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生产日期

A2 noun 13 min read

生产日期

sheng chan ri qi

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips 生产日期 in 30 Seconds

Explanation 生产日期 in your Level:

At the A1 level, you are learning the building blocks of the Chinese language. '生产日期' (shēngchǎn rìqī) might seem like a long word, but it is very useful. You already know '日' (rì) means day or sun. In this word, '日期' (rìqī) means 'date.' The first part, '生产' (shēngchǎn), means 'to make' or 'to produce.' When you go to a shop in China, you will see these four characters on every bottle of water or bag of snacks. You don't need to use it in complex sentences yet. Just look for it on the package. If you see '2023.10.01', that is the day the food was made. It is important because it helps you know if the food is fresh. You might hear someone say '这是生产日期' (This is the production date). At this level, focus on recognizing the characters '生' and '产' and '日' and '期'. Think of it as a 'birthday' for things you buy. It is a great way to practice reading numbers and dates in Chinese, which is a key A1 skill. You can practice by looking at things in your kitchen and trying to find where the date is written. Even if the packaging is in English, you can imagine the Chinese characters there. This helps you connect the language to your daily life.

At the A2 level, you can use '生产日期' in simple, practical sentences. You are likely navigating life in a Chinese-speaking environment, such as a supermarket or a convenience store. You should be able to ask where the production date is: '生产日期在哪里？' (Where is the production date?). You should also understand that in China, the production date is often more important than the expiration date on the label. You need to combine the '生产日期' with the '保质期' (shelf life) to know when the product expires. For example, if the production date is January 1st and the shelf life is 6 months, you know it is good until July. This is a very common task for A2 learners. You might also describe a product using this word: '这包饼干的生产日期是上个月' (The production date of this bag of cookies is last month). You are starting to understand the structure of compound nouns. '生产' (produce) + '日期' (date) = 'production date'. This logic is very common in Chinese. You should also be careful not to confuse it with '生日' (birthday), which is only for people. Practice saying the word clearly, as the 'sh' and 'ch' sounds are important for your pronunciation progress at this level.

At the B1 level, you can use '生产日期' in more formal or professional contexts, such as discussing product quality or consumer rights. You might participate in a conversation about why a certain product was returned: '因为生产日期不清楚，所以顾客退货了' (Because the production date was not clear, the customer returned the goods). You are also becoming more aware of the cultural and legal aspects of these labels in China. You can explain the difference between '生产日期' and '保质期' to others. You might encounter this word in news articles about food safety or in advertisements emphasizing the freshness of a product. You should be able to use related verbs like '标注' (to label) or '确认' (to confirm). For instance, '厂家必须在包装上清楚地标注生产日期' (Manufacturers must clearly label the production date on the packaging). At this level, you are also expected to recognize the word in various fonts, including the dot-matrix style used on industrial packaging. You can use '生产日期' to talk about logistics or small business operations, such as managing inventory. It's no longer just a word on a milk carton; it's a piece of data that you can use to make arguments or provide information in a work or study environment.

At the B2 level, you should be comfortable using '生产日期' in complex discussions regarding supply chain management, industrial standards, and consumer law. You can discuss the nuances between '生产日期' (production date), '制造日期' (manufacturing date), and '出厂日期' (date of leaving the factory). You might analyze a case study about a company that was caught '延后生产日期' (post-dating production dates) to deceive consumers. This requires a higher level of vocabulary and the ability to express ethical judgments. You can use the word in passive structures or as part of complex clauses: '被篡改了生产日期的食品对健康有害' (Food with tampered production dates is harmful to health). You should also be familiar with how this term appears in legal documents, contracts, and quality inspection reports. In a business meeting, you might argue for a more efficient system to track these dates: '我们需要改进喷码技术，以确保生产日期的准确性和持久性' (We need to improve inkjet technology to ensure the accuracy and durability of the production date). Your understanding of the word now includes its role in the broader context of '食品安全法' (Food Safety Law) and international trade standards, where labeling requirements can become a point of negotiation between countries.

