塑料
sùliào
The English word "plastic" is translated into Chinese as 塑料 (sùliào).
塑料 can be used as a noun meaning a synthetic thermoplastic polymer or as an adjective to describe items made of plastic. For example, you can use it to describe a 塑料袋 (plastic bag), a 塑料瓶 (plastic bottle) or a 塑料容器 (plastic container). It is also used when discussing 塑料废物 (plastic waste).
Meaning: made of plastic (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word 塑料 consists of 塑 (sù), meaning to mold or shape and 料 (liào), meaning material.
Which one should you use?
While 塑料 is the standard term for the material, it functions as an adjective when describing objects made of that material, such as a 塑料袋.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term 塑胶 (or its simplified form 塑胶) is commonly used in Taiwan and parts of Southern China, whereas 塑料 is the more standard term in Mainland China.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
sùliào
Did you know?
- In modern internet slang, 塑料 is used to describe 'fake' or superficial friendships. A 塑料姐妹花 ('plastic sister flower') refers to female friends who pretend to love each other but are actually rivals.
- The term 塑料感 ('plastic feel') is often used in film and gaming reviews to criticize CGI or graphics that look artificial and cheap.
- The character 塑 (sù) is also used in the word for 'sculpture' (塑造), linking the modern chemical material to the ancient art of shaping clay or stone.
Examples in context
- 那是塑料。That's plastic.This sentence identifies an object as being made of plastic.Tatoeba #13949100 by jan_OkulaJu, translation #2123556 by CK
- 我们应该尽我们最大的努力减少塑料包装的使用，并回收所有的塑料废物。We must make the utmost effort to reduce the use of plastic packaging, and also to recycle all waste plastic.This sentence discusses reducing plastic packaging and recycling plastic waste.Tatoeba #736853 by GlossaMatik, translation #736854 by eastasiastudent
- 如果把自然语言比作一棵随着时间推移而生长的大树，那么世界语就可以比作一棵人工制造出来的塑料树。If a natural language can be compared to a tree, which has developed during the course of time, Esperanto can be compared to a plastic tree, which was created artificially.This sentence uses a metaphor comparing a language to a 'plastic tree' (an artificial tree).Tatoeba #13994924 by jan_OkulaJu, translation #584042 by aandrusiak
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Xiaowen and Haoran are cleaning up after a picnic.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen这些塑料杯可以回收吗？Zhèxiē sùliào bēi kěyǐ huíshōu ma?Can these plastic cups be recycled?
- 浩然 Haoran可以，把它们放在那个蓝色桶里。Kěyǐ, bǎ tāmen fàngzài nàge lánsè tǒng lǐ.Yes, put them in that blue bin.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen那那个塑料袋呢？Nà nàge sùliào dài ne?What about that plastic bag?
- 浩然 Haoran那个不行，请把它扔在垃圾桶里。Nàge bùxíng, qǐng bǎ tā rēng zài lājītǒng lǐ.That one can't be, please throw it in the trash can.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “plastic” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
