yàngpǐn: 样品 - Sample, Specimen, Prototype

• Keywords: 样品, yangpin, Chinese word for sample, product sample in Chinese, specimen in Chinese, prototype in Chinese, manufacturing sample, free sample, business Chinese vocabulary
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese word 样品 (yàngpǐn), which translates to “sample,” “specimen,” or “prototype.” This guide covers its meaning, character breakdown, and crucial role in Chinese business culture. Discover how `样品` is used in everything from requesting product samples in international trade to collecting lab specimens, complete with practical example sentences and cultural insights for beginner to intermediate learners.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): yàngpǐn
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: A sample, specimen, or prototype used to represent the quality, style, or nature of a whole.
• In a Nutshell: `样品` is a highly practical and straightforward term for a physical item that represents a larger group or a final product. Think of a fabric swatch from a factory, a free perfume vial at a store, a blood sample at a hospital, or the first version of a new phone. If it's a piece of the real thing shown for testing, evaluation, or demonstration, it's a `样品`.

• 样 (yàng): This character means “pattern,” “style,” “type,” or “manner.” It's composed of 木 (mù - wood) and 羊 (yáng - sheep, which primarily provides the sound). Think of it as representing a standard or a *pattern* to follow.
• 品 (pǐn): This character means “product,” “goods,” or “quality.” It's a pictograph of three mouths (口, kǒu). This can be interpreted as multiple people tasting or evaluating something, thereby determining its quality. It represents an item or product that can be assessed.
• When combined, 样品 (yàngpǐn) literally translates to a “pattern product” or “type item.” This perfectly captures its meaning: an item that demonstrates the pattern, quality, and type of the final product.

While `样品` is a functional term, its application in Chinese business culture is deeply significant. It embodies the principle of “seeing is believing” (眼见为实, yǎnjiàn wéi shí), which is paramount in manufacturing and trade. In Western business, especially in the digital age, contracts and spec sheets might be considered sufficient to start a project. However, in the Chinese context, the physical 样品 (yàngpǐn) is often treated as the ultimate, tangible contract. The process of sending, receiving, and approving samples is a critical ritual of trust-building. The approved `样品` becomes the “golden sample”—the benchmark against which the entire mass-produced batch will be measured. Any deviation can be grounds for rejection. This emphasis on a physical standard reflects a cultural preference for tangible proof and meticulous verification over abstract promises, a cornerstone of successful sourcing and manufacturing in China.

`样品` is a versatile noun used across various domains.

• In Business and Trade: This is the most common context. It refers to pre-production samples, material swatches, or a sample of existing goods.
  • Requesting samples: `索取样品 (suǒqǔ yàngpǐn)`
  • Sending samples: `寄送样品 (jìsòng yàngpǐn)`
  • Approving samples: `确认样品 (quèrèn yàngpǐn)`
• In Retail: This refers to the free samples or testers offered to customers.
  • Free sample: `免费样品 (miǎnfèi yàngpǐn)`
  • Tester (e.g., for cosmetics): `试用装 (shìyòngzhuāng)` or `小样 (xiǎoyàng)` are also common, but `样品` is understood.
• In Science and Medicine: It is used for specimens collected for analysis.
  • Blood sample: `血液样品 (xuèyè yàngpǐn)` or `血样 (xuèyàng)`
  • Water sample: `水样 (shuǐyàng)` or `水质样品 (shuǐzhì yàngpǐn)`
• In Design and Engineering: It can refer to a prototype or mockup.
  • The first sample/prototype: `第一个样品 (dì yī ge yàngpǐn)`

The term is neutral and can be used in both formal business correspondence and everyday conversation.