At the C1 level, '生产日期' is a term you use with precision and authority. You can discuss the technical specifications of how production dates are recorded and stored in digital databases (ERP systems). You might write a report on the impact of labeling regulations on the export market, using '生产日期' as a key variable. You are capable of understanding and participating in high-level debates about '透明度' (transparency) in the manufacturing process. You might use the term in a metaphorical or highly specific sense, perhaps in a discussion about the 'shelf life' of ideas or political policies, though this is less common than its literal use. You can effortlessly switch between formal terms like '制造日期' and '生产日期' depending on the register of the conversation or the specific nature of the industry (e.g., heavy industry vs. FMCG). You are also sensitive to the sociolinguistic aspects of the word, such as how consumer trust in '生产日期' has fluctuated due to various safety incidents in the past. You can read and interpret complex regulatory documents from the '国家市场监督管理总局' (State Administration for Market Regulation) that dictate exactly how and where the 生产日期 must be printed, down to the font size and ink type.

At the C2 level, your command of '生产日期' is indistinguishable from that of a highly educated native speaker. You can engage in philosophical or socio-economic critiques of consumerism, using the '生产日期' as a symbol of the modern obsession with freshness and the commodification of time. You can navigate the most complex legal disputes involving '生产日期' in a court of law, understanding the minute differences in how the term is defined in various statutes. You might be involved in drafting the very regulations that govern how these dates are used in emerging industries, such as biotechnology or specialized chemical manufacturing. Your ability to use the word extends to understanding its place in the history of Chinese industrialization—how the transition from traditional markets to standardized packaging made '生产日期' a symbol of modernization and state control over public health. You can appreciate the irony in literature or film where a '生产日期' might be used to underscore the dehumanization of characters in a dystopian setting. Essentially, the word is no longer a vocabulary item but a tool you use to navigate and influence the highest levels of Chinese professional and intellectual life.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

生产日期 in 30 Seconds

生产日期 (shēngchǎn rìqī) means 'production date.'
It is essential for checking the freshness of products in China.
It is usually paired with '保质期' (shelf life) to find the expiry.
The format is always Year/Month/Day (e.g., 2024/05/20).

The term 生产日期 (shēngchǎn rìqī) is a compound noun that translates literally to 'production date.' In the context of Chinese consumer culture, manufacturing, and logistics, this is perhaps one of the most vital phrases to recognize. It consists of two primary parts: 生产 (shēngchǎn), meaning 'to produce' or 'manufacture,' and 日期 (rìqī), meaning 'date.' When you combine them, you get the specific calendar date on which a product was finished and packaged. Unlike many Western countries where 'Best Before' or 'Use By' dates are the most prominent labels on food and medicine, Chinese regulations often prioritize the 生产日期 as the primary point of reference. This means that as a consumer in China, you aren't just looking for when a product dies; you are looking for when it was born.

Etymological Breakdown: 生 (shēng) represents birth or life; 产 (chǎn) represents yield or property; 日 (rì) is the sun or day; 期 (qī) is a period or phase. Together, they form a technical term for the 'birth day' of a manufactured good.

请检查包装上的生产日期。 (Please check the production date on the packaging.)

You will encounter this term in every supermarket, pharmacy, and industrial setting across the Sinosphere. It is usually followed by a date in the format YYYY/MM/DD or YYYYMMDD. For example, if you see '20231025' stamped on a bottle of juice next to these characters, you know it was made on October 25, 2023. This is crucial because Chinese food products typically list the 保质期 (bǎozhìqī - shelf life) separately (e.g., '12 months'). To know if the food is safe, you must find the 生产日期 and add the shelf life to it. This requires a bit of mental math that is second nature to local shoppers but can be a source of confusion for newcomers who might mistake the production date for an expiration date and throw away perfectly good food.

Commercial Context: In manufacturing and B2B (business-to-business) interactions, the 生产日期 is used for quality control, batch tracking, and inventory management. It is a formal term used in contracts and shipping manifests.

这批货物的生产日期是不久前。 (The production date of this batch of goods was not long ago.)

Furthermore, the term is used in legal contexts. Consumer protection laws in China require all packaged food to clearly state the 生产日期. Failure to do so, or tampering with the date (known as '涂改生产日期'), is a serious offense. This makes the term a staple of news reports regarding food safety scandals or quality inspections. For a learner, mastering this word is not just about vocabulary; it is about safety and navigating the practicalities of daily life in a Chinese-speaking environment. Whether you are reading a milk carton, a medicine bottle, or an electronics warranty, these four characters are your guide to the product's history.

如果生产日期模糊不清，请不要购买。 (If the production date is blurred, please do not purchase it.)

