When you're talking about oxygen, the word to use is 氧气 (yǎngqì). It's a noun and directly translates to 'oxygen'.
You'll hear it in contexts related to breathing, science, or even when talking about the air we breathe. For example, if someone is having trouble breathing, you might say they need 氧气.
It's a straightforward term, so don't overthink it. Just remember 氧气 means oxygen.
When talking about 氧气 (yǎngqì), or oxygen, remember it's not just a scientific term. In Chinese, it's frequently used metaphorically. For instance, someone might say you are their 氧气, meaning you are essential to their life, just like oxygen.
You might also hear phrases like 吸氧 (xī yǎng), which literally means 'to inhale oxygen,' but can also be used in a medical context for oxygen therapy. Or, 缺氧 (quē yǎng), meaning 'lack of oxygen,' which can describe a feeling of being suffocated or overwhelmed, not just a physical state.
§ Basic Usage
§ As the Subject
氧气对生命很重要。
氧气帮助燃烧。
§ As the Object
我们需要氧气来呼吸。
植物产生氧气。
§ With Prepositions (but not on 氧气 directly)
空气中含有氧气。
我们离不开氧气。
§ Common Phrases with 氧气
- 氧气瓶 (yǎngqì píng)
- Oxygen tank / Oxygen cylinder
病人需要一个氧气瓶。
病人 (bìngrén) is 'patient'. 需要 (xūyào) is 'to need'. 一个 (yí ge) is 'one'. 'The patient needs an oxygen tank.' - 吸氧 (xī yǎng)
- To inhale oxygen / Oxygen therapy
高海拔地区可能需要吸氧。
高海拔地区 (gāo hǎibá dìqū) is 'high altitude areas'. 可能 (kěnéng) is 'might' or 'possibly'. 需要 (xūyào) is 'to need'. 'High altitude areas might require oxygen inhalation.' - 富含氧气 (fùhán yǎngqì)
- Rich in oxygen
森林里的空气富含氧气。
森林 (sēnlín) is 'forest'. 里的 (lǐ de) means 'in'. 空气 (kōngqì) is 'air'. 'The air in the forest is rich in oxygen.'
§ Don't Overthink It
Hey everyone! We're diving into the practical uses of 氧气 (yǎngqì), which means 'oxygen'. You might think, 'Oxygen, I know that!' And you'd be right. But knowing how this word pops up in different contexts in Chinese is super helpful for sounding natural.
§ In Daily Life and Health
Beyond the basic science, 氧气 comes up a lot when we talk about health, air quality, and even just feeling refreshed. Think about a stuffy room or a high-altitude hike.
- DEFINITION
- Oxygen, the gas we breathe that is essential for life.
房间里氧气不足，我感到有点头晕。
Hint: The room lacks oxygen, I feel a bit dizzy.
病人需要吸氧气。
Hint: The patient needs to inhale oxygen.
You'll also hear it when discussing air quality, especially in cities. Good air quality means enough fresh 氧气.
森林里有充足的氧气。
Hint: There is abundant oxygen in the forest.
§ In Science and Technology
Naturally, in science classes or news about scientific discoveries, 氧气 is a common word. Whether it's about chemistry, biology, or space exploration, oxygen is a fundamental element.
氧气是地球上生命存活的必需品。
Hint: Oxygen is a necessity for life to survive on Earth.
这个化学反应需要大量的氧气。
Hint: This chemical reaction requires a large amount of oxygen.
§ In News and Current Events
When reading news, especially articles related to environmental issues, health crises, or even space exploration, 氧气 will pop up. For example, discussions about air pollution often mention its impact on oxygen levels.
研究表明，城市空气中的氧气含量正在下降。
Hint: Studies show that the oxygen content in urban air is decreasing.
火星上发现了冰和少量氧气的证据。
Hint: Evidence of ice and a small amount of oxygen has been found on Mars.
So, there you have it. 氧气 isn't just a scientific term; it's a word you'll encounter in many daily conversations, news reports, and even when discussing your health. Keep an ear out for it!
§ Don't confuse it with air (空气 kōngqì)
Many beginners, and even intermediate learners, sometimes mistakenly use 氧气 (yǎngqì) when they actually mean air, which is 空气 (kōngqì). While oxygen is a component of air, they are not interchangeable in most contexts. Think of it this way: all oxygen is air, but not all air is just oxygen. 空气 (kōngqì) refers to the general mixture of gases we breathe, while 氧气 (yǎngqì) is specifically the element oxygen.
这里的空气很新鲜。(Here the air is very fresh.)
我需要呼吸新鲜空气。(I need to breathe fresh air.)
§ Not using it for 'lack of breath'
While 氧气 (yǎngqì) is oxygen, you generally wouldn't use it to describe feeling out of breath or short of breath in everyday conversation. For those situations, Chinese has more natural expressions.