• Example 1:
  • 我们能先看一下你们产品的样品吗？
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen néng xiān kàn yīxià nǐmen chǎnpǐn de yàngpǐn ma?
  • English: Can we see a sample of your product first?
  • Analysis: A standard and polite business request. `先…吗？` (xiān…ma?) is a common way to ask to do something first.
• Example 2:
  • 这个样品的质量我们很满意，可以开始大批量生产了。
  • Pinyin: Zhège yàngpǐn de zhìliàng wǒmen hěn mǎnyì, kěyǐ kāishǐ dà pīliàng shēngchǎn le.
  • English: We are very satisfied with the quality of this sample; we can begin mass production now.
  • Analysis: This sentence shows the critical “approval” step in a business context. `大批量生产 (dà pīliàng shēngchǎn)` means “mass production.”
• Example 3:
  • 超市里有很多免费的食品样品可以品尝。
  • Pinyin: Chāoshì lǐ yǒu hěnduō miǎnfèi de shípǐn yàngpǐn kěyǐ pǐncháng.
  • English: There are many free food samples to taste in the supermarket.
  • Analysis: This illustrates the everyday retail use of `样品`. `品尝 (pǐncháng)` means “to taste” or “to sample” (as a verb).
• Example 4:
  • 医生需要取一个血液样品进行化验。
  • Pinyin: Yīshēng xūyào qǔ yī ge xuèyè yàngpǐn jìnixíng huàyàn.
  • English: The doctor needs to take a blood sample for a lab test.
  • Analysis: A common sentence in a medical context. `化验 (huàyàn)` means “to do a laboratory test.”
• Example 5:
  • 大货的颜色和我们确认的样品有差别。
  • Pinyin: Dàhuò de yánsè hé wǒmen quèrèn de yàngpǐn yǒu chābié.
  • English: The color of the bulk goods is different from the sample we confirmed.
  • Analysis: A classic problem in manufacturing. `大货 (dàhuò)` is industry slang for the main production run or bulk goods.
• Example 6:
  • 这是我们新手机的第一个样品，功能还不完善。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì wǒmen xīn shǒujī de dì yī ge yàngpǐn, gōngnéng hái bù wánshàn.
  • English: This is the first sample (prototype) of our new phone; the functions are not yet perfect.
  • Analysis: Here, `样品` is used to mean “prototype.” `完善 (wánshàn)` means “perfect” or “complete.”
• Example 7:
  • 请把这些布料样品寄给客户。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng bǎ zhèxiē bùliào yàngpǐn jì gěi kèhù.
  • English: Please send these fabric samples to the client.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates the use of `样品` with specific materials. `布料 (bùliào)` means “fabric” or “cloth.”
• Example 8:
  • 我们的样品间里陈列了所有最新款式的产品。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen de yàngpǐnjiān lǐ chénliè le suǒyǒu zuìxīn kuǎnshì de chǎnpǐn.
  • English: Our showroom (sample room) displays all the newest styles of products.
  • Analysis: Shows a compound word built from `样品`. `样品间 (yàngpǐnjiān)` is a “sample room” or “showroom.”
• Example 9:
  • 科学家们正在分析从月球带回的岩石样品。
  • Pinyin: Kēxuéjiāmen zhèngzài fēnxī cóng yuèqiú dài huí de yánshí yàngpǐn.
  • English: The scientists are analyzing the rock samples (specimens) brought back from the moon.
  • Analysis: Highlights the scientific use of `样品` for “specimen.”
• Example 10:
  • 如果您对我们的产品感兴趣，我们可以提供样品供您评估。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ nín duì wǒmen de chǎnpǐn gǎn xìngqù, wǒmen kěyǐ tígōng yàngpǐn gōng nín pínggū.
  • English: If you are interested in our products, we can provide samples for your evaluation.
  • Analysis: A formal and professional sentence used in sales or customer service. `评估 (pínggū)` means “to evaluate.”

A common mistake for English speakers is to confuse `样品` with other words that can be translated as “example” or “model.”

• 样品 (yàngpǐn) vs. 例子 (lìzi):
  • 样品 (yàngpǐn): A physical sample or specimen. You can touch it, see it, and test it.
  • 例子 (lìzi): An abstract example for explanation. It's an idea, a story, or a case used to illustrate a point.
  • Incorrect: `请给我一个中文语法的样品。` (Please give me a physical sample of Chinese grammar.)
  • Correct: `请给我举一个中文语法的例子。` (Please give me an example of Chinese grammar.)
• 样品 (yàngpǐn) vs. 榜样 (bǎngyàng):
  • 样品 (yàngpǐn): A sample of an inanimate object or substance.
  • 榜样 (bǎngyàng): A role model; an exemplary person to be emulated.
  • Incorrect: `他是一个好工人的样品。` (He is a sample of a good worker.)
  • Correct: `他是一个好工人的榜样。` (He is a role model of a good worker.)
• “Sample” as a verb: In English, “to sample” food is a verb. In Chinese, you don't use `样品` as a verb. You use the verb `品尝 (pǐncháng)` for tasting food or `试用 (shìyòng)` for trying a product.

• 样本 (yàngběn) - Specimen, sample. Very similar to `样品`, but `样本` is often used more in scientific, statistical, or data collection contexts (e.g., a survey sample). `样品` is more common for commercial products.
• 原型 (yuánxíng) - Prototype, archetype. Refers more specifically to the first working model of a new invention or design, whereas `样品` can be a sample of an already existing product.
• 小样 (xiǎoyàng) - A colloquial and common term for a small sample, especially for cosmetics, perfumes, or beverages. It has a more informal and “cute” feeling.
• 样品间 (yàngpǐnjiān) - Showroom, sample room. The physical place where a company displays its product samples.
• 货样 (huòyàng) - A merchandise sample. A more technical term used specifically in trade and logistics.
• 质量 (zhìliàng) - Quality. The primary attribute that a `样品` is meant to demonstrate.
• 产品 (chǎnpǐn) - Product. The final, mass-produced item that the `样品` represents.
• 确认 (quèrèn) - To confirm, to approve. This is the action taken by a client after they are satisfied with a `样品`.
• 检测 (jiǎncè) - To test, to inspect. The process of evaluating a `样品` to ensure it meets standards.