Visual Identification: On packaging, you will often see it abbreviated as '生产' or simply followed by a colon. It is usually printed in a dot-matrix style font by an industrial inkjet printer on the cap, the seal, or the bottom of the container.

食品的生产日期非常重要。 (The production date of food is very important.)

Using 生产日期 in a sentence is relatively straightforward because it functions as a standard noun. However, its placement and the verbs associated with it follow specific patterns common in Chinese business and daily life. The most common verbs used with 生产日期 are 查看 (chákàn - to check/look at), 标注 (biāozhù - to label/mark), and 确认 (quèrèn - to confirm).

Subject Position: When 生产日期 is the subject, it often describes the status of the date itself. Example: 生产日期已经过期了 (The production date has already passed - though usually we say the product has expired, this form is used in technical discussions about labeling).

生产日期是哪一天？ (Which day is the production date?)

In a shopping context, you might ask a clerk about a product where the date is hard to find. You would say: '请问，这个产品的生产日期在哪里？' (Excuse me, where is the production date for this product?). Here, 生产日期 is the focus of the inquiry. In more formal settings, such as a factory audit, you might hear: '我们需要核对每一批次的生产日期' (We need to verify the production date of every batch). The word '核对' (héduì) adds a level of professional scrutiny.

这瓶药的生产日期是去年五月。 (The production date of this bottle of medicine is last May.)

Another common usage is in the negative. If a product is missing its date, it is considered unsafe or '三无产品' (a product without a brand, production date, or manufacturer). You might say: '这个包装上没有生产日期' (There is no production date on this packaging). This is a strong reason for a refund or a complaint. In administrative writing, you will see it in tables: '生产日期：2024年1月1日'. Note that in Chinese, the year (年), month (月), and day (日) are always in that specific order, which is consistent with the logical flow of 生产日期.

Object Position: When used as an object, it follows a verb of action. Example: 厂家正在打印生产日期 (The manufacturer is printing the production date).

顾客在看生产日期。 (The customer is looking at the production date.)

In advanced usage, you might discuss the '延后生产日期' (delaying/falsifying the production date to make it look fresher), which is a common topic in consumer rights discussions. You can also use it to define the start of a warranty: '保修期从生产日期开始计算' (The warranty period is calculated starting from the production date). This versatility makes it an essential noun for anyone operating in a Chinese environment, from the casual tourist to the professional engineer.

请确保生产日期清晰可见。 (Please ensure the production date is clearly visible.)

Common Verb Pairings: 修改 (xiūgǎi - to modify), 伪造 (wěizào - to forge), 记录 (jìlù - to record), 标注 (biāozhù - to mark).

我们需要根据生产日期来分类。 (We need to categorize based on the production date.)

The most common place to hear 生产日期 is in a retail environment. Imagine walking into a '7-Eleven' or a 'Wumart' in Beijing. You might hear an elderly shopper asking a younger staff member, '小伙子，这面包的生产日期在哪儿？我看不清。' (Young man, where is the production date on this bread? I can't see it clearly.) This highlights the word's role in daily survival and health. Shop assistants use it when they are restocking shelves, ensuring that the 'First In, First Out' (FIFO) principle is followed by checking the dates of the items they are placing.

In the Media: During the '3.15' International Consumer Rights Day gala in China, you will hear investigative journalists frequently using 生产日期 when exposing companies that sell expired goods or relabel old products with new dates.

新闻报道了关于修改生产日期的丑闻。 (News reported a scandal about modifying production dates.)

In a corporate or industrial setting, the term is heard in quality control (QC) meetings. A manager might say, '这一批货的生产日期必须在合同规定的范围内。' (The production date of this batch of goods must be within the range specified in the contract.) Here, it becomes a technical parameter. Engineers might discuss the '喷码机' (inkjet printer) and whether it is correctly printing the 生产日期 on the production line. If the printer fails, the entire line might stop because a product without a date cannot be legally sold.

经理在检查产品的生产日期。 (The manager is checking the production date of the products.)

You will also hear it in customer service interactions. If you call a company to complain about a faulty product, the first thing the agent will ask is, '请提供包装上的生产日期和批号。' (Please provide the production date and batch number on the packaging.) This allows them to trace the specific manufacturing run. In hospitals or clinics, nurses check the 生产日期 of vaccines or IV fluids before administration, often saying it aloud to a second nurse as a double-check: '生产日期：2023年6月，没问题。' (Production date: June 2023, no problem.)