- Wrong usage
- 我没有氧气了。(I have no oxygen.) - While grammatically correct, it sounds like you're literally running out of the gas oxygen, not just feeling winded.
Instead, you can use phrases like:
喘不过气 (chuǎnbuguòqì) - can't catch one's breath
上气不接下气 (shàngqì bù jiē xiàqì) - out of breath (literally: upper breath doesn't meet lower breath)
我跑得喘不过气来。(I ran so much I couldn't catch my breath.)
他跑得上气不接下气。(He was running out of breath.)
§ Using it in metaphorical contexts (rare)
In English, we might say something like, "You're my oxygen," to express that someone is essential to our life. While the sentiment is understood, directly translating this to "你是我的氧气" (Nǐ shì wǒ de yǎngqì) in Chinese sounds a bit awkward and unnatural. It's not a common or poetic expression.
Instead, you could say something like:
你对我来说很重要。(Nǐ duì wǒ lái shuō hěn zhòngyào.) - You are very important to me.
你是我生命中不可或缺的一部分。(Nǐ shì wǒ shēngmìng zhōng bùkě huòquē de yī bùfèn.) - You are an indispensable part of my life.
你是我生命中不可或缺的一部分。(You are an indispensable part of my life.)
§ Incorrect measure words
While 氧气 (yǎngqì) is often used without a measure word when referring to it generally, if you need to quantify it (e.g., a tank of oxygen), you would use specific measure words like 瓶 (píng - bottle/tank) or 罐 (guàn - can/jar). Never use common measure words like 个 (gè) with 氧气.
医生给病人一个氧气瓶。(The doctor gave the patient an oxygen tank.)
How Formal Is It?
"医院里常常需要储备氧气以备不时之需。(The hospital often needs to store oxygen for emergencies.)"
"植物通过光合作用产生氧气。(Plants produce oxygen through photosynthesis.)"
"我感觉这里空气不流通，有点缺氧气。(I feel like the air isn't circulating well here, a bit short of oxygen.)"
"我们需要氧气才能呼吸，对不对？(We need oxygen to breathe, right?)"
"你就是我的氧气，没有你我活不了。(You are my oxygen, I can't live without you. [Figurative, for someone essential])"
재미있는 사실
The character 氧 (yǎng) was created specifically for this word, combining 气 (qì, 'gas') with 养 (yǎng, 'to nourish'), suggesting its life-sustaining properties.
난이도
Two common characters, relatively easy to recognize.
Both characters have a manageable number of strokes.
Standard tones, no tricky pronunciation.
Clear pronunciation, unlikely to be confused with other words.
다음에 무엇을 배울까
선수 학습
다음에 배울 것
고급
어원
借词 (loanword) from Japanese 𠮷素 (sanso), ultimately from Dutch 'oxygeen'
원래 의미: acid-forming (from Greek 'oxys' + '-genēs')
Sino-Japanese loanword문화적 맥락
When talking about 'oxygen' in Chinese, it's often in scientific or health contexts. For instance, you might hear it discussed in relation to air quality, diving, or medical treatments. It’s a straightforward term without many cultural nuances beyond its scientific meaning.
자주 묻는 질문
10 질문The character 氧 (yǎng) is the key here. It has the radical 气 (qì), which means 'gas' or 'air.' This radical appears in many words related to gases, like 氢气 (qīngqì, hydrogen) and 氮气 (dànqì, nitrogen). So, if you see 气, think gas, and then remember 氧 is specifically oxygen. Try associating 氧气 with breathing and life.
Yes, there are a few! For example, 氧化 (yǎnghuà) means 'oxidation' or 'to oxidize.' Another one is 氧化物 (yǎnghuàwù), which means 'oxide.' You can see how the meaning of oxygen is carried into these related terms.
You can use it like you would use 'oxygen' in English. For example:
我们需要氧气才能生存。 (Wǒmen xūyào yǎngqì cái néng shēngcún.) - We need oxygen to survive.
这个房间的氧气不足。 (Zhège fángjiān de yǎngqì bùzú.) - There's not enough oxygen in this room.
No, 氧气 specifically means oxygen. For 'air' in general, you would use 空气 (kōngqì). While oxygen is a component of air, they are not interchangeable.
氧气 (yǎngqì) is oxygen, a specific gas essential for life. 空气 (kōngqì) is air, which is a mixture of various gases, including oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, etc. Think of oxygen as an ingredient, and air as the whole dish.
It's common! The key is to pay attention to the first character. For example, 氢气 (qīngqì) is hydrogen, and 氮气 (dànqì) is nitrogen. They all share the 气 (qì) radical, but the first character differentiates them. Focus on memorizing 氧 as 'oxygen.'
