zhìzàoyè: 制造业 - Manufacturing, Manufacturing Industry

• Keywords: zhìzàoyè, 制造业, manufacturing in China, Chinese manufacturing, industry in Chinese, Made in China, China's economy, Chinese industrial sector, business Chinese, HSK 6 vocabulary.
• Summary: Discover the meaning of 制造业 (zhìzàoyè), the Chinese term for the “manufacturing industry.” This page breaks down the characters, explores its profound cultural and economic significance in the context of “Made in China,” and provides practical examples for use. Learn how this single term unlocks a deeper understanding of China's modern economic miracle and its global role.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): zhì-zào-yè
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: The manufacturing industry; the economic sector concerned with making physical goods.
• In a Nutshell: 制造业 (zhìzàoyè) is the formal, economic term for the entire sector that produces tangible products—from toys and textiles to smartphones and cars. It's the engine behind the “Made in China” phenomenon and a cornerstone of the country's economic policy and identity. Think of it not as the act of making one thing, but as the entire system of factories, workers, and supply chains that constitute a nation's industrial production capacity.

• 制 (zhì): This character means “to make,” “to produce,” or “to control.” It often implies a system or standard is involved in the creation process.
• 造 (zào): This also means “to make,” “to build,” or “to create.” It can carry a sense of building something substantial from raw materials.
• 业 (yè): This character means “industry,” “business,” or “occupation.” It's a common suffix used to denote an entire economic sector (e.g., 农业 nóngyè - agriculture, 服务业 fúwùyè - service industry).

When combined, 制造 (zhìzào) becomes a formal, powerful term for “to manufacture.” Adding 业 (yè) at the end transforms it from the action of making into the entire “manufacturing industry” as an economic concept.

The term 制造业 (zhìzàoyè) is inextricably linked to China's post-1978 economic miracle. It represents the country's strategic shift from a largely agrarian society to the “world's factory.” For decades, a powerful and growing 制造业 symbolized progress, national strength, and improving livelihoods for hundreds of millions of people. A useful cultural comparison is to contrast the trajectory of China's 制造业 with the concept of the “Rust Belt” in the United States. While the “Rust Belt” signifies a region grappling with the decline of its traditional manufacturing base, China's 制造业 represents an era of unprecedented growth and industrialization during the same period. This contrast highlights the massive global economic shifts of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Today, the narrative is evolving. The government slogan is no longer just about being a “manufacturing giant” (制造业大国) but about becoming a “manufacturing power” (制造业强国), emphasizing a move away from low-cost production towards high-tech innovation, quality, and sustainable development, as encapsulated in policies like “Made in China 2025” (中国制造2025).

制造业 (zhìzàoyè) is a formal term primarily used in specific, macro-level contexts. You will encounter it constantly in:

• News and Economics: Reports on GDP, economic policy, trade, and employment.
• Business: Discussions about supply chains, investment, industrial strategy, and corporate planning.
• Government and Academia: Official documents, policy papers, and economic research.

It is not used in casual conversation to talk about making a single item. For example, you would not use it to say you are “manufacturing a cake.” Its connotation is neutral and descriptive, referring to a major component of the economy.