At the Customs Office: Customs officers (海关) often use this term when inspecting imported food. If the 生产日期 is not translated or clearly marked according to Chinese standards, the goods may be seized or returned.

海关正在核实进口食品的生产日期。 (Customs are verifying the production date of imported food.)

Finally, in the classroom, teachers use this word to teach students about practical literacy. It is a 'high-frequency' word in HSK (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi) preparation because it bridges the gap between academic Chinese and survival Chinese. You might hear a teacher say, '学习如何看生产日期是生活中必不可少的技能。' (Learning how to read the production date is an essential life skill.) From the factory floor to the kitchen table, 生产日期 is a word that echoes throughout Chinese society.

请在表格中填写生产日期。 (Please fill in the production date in the form.)

The most significant mistake English speakers make with 生产日期 is a conceptual one: confusing it with the 'Expiration Date.' In many Western countries, the date printed on the package is the day you should stop eating the food. In China, the date printed next to 生产日期 is the day the food was made. If you see '2023/05/20' and it is currently '2023/05/21', the food is fresh, not expired! To avoid this, you must look for the 保质期 (bǎozhìqī), which tells you how many days or months the product lasts from that 生产日期.

Confusing with Expiry Date: Mistake: Seeing '生产日期: 2023.01.01' and thinking it's bad on Jan 2nd. Correct: Adding the shelf life (e.g., 18 months) to find the actual expiry date.

别把生产日期当成过期日期。 (Don't mistake the production date for the expiration date.)

Another mistake involves the character 产 (chǎn). Learners often confuse it with 严 (yán - strict) or 户 (hù - household) because of the similar top structure. It is important to remember that 产 has the 'standing' (立) radical on top (though modified) and refers to 'production' or 'birth.' Writing '生严日期' is a common typo that makes no sense in Chinese. Furthermore, some learners use '生产时间' (shēngchǎn shíjiān) instead of 生产日期. While 'shíjiān' means time, '日期' specifically refers to the calendar date, which is the standard term for labels.

注意，这不是过期时间，而是生产日期。 (Note, this is not the expiration time, but the production date.)

In writing, learners sometimes forget the order of the characters. Since 'Production' (生产) and 'Date' (日期) are both two-character words, they might try to swap them: '日期生产'. This sounds like 'the date produces [something]' and is grammatically incorrect as a compound noun. Also, be careful with the pronunciation of 'shēngchǎn.' If you mispronounce 'chǎn' as 'shān,' you might be saying 'Birth Mountain,' which will confuse listeners. The 'ch' is a strong, aspirated sound.

Formatting Errors: Mistake: Writing the date as DD/MM/YYYY after the characters. Correct: Chinese always uses YYYY/MM/DD. Writing it incorrectly might lead to significant confusion about whether a product is still valid.

由于错误的生产日期，这批货被退回了。 (Due to the wrong production date, this batch of goods was returned.)

Lastly, don't confuse 生产日期 with 生日 (shēngrì - birthday). While both contain '生' (birth), 生日 is only for living beings. You would never ask a person '你的生产日期是什么时候？' unless you are jokingly implying they are a robot or a mass-produced product. This is a humorous mistake, but one that highlights the 'manufactured' nuance of 生产日期.

这瓶水的生产日期已经模糊了。 (The production date on this bottle of water has become blurred.)

While 生产日期 is the standard term, there are several synonyms and related terms that you might encounter depending on the industry or the specific product. Understanding the nuances between these can help you sound more like a native speaker and navigate technical documents more effectively.

制造日期 (zhìzào rìqī): This term is almost identical to 生产日期 but is more commonly used for heavy machinery, electronics, or complex manufactured goods. '生产' (shēngchǎn) feels more like 'outputting' or 'processing,' while '制造' (zhìzào) feels more like 'building' or 'crafting.'

这台机器的制造日期是2010年。 (The manufacturing date of this machine is 2010.)

Another related term is 出厂日期 (chūchǎng rìqī). This literally means 'the date it left the factory.' In many cases, this is the same as the 生产日期, but in logistics, there might be a few days' difference between when a product was 'produced' (finished on the line) and when it 'left the factory' (was shipped out). If you are tracking a shipment, 出厂日期 is the more relevant term.