Not commonly in the same way English might use 'oxygen' for something vital or invigorating. In Chinese, it's pretty much used literally for the gas. If you want to say something is 'vital' or 'essential,' you'd use other phrases.
氧 (yǎng) is a third tone, starting low, dipping, and then rising. 气 (qì) is a fourth tone, a sharp, falling tone. Practice saying them together: yǎng-qì. Listen to native speakers if you can!
No, 氧气 (yǎngqì) is the standard and simplest way to say 'oxygen' in Chinese. It's a two-character word, which is very common in Chinese vocabulary. There isn't a shorter, more casual alternative.
Generally, yes. When someone says 氧气, they are usually referring to the oxygen we breathe. If you were talking about oxygen in a chemical context, you'd still use 氧气, but the context would make it clear. For example, 水是由氢气和氧气组成的。 (Shuǐ shì yóu qīngqì hé yǎngqì zǔchéng de.) - Water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen.
셀프 테스트 42 질문
我们呼吸______。
We breathe oxygen. 氧气 (yǎng qì) means oxygen.
没有______，人不能活。
Without oxygen, people cannot live. 氧气 (yǎng qì) means oxygen.
空气里有______。
There is oxygen in the air. 氧气 (yǎng qì) means oxygen.
植物给我们______。
Plants give us oxygen. 氧气 (yǎng qì) means oxygen.
______对我们很重要。
Oxygen is very important to us. 氧气 (yǎng qì) means oxygen.
鱼在水里需要______。
Fish need oxygen in the water. 氧气 (yǎng qì) means oxygen.
Write a short sentence about something that needs oxygen to live.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
鱼需要氧气才能活。
Write a sentence saying that air has oxygen.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
空气里有氧气。
Write a simple sentence describing what oxygen is.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
氧气是一种气体。
小猫需要什么才能呼吸？
Read this passage:
小猫需要氧气才能呼吸。如果没有氧气，它就不能活。
小猫需要什么才能呼吸？
文章中提到“小猫需要氧气才能呼吸”。
文章中提到“小猫需要氧气才能呼吸”。
鱼在哪里呼吸氧气？
Read this passage:
鱼在水里生活，但是它们也需要氧气。水里有氧气，所以鱼可以呼吸。
鱼在哪里呼吸氧气？
文章中提到“水里有氧气，所以鱼可以呼吸”。
文章中提到“水里有氧气，所以鱼可以呼吸”。
我们呼吸的时候吸入什么？
Read this passage:
我们每天都需要呼吸。呼吸的时候，我们吸入氧气。
我们呼吸的时候吸入什么？
文章中提到“呼吸的时候，我们吸入氧气”。
文章中提到“呼吸的时候，我们吸入氧气”。
'我们' (wǒmen) means 'we', '需要' (xūyào) means 'need', and '氧气' (yǎngqì) means 'oxygen'. So, '我们需要氧气' means 'We need oxygen'.
'水里' (shuǐ lǐ) means 'in the water', '有' (yǒu) means 'have/there is', and '氧气' (yǎngqì) means 'oxygen'. So, '水里有氧气' means 'There is oxygen in the water'.
'植物' (zhíwù) means 'plants', '制造' (zhìzào) means 'make/produce', and '氧气' (yǎngqì) means 'oxygen'. So, '植物制造氧气' means 'Plants make oxygen'.
Choose the correct Chinese word for 'oxygen'.
氧气 (yǎngqì) means oxygen.
我们生活需要___。
We need oxygen (氧气) to live.
When you are in a high place, sometimes it's hard to breathe because there is less ___.
In high places, there is less oxygen (氧气).
氧气 (yǎngqì) is something you can eat.
氧气 (yǎngqì) is oxygen, which you breathe, not eat.
Plants produce 氧气 (yǎngqì).
Plants produce oxygen (氧气) through photosynthesis.
Swimming underwater for a long time does not require extra 氧气 (yǎngqì).
Swimming underwater for a long time requires extra oxygen (氧气) to breathe.