• Example 1:
  • 中国的制造业非常发达。
  • Pinyin: Zhōngguó de zhìzàoyè fēicháng fādá.
  • English: China's manufacturing industry is very developed.
  • Analysis: A simple, declarative sentence stating a well-known fact. This is a common way to use the term in a general discussion about economics.
• Example 2:
  • 很多外国公司都依赖中国的制造业。
  • Pinyin: Hěn duō wàiguó gōngsī dōu yīlài Zhōngguó de zhìzàoyè.
  • English: Many foreign companies rely on China's manufacturing industry.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the global importance of China's 制造业 in supply chains.
• Example 3:
  • 这家公司的业务范围涵盖了制造业和金融业。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngsī de yèwù fànwéi hángài le zhìzàoyè hé jīnróngyè.
  • English: This company's scope of business covers the manufacturing and financial industries.
  • Analysis: This shows how 制造业 is used to categorize a type of business, often in contrast with other sectors like finance (金融业).
• Example 4:
  • 汽车制造业是国家经济的重要支柱。
  • Pinyin: Qìchē zhìzàoyè shì guójiā jīngjì de zhòngyào zhīzhù.
  • English: The automobile manufacturing industry is an important pillar of the national economy.
  • Analysis: Here, a specific type of manufacturing (汽车, automobile) is prefixed to 制造业 to define a sub-sector.
• Example 5:
  • 自动化正在改变传统制造业的面貌。
  • Pinyin: Zìdònghuà zhèngzài gǎibiàn chuántǒng zhìzàoyè de miànmào.
  • English: Automation is changing the face of the traditional manufacturing industry.
  • Analysis: This sentence discusses trends and transformations within the manufacturing sector.
• Example 6:
  • 政府出台了新政策来支持高端制造业的发展。
  • Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ chūtái le xīn zhèngcè lái zhīchí gāoduān zhìzàoyè de fāzhǎn.
  • English: The government has introduced new policies to support the development of the high-end manufacturing industry.
  • Analysis: This example touches on government policy and the strategic push towards more advanced (“high-end,” 高端) manufacturing.
• Example 7:
  • 我叔叔在制造业工作了三十年。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ shūshu zài zhìzàoyè gōngzuò le sānshí nián.
  • English: My uncle has worked in the manufacturing industry for thirty years.
  • Analysis: This shows how the term can be used in a personal context, but it still refers to the entire sector as a field of employment, not a specific task.
• Example 8:
  • 制造业的升级是实现经济转型的关键。
  • Pinyin: Zhìzàoyè de shēngjí shì shíxiàn jīngjì zhuǎnxíng de guānjiàn.
  • English: Upgrading the manufacturing industry is the key to achieving economic transformation.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses more advanced vocabulary (升级 shēngjí - upgrade, 转型 zhuǎnxíng - transformation) common in economic discussions.
• Example 9:
  • 由于成本上升，一些制造业企业正在将工厂迁往东南亚。
  • Pinyin: Yóuyú chéngběn shàngshēng, yīxiē zhìzàoyè qǐyè zhèngzài jiāng gōngchǎng qiānwǎng Dōngnányà.
  • English: Due to rising costs, some manufacturing enterprises are moving their factories to Southeast Asia.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates a real-world economic trend and shows how 制造业 can be used as an adjective to describe a type of enterprise (企业 qǐyè).
• Example 10:
  • 虽然服务业在增长，但制造业仍然是中国经济的基础。
  • Pinyin: Suīrán fúwùyè zài zēngzhǎng, dàn zhìzàoyè réngrán shì Zhōngguó jīngjì de jīchǔ.
  • English: Although the service industry is growing, the manufacturing industry is still the foundation of China's economy.
  • Analysis: This directly contrasts the manufacturing industry with the service industry (服务业 fúwùyè), a common comparison in economic analysis.

• 制造业 (zhìzàoyè) vs. 工业 (gōngyè): This is a critical distinction.
  • 工业 (gōngyè) means “industry” in a very broad sense. It includes 制造业, but also mining (采矿业), power generation (能源业), and construction (建筑业). 制造业 is a subset of 工业.
  • Correct: 汽车制造业属于工业。 (The auto manufacturing industry belongs to industry.)
  • Incorrect: Mining belongs to 制造业. (Mining is part of 工业, not 制造业).
• 制造业 (zhìzàoyè) vs. 制造 (zhìzào):
  • 制造业 (zhìzàoyè) is a noun for the industry or sector.
  • 制造 (zhìzào) is the verb “to manufacture” or the noun for the act of manufacturing.
  • Incorrect: 我制造业这个手机。(I manufacturing industry this phone.)
  • Correct: 这家工厂制造手机。(This factory manufactures phones.)
  • Correct: 我在制造业工作。(I work in the manufacturing industry.)
• Formality: Do not use 制造业 for small-scale, personal creation. If you make crafts at home, you would use 做 (zuò) or 制作 (zhìzuò). 制造业 is always about large-scale, industrial production.

• 工业 (gōngyè) - Industry. The broader category that includes 制造业, mining, and utilities.
• 制造 (zhìzào) - To manufacture. The verb or noun for the action, while 制造业 is the name of the entire sector.
• 中国制造 (Zhōngguó zhìzào) - “Made in China.” The famous phrase that is the most visible result of China's 制造业.
• 工厂 (gōngchǎng) - Factory. The physical place where manufacturing happens; the basic unit of the 制造业.
• 服务业 (fúwùyè) - The service industry. The economic sector most often contrasted with the 制造业.
• 产业链 (chǎnyè liàn) - Industrial chain / supply chain. A concept describing the network of businesses involved in creating a product, central to the 制造业.
• 实体经济 (shítǐ jīngjì) - The real economy. Refers to the part of the economy that produces tangible goods and services, with 制造业 as its core.
• 高科技 (gāokējì) - High-tech. A key descriptor for the modern direction of China's 制造业.
• 供应链 (gōngyìng liàn) - Supply chain. A more direct translation of “supply chain” than 产业链, and fundamentally linked to manufacturing logistics.