我们需要确认货物的出厂日期。 (We need to confirm the date the goods left the factory.)

On the opposite end of the timeline, we have 有效期 (yǒuxiàoqī - period of validity) or 保质期 (bǎozhìqī - shelf life). While not synonyms, they are the 'partners' of 生产日期. In some cases, you might see 失效日期 (shīxiào rìqī) or 截止日期 (jiézhǐ rìqī), which mean 'expiration date' or 'deadline.' Learners should be careful not to use 生产日期 when they actually want to ask 'When does this expire?' (什么时候过期？).

Comparison Table

生产日期: Focus on birth/packaging (Standard for food).
制造日期: Focus on assembly/construction (Standard for hardware).
出厂日期: Focus on logistics/shipping.
包装日期 (bāozhuāng rìqī): Packaging date (Specific to the final step).

有些产品只标注了包装日期。 (Some products only label the packaging date.)

In very informal settings, people might just say '什么时候做的？' (When was it made?). This is perfectly fine in a wet market or a bakery where items aren't industrially packaged. However, as soon as there is a label involved, 生产日期 becomes the inescapable term. Another niche term is 灌装日期 (guànzhuāng rìqī), specifically used for bottled liquids like wine or oil, meaning 'bottling date.' While specific, 生产日期 can still be used as a general substitute for any of these without being 'wrong,' making it the safest and most versatile term to master first.

请核对批号和生产日期。 (Please check the batch number and production date.)

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

In ancient China, dates were often recorded by the reign of an emperor. The concept of a precise 'production date' on every commercial item only became standard with the rise of modern food safety laws in the 20th century.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /ʃʌŋ tʃʰæn ʐi tɕʰi/

US /ʃʌŋ tʃʰæn ʐi tɕʰi/

Main stress is on the first character of each word: SHĒNG and RÌ.

Rhymes With

生 (shēng) rhymes with 灯 (dēng) 产 (chǎn) rhymes with 脸 (liǎn - loosely) 日 (rì) rhymes with 字 (zì - loosely) 期 (qī) rhymes with 衣 (yī)

Common Errors

Pronouncing 'chǎn' as 'shān' (losing the aspiration).
Pronouncing 'rì' as 'lee' or 'ree'.
Mixing up the tones, especially changing the 1st tone of 'shēng' to a 2nd tone.
Forgetting the aspiration in 'qī'.
Merging 'rìqī' into a single syllable.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 2/5

Characters are common but '产' and '期' have many strokes.

Writing 3/5

Writing '产' and '期' correctly requires attention to stroke order.

Speaking 2/5

Aspirated 'ch' and 'q' can be tricky for beginners.

Listening 2/5

Very distinct and commonly heard in shopping contexts.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

生 (Birth) 日 (Day) 期 (Period) 年 (Year) 月 (Month)

Learn Next

保质期 (Shelf life) 有效期 (Validity period) 过期 (Expired) 质量 (Quality) 厂家 (Manufacturer)

Advanced

追溯性 (Traceability) 监管 (Regulation) 批号 (Batch number) 合格证 (Certificate of quality)

Grammar to Know

Compound Nouns

生产 (Produce) + 日期 (Date) = 生产日期

Date Format

2024年5月20日 (Year Month Day)

Possessive '的'

产品的生产日期 (Product's production date)

Existence with '有/没有'

包装上有生产日期。

Location with '在'

生产日期在瓶盖上。

Examples by Level

这是生产日期。

This is the production date.

Basic 'Subject + 是 + Noun' structure.

生产日期是今天。

The production date is today.

Using '今天' as a predicate.

看，这里有生产日期。

Look, here is the production date.

Using '有' to indicate existence.

生产日期在哪里？

Where is the production date?

Simple question with '在哪里'.

我看到生产日期了。

I saw the production date.

Using '了' for completed action.

生产日期是二月。

The production date is February.

Specifying the month.

请问，生产日期呢？

Excuse me, what about the production date?

Using '呢' for an elliptical question.

生产日期很重要。

The production date is very important.

Subject + 很 + Adjective.

请检查一下生产日期。

Please check the production date.

Using '一下' for a brief action.

包装上没有生产日期。

There is no production date on the packaging.

Negative existence with '没有'.