在高原地区，空气稀薄，游客常常需要额外携带___瓶，以防出现高原反应。
在高海拔地区，空气中的氧气含量较低，因此需要补充氧气。
潜水员在水下作业时，必须携带装有压缩___的设备，才能在水下长时间呼吸。
潜水员需要纯净的氧气来呼吸。
植物通过光合作用释放出___，这是地球上大多数生物赖以生存的关键气体。
光合作用产生氧气。
消防员进入火灾现场时，必须佩戴带有___供应的呼吸器，以避免吸入有毒烟雾。
消防员需要安全的氧气供应来保护自己。
医院里，重症患者通常需要通过面罩或鼻导管吸入___，帮助他们维持正常的呼吸功能。
病人需要氧气来帮助呼吸。
在进行激烈的运动后，人体会消耗大量的___，所以需要深呼吸来补充。
运动消耗氧气，所以需要补充。
Describe the critical role oxygen plays in high-altitude environments for human survival and physical performance, using '氧气' at least twice.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
在高海拔地区，稀薄的空气意味着可供呼吸的氧气含量减少。对于人类而言，充足的氧气是维持正常生理功能和高强度体力活动的关键。因此，登山者常常需要携带氧气瓶以避免高原反应，确保生存并保持最佳表现。
Explain the process of photosynthesis, focusing on how plants produce oxygen and its significance for Earth's atmosphere, using '氧气' at least twice.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
光合作用是植物利用阳光、二氧化碳和水来制造养分并释放氧气的过程。这个过程对地球的生态系统至关重要，因为它源源不断地为大气层补充氧气，维持了生命所需的气体平衡。没有氧气，地球上的大多数生物将无法生存。
Discuss the medical applications of oxygen therapy, including conditions where it's prescribed and how it benefits patients, using '氧气' at least twice.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
氧气疗法在医疗领域有着广泛的应用，尤其对于患有呼吸系统疾病如慢性阻塞性肺病或严重肺炎的病人。通过吸入额外氧气，可以显著改善病人的血氧水平，减轻呼吸困难，从而提高他们的生活质量和康复机会。医用氧气是许多急救和长期护理方案中不可或缺的一部分。
根据短文，氧气在深海探测器中扮演什么角色？
Read this passage:
深海探测器中的一个关键系统是氧气供应装置。在极端的压力和低温环境下，确保充足的氧气供应是维持船员生命和设备正常运行的先决条件。一旦氧气耗尽，后果将是灾难性的。因此，氧气监测和备用系统是设计深海潜水器时必须优先考虑的因素。
根据短文，氧气在深海探测器中扮演什么角色？
短文明确指出氧气供应是维持船员生命和设备正常运行的先决条件。
短文明确指出氧气供应是维持船员生命和设备正常运行的先决条件。
“大氧化事件”与什么现象密切相关？
Read this passage:
地球大气层中氧气的含量在大约25亿年前开始显著增加，这一事件被称为“大氧化事件”。正是由于蓝细菌等微生物的光合作用，地球才逐渐积累了足够的氧气，为更复杂的生命形式的演化创造了条件。没有这次氧气的积累，现代生命将不可能存在。
“大氧化事件”与什么现象密切相关？
短文指出“正是由于蓝细菌等微生物的光合作用，地球才逐渐积累了足够的氧气”。
短文指出“正是由于蓝细菌等微生物的光合作用，地球才逐渐积累了足够的氧气”。
文中提及高纯度氧气在钢铁冶炼中的作用是什么？
Read this passage:
在现代工业生产中，高纯度氧气被广泛应用于钢铁冶炼、化工合成以及医疗保健等领域。例如，在炼钢过程中，氧气注入可以提高燃烧效率并去除杂质，从而生产出更高质量的钢材。在化工行业，氧气作为重要的氧化剂参与多种化学反应。其应用范围之广，体现了氧气在工业中的不可或缺性。
文中提及高纯度氧气在钢铁冶炼中的作用是什么？
文章中明确指出：“在炼钢过程中，氧气注入可以提高燃烧效率并去除杂质”。
文章中明确指出：“在炼钢过程中，氧气注入可以提高燃烧效率并去除杂质”。
This sentence describes the condition of oxygen in high mountains. '高山上' (on high mountains) is the location, '氧气' (oxygen) is the subject, and '稀薄' (thin) is the predicate.
This sentence states that humans need oxygen to survive. '人类' (humans) is the subject, '需要' (need) is the verb, '氧气' (oxygen) is the object, followed by '才能' (only then can) and '生存' (survive).
This sentence explains that forests provide fresh oxygen for us to breathe. '森林' (forests) is the subject, '为我们' (for us) is the indirect object, '提供了' (provided) is the verb, followed by '新鲜的 氧气' (fresh oxygen) and '呼吸' (to breathe).
/ 42 correct
Perfect score!
예시
植物通过光合作用产生氧气。
관련 콘텐츠
이 단어를 다른 언어로
관련 문법 규칙
science 관련 단어
吸收
A1To absorb; to take in.
海拔
B1The height of an object or place above sea level.
属性
B1A quality or feature that is typical of or belongs to something or someone.
生物
B1Any living thing, or the study of living organisms. Basic term for IELTS biology-related reading passages.
模糊
A1Blurry; vague; indistinct.
呼吸
A1To breathe; respiration.
燃烧
A1To burn; combustion.
计算
A1To calculate; to compute; to determine a value mathematically.
推算
B1To calculate, estimate, or figure out something using data, logic, or mathematical methods. It implies a process of reasoning from known facts to unknown values.
校准
B1To calibrate, adjust, or check for accuracy against a standard. It is used for instruments, data, or plans.
