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燃料 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
燃料ránliàofuelHSK 6, unknown, 26 strokes, rank #5516, Hard
ránliào(ran2liao4)ran liao T2
  1. 1fuel
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March 24, 2026

燃料ránliào(ran2liao4)

燃料 (rán liào) refers to any substance that can be burned to produce energy, commonly used in the context of vehicles, heating, or industrial processes. It encompasses various types of fuels, such as gasoline, coal, and natural gas, and is essential in discussions about energy consumption and environmental impact.

Strokes26Frequency#5516DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In China, discussions about 燃料 often relate to the country's significant reliance on coal for energy, as well as the ongoing shift towards renewable energy sources, reflecting broader global environmental concerns.

Memory Tip

Imagine a fire '燃' (rán) that needs '料' (liào) to burn. The character '燃' looks like flames, while '料' can remind you of the materials needed to keep the fire going. Together, they signify the materials that fuel a fire or engine.

Meanings of 燃料

ránliào(ran2liao4)
1fuel
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 燃料

燃料Simplified
26Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1

Podcast: 燃料

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Podcast: 燃料

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AI Study Notes for 燃料

Quick Contrast

汽油 (qìyóu, gasoline) — use 燃料 for a broader category of substances, while 汽油 specifically refers to a type of fuel.

Usage Notes

When using 燃料, be mindful of its context; it can be both formal in technical discussions and informal in everyday conversation about energy. A common mistake is to confuse it with '能源' (néngyuán), which refers to energy sources more broadly, rather than just the fuels themselves.

HSK Study Tips

燃料 is not currently within the HSK vocabulary list, but it relates to themes of energy and environment, which are common in advanced studies. Students at this level should focus on understanding related terms, such as '能源' (energy) and '燃烧' (combustion).

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 燃料 to refer to energy in general instead of specifically to fuels. For example, saying '我需要燃料来运行这个机器' (I need fuel to operate this machine) is correct, but saying '我需要燃料来供电' (I need fuel to supply power) is incorrect; '供电' should use '能源' instead.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 燃料

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Component Characters

燃ránto burn
16 strokes火
View full entry
料liàomaterial
HSK 610 strokes斗
View full entry

How to say fuel in Chinese

“fuel” in Chinese is燃料ránliào

燃料 (rán liào) refers to any substance that can be burned to produce energy, commonly used in the context of vehicles, heating, or industrial processes. It encompasses various types of fuels, such as gasoline, coal, and natural gas, and is essential in discussions about energy consumption and environmental impact.

When to use 燃料

When using 燃料, be mindful of its context; it can be both formal in technical discussions and informal in everyday conversation about energy. A common mistake is to confuse it with '能源' (néngyuán), which refers to energy sources more broadly, rather than just the fuels themselves.

燃料 or something close to it

汽油 (qìyóu, gasoline) — use 燃料 for a broader category of substances, while 汽油 specifically refers to a type of fuel.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly use 燃料 to refer to energy in general instead of specifically to fuels. For example, saying '我需要燃料来运行这个机器' (I need fuel to operate this machine) is correct, but saying '我需要燃料来供电' (I need fuel to supply power) is incorrect; '供电' should use '能源' instead.

Write 燃料

燃
料

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Cultural Notes for 燃料

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

The concept of fuel in China is closely tied to industrialization and energy policy, which may differ from Western countries where renewable energy discussions are more prevalent in everyday conversation.

Frequently Asked Questions about 燃料

Examples of 燃料 include gasoline (汽油), coal (煤), and natural gas (天然气).

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