qìyóu: 汽油 - Gasoline, Petrol

• Keywords: qiyou, qìyóu, 汽油, gasoline in Chinese, petrol in Chinese, how to say gasoline in Chinese, Chinese for petrol, filling up gas in China, car fuel in Chinese, gas station in China, jiayou, Chinese vocabulary for driving.
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese word 汽油 (qìyóu), which means “gasoline” or “petrol”. This guide breaks down the characters, explains its practical use at gas stations in China, and provides numerous example sentences. Understand how to ask to fill up your car, discuss gas prices, and learn related terms like `柴油 (cháiyóu)` for diesel, making this a perfect resource for anyone driving or living in China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): qìyóu
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: A flammable liquid fuel derived from petroleum, used in internal combustion engines.
• In a Nutshell: 汽油 (qìyóu) is the standard, direct term for gasoline or petrol. It's a technical and practical word you'll encounter in any context related to cars, transportation, and energy. Think of it as the specific fuel you put in a standard car, as opposed to other types of oil or fuel.

• 汽 (qì): This character means “steam” or “vapor”. It's composed of the water radical `氵(shuǐ)` on the left and the character for air/gas `气 (qì)` on the right. Together, they create the image of water turning into a gas—steam.
• 油 (yóu): This character means “oil”. It also features the water radical `氵(shuǐ)`, indicating it's a liquid, combined with `由 (yóu)` which provides the pronunciation.
• The two characters combine logically: 汽 (qì), “vapor,” and 油 (yóu), “oil,” literally form “vapor oil.” This perfectly describes gasoline, a type of oil that vaporizes easily to ignite in an engine.

While `汽油` itself is a modern, technical term, its role is deeply woven into the fabric of modern China's development. For decades, cars were a luxury reserved for government officials. Today, car ownership is widespread, and 汽油 (qìyóu) fuels the nation's logistics, daily commutes, and booming tourism industry. Unlike the United States where gas prices are primarily driven by market forces and numerous private brands compete (e.g., Shell, Exxon, BP), China's oil and gas industry is dominated by two state-owned giants: Sinopec (中国石化 - Zhōngguó Shíhuà) and PetroChina (中国石油 - Zhōngguó Petróleum). The government heavily influences and subsidizes fuel prices, making them a topic of national economic policy rather than just consumer spending. A notable practical difference for Western visitors is the service model. While self-service is the norm in the US, most gas stations in China are full-service. An attendant (`服务员 - fúwùyuán`) will fill your tank, and you typically pay them directly, often via mobile payment like WeChat Pay or Alipay. This reflects a more service-oriented culture in many consumer sectors in China.

`汽油` is used in a straightforward and neutral way. There are no strong positive or negative connotations; it is simply a functional noun.

This is the most common context. You'll need to specify the type of gasoline, usually by its octane number. The most common are 92 and 95.

• `92号汽油 (jiǔ'èr hào qìyóu)` - #92 gasoline (regular)
• `95号汽油 (jiǔ'wǔ hào qìyóu)` - #95 gasoline (premium)

You would tell the attendant:

• “加满九二号。” (Jiā mǎn jiǔ'èr hào.) - “Fill it up with #92.”
• “加200块钱的九五号。” (Jiā liǎngbǎi kuài qián de jiǔ'wǔ hào.) - “Add 200 yuan worth of #95.”

People discuss `汽油` in the context of car maintenance and prices (`油价 - yóujià`).

• “我的车快没汽油了。” (Wǒ de chē kuài méi qìyóu le.) - “My car is almost out of gas.”
• “最近油价又涨了。” (Zuìjìn yóujià yòu zhǎng le.) - “Gas prices have gone up again recently.”

