkǒu).** * These are direct opposites. **进 (jìn)** means "in" and **出 (chū)** means "out." Remember: **进口** = goods coming **in**; **出口 (chūkǒu)** = goods going **out** (export). * //Incorrect:// `中国进口很多手机到美国。` (China imports many phones to America.) * //Correct:// `中国**出口**很多手机到美国。` (China **exports** many phones to America.) * //Correct:// `中国从美国**进口**很多大豆。` (China **imports** a lot of soybeans from America.) * **Grammar Point: Adjectival Usage without 的 (de).** * While `进口的 (jìnkǒu de)` is grammatically correct, it's very common and natural to drop the `的 (de)` when **进口** modifies a noun, especially a two-character noun. For example, `进口车 (jìnkǒu chē)` is more common than `进口的车`. This pattern is efficient and widely used. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[出口]] (chūkǒu) - The direct antonym of **进口**. It means "to export" or "exports." * [[国产]] (guóchǎn) - The consumer-context antonym. It means "domestically produced" or "made in-country." * [[贸易]] (màoyì) - The broader term for "trade" or "commerce," encompassing both imports and exports. * [[外贸]] (wàimào) - "Foreign trade." A company that does **进口** and **出口** business is in the **外贸** industry. * [[海关]] (hǎiguān) - "Customs." The government agency responsible for inspecting all **进口** and **出口** goods. * [[关税]] (guānshuì) - "Tariff." The tax levied on **进口** goods. * [[水货]] (shuǐhuò) - Literally "water goods." It means "smuggled goods" or "grey-market imports," which are brought into the country unofficially to avoid tariffs. * [[代购]] (dàigòu) - "To purchase on someone's behalf." A huge e-commerce phenomenon where an agent abroad buys **进口** goods for a customer in China.