• Example 1:
  • 我的车需要加汽油了，我们得找个加油站。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de chē xūyào jiā qìyóu le, wǒmen děi zhǎo ge jiāyóuzhàn.
  • English: My car needs gasoline, we have to find a gas station.
  • Analysis: A very common and practical sentence. `需要 (xūyào)` means “to need,” and `得 (děi)` means “have to.”
• Example 2:
  • 请问，你们这里有95号汽油吗？
  • Pinyin: Qǐngwèn, nǐmen zhèlǐ yǒu jiǔ'wǔ hào qìyóu ma?
  • English: Excuse me, do you have #95 gasoline here?
  • Analysis: This is a polite and direct way to ask for a specific type of gasoline at a gas station. `号 (hào)` is used for numbers in a series, like octane ratings.
• Example 3:
  • 最近国际汽油价格一直在上涨。
  • Pinyin: Zuìjìn guójì qìyóu jiàgé yīzhí zài shàngzhǎng.
  • English: Recently, international gasoline prices have been continuously rising.
  • Analysis: This sentence shows `汽油` used in a broader economic context. `价格 (jiàgé)` means “price,” and `上涨 (shàngzhǎng)` means “to rise” or “to go up.”
• Example 4:
  • 这辆车很省油，一升汽油能跑很远。
  • Pinyin: Zhè liàng chē hěn shěngyóu, yī shēng qìyóu néng pǎo hěn yuǎn.
  • English: This car is very fuel-efficient; it can go far on one liter of gasoline.
  • Analysis: `省油 (shěngyóu)` literally means “to save oil” and is the standard term for “fuel-efficient.” Note the measure word for gasoline is `升 (shēng)`, “liter.”
• Example 5:
  • 为了保护环境，政府鼓励使用无铅汽油。
  • Pinyin: Wèile bǎohù huánjìng, zhèngfǔ gǔlì shǐyòng wúqiān qìyóu.
  • English: To protect the environment, the government encourages the use of unleaded gasoline.
  • Analysis: `无铅 (wúqiān)` means “unleaded” (literally “no lead”). This sentence demonstrates a more formal, policy-related usage.
• Example 6:
  • 司机师傅，请帮我加满汽油。
  • Pinyin: Sījī shīfu, qǐng bāng wǒ jiā mǎn qìyóu.
  • English: Driver (a polite term for a professional driver or attendant), please help me fill up the tank with gasoline.
  • Analysis: `师傅 (shīfu)` is a respectful term for a skilled worker, including gas station attendants. `加满 (jiā mǎn)` means “to fill to the full.”
• Example 7:
  • 闻起来有很浓的汽油味儿。
  • Pinyin: Wén qǐlái yǒu hěn nóng de qìyóu wèir.
  • English: It smells strongly of gasoline.
  • Analysis: `味儿 (wèir)` means “smell” or “odor.” `浓 (nóng)` means “strong” or “dense.” This is useful for describing the physical properties of gasoline.
• Example 8:
  • 不同标号的汽油适用于不同压缩比的发动机。
  • Pinyin: Bùtóng biāohào de qìyóu shìyòng yú bùtóng yāsuōbǐ de fādòngjī.
  • English: Different grades of gasoline are suitable for engines with different compression ratios.
  • Analysis: A more technical sentence. `标号 (biāohào)` refers to the grade or number (like 92, 95). `发动机 (fādòngjī)` is “engine.”
• Example 9:
  • 由于汽油泄漏，这条路暂时关闭了。
  • Pinyin: Yóuyú qìyóu xièlòu, zhè tiáo lù zànshí guānbì le.
  • English: Due to a gasoline leak, this road has been temporarily closed.
  • Analysis: `泄漏 (xièlòu)` means “to leak.” This shows the term used in a safety or emergency context.
• Example 10:
  • 随着电动车的普及，未来对汽油的需求可能会下降。
  • Pinyin: Suízhe diàndòngchē de pǔjí, wèilái duì qìyóu de xūqiú kěnéng huì xiàjiàng.
  • English: With the popularization of electric cars, the demand for gasoline may decrease in the future.
  • Analysis: This sentence connects `汽油` to current trends in technology and energy. `电动车 (diàndòngchē)` is “electric car.”

• `汽油 (qìyóu)` vs. `油 (yóu)`: While `油 (yóu)` means “oil,” it's often used colloquially to mean “gasoline” in the context of a car. For example, “我的车没油了” (Wǒ de chē méi yóu le) is a very common way to say “My car is out of gas.” However, `油` is a general term that can also mean cooking oil (`食用油 - shíyòngyóu`), engine oil (`机油 - jīyóu`), etc. `汽油` is specific and unambiguous. As a learner, using `汽油` is always clearer and correct.
• `汽油 (qìyóu)` vs. `柴油 (cháiyóu)`: This is a critical distinction. `汽油` is gasoline for standard cars. `柴油 (cháiyóu)` is diesel fuel, used for trucks, buses, and some specific car models. Putting the wrong one in a vehicle will cause serious engine damage. Always be sure which one you need.
• “Gas” vs. `汽油 (qìyóu)`: The English word “gas” is ambiguous. It can mean gasoline or a gaseous substance like natural gas. In Chinese, these are distinct:
  • Gasoline: `汽油 (qìyóu)`
  • Natural Gas: `天然气 (tiānránqì)`
  • Coal Gas/Gas for cooking: `煤气 (méiqì)`

Never use `汽油` to refer to the gas you cook with.

• 加油 (jiāyóu) - Literally “to add oil/gas.” This is the most common phrase used to mean “fill up the tank.” It also famously means “Go for it!” or “Come on!” as a phrase of encouragement.
• 柴油 (cháiyóu) - Diesel fuel. The direct counterpart to gasoline.
• 加油站 (jiāyóuzhàn) - Gas station. Literally “add oil station.”
• 油价 (yóujià) - Oil/gas price.
• 电动车 (diàndòngchē) - Electric car. The primary alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles in China.
• 能源 (néngyuán) - Energy source. A broader category that includes gasoline, electricity, etc.
• 污染 (wūrǎn) - Pollution. A concept closely linked to the environmental impact of burning gasoline.
• 中国石化 (Zhōngguó Shíhuà) - Sinopec. One of the two major state-owned oil companies in China. You will see its logo everywhere.
• 中国石油 (Zhōngguó Shíyóu) - PetroChina. The other major state-owned oil company.