生产日期是2023年5月。

The production date is May 2023.

Standard date format: Year + Month.

这瓶水的生产日期很近。

The production date of this bottle of water is very recent.

Using '近' (near/recent) for dates.

我不认识这些生产日期。

I don't recognize these production dates.

Negative '认识' for recognition.

牛奶的生产日期是昨天。

The production date of the milk was yesterday.

Possessive '的' structure.

他在找生产日期。

He is looking for the production date.

Present continuous with '在'.

你要看生产日期吗？

Do you want to look at the production date?

Question with '吗'.

买东西以前，一定要看生产日期。

Before buying things, you must look at the production date.

Using '...以前' for 'before'.

如果生产日期模糊，就别买了。

If the production date is blurred, then don't buy it.

Conditional '如果...就...' structure.

这批产品的生产日期都是统一的。

The production dates for this batch of products are all uniform.

Using '统一' (unified/uniform).

他发现生产日期被改过了。

He discovered that the production date had been changed.

Passive meaning with '被'.

生产日期和保质期都很清楚。

The production date and shelf life are both very clear.

Using '和' to connect two subjects.

我们需要登记每件货物的生产日期。

We need to register the production date of each item.

Verb '登记' (register).

这个生产日期写错了，是吗？

This production date is written wrong, isn't it?

Resultative complement '写错'.

厂家忘记印生产日期了。

The manufacturer forgot to print the production date.

Verb '忘记' (forget).

根据法律，所有食品必须标明生产日期。

According to the law, all food must clearly state the production date.

Formal phrase '根据法律'.

消费者非常关注食品的生产日期。

Consumers are very concerned about the production date of food.

Verb '关注' (to pay attention/care about).

喷码机正在自动打印生产日期。

The inkjet printer is automatically printing the production date.

Adverb '自动' (automatically).

生产日期是追踪产品质量的关键。

The production date is key to tracking product quality.

Noun phrase '...的关键' (the key to...).

为了安全，请务必确认生产日期。

For safety, please be sure to confirm the production date.

Formal imperative '务必'.

这份报告详细记录了这批货的生产日期。

This report details the production dates of this batch of goods.

Adverb '详细' (in detail).

由于生产日期太久，这些药不能用了。

Because the production date is too old, these medicines can't be used.

Cause and effect '由于...所以...'.

请在合同中注明生产日期的范围。

Please specify the range of production dates in the contract.

Verb '注明' (to specify/note).

该企业因涂改生产日期而受到了严厉惩罚。

The enterprise was severely punished for altering production dates.

Formal '因...而...' structure.

生产日期的透明度直接影响到品牌的信誉。

The transparency of the production date directly affects the brand's reputation.

Abstract noun '透明度' (transparency).

我们需要对生产日期进行数字化管理。

We need to carry out digital management of production dates.

Formal construction '对...进行...'.

严格核对生产日期是防止过期食品流入市场的首要任务。

Strictly verifying production dates is the primary task to prevent expired food from entering the market.

Complex subject phrase.

该产品的生产日期与其批次信息是关联的。

The production date of the product is linked to its batch information.

Formal '与...关联' (linked with).

消费者有权要求查看货物的原始生产日期。

Consumers have the right to demand to see the original production date of the goods.

Phrase '有权' (have the right to).

生产日期的标注方式必须符合国家标准。

The labeling method of the production date must comply with national standards.

Verb '符合' (comply with/meet).

通过生产日期，我们可以追溯到具体的生产线。

Through the production date, we can trace back to the specific production line.

Verb '追溯' (trace back).

在工业文明中，生产日期成为了物之存在的某种时间坐标。

In industrial civilization, the production date has become a kind of time coordinate for the existence of objects.

Metaphorical use of '坐标'.

法律对生产日期的界定不仅关乎安全，更关乎契约精神。

The legal definition of the production date is not only about safety, but more about the spirit of the contract.

Not only... but also... structure '不仅...更...'.

即便生产日期尚新，若储存不当，品质亦会大打折扣。

Even if the production date is still recent, if stored improperly, the quality will be greatly reduced.

Literary particles '即便', '若', '亦'.

探讨生产日期的标注演变，可以窥见中国监管体制的进步。

Exploring the evolution of production date labeling allows a glimpse into the progress of China's regulatory system.

Verb '窥见' (get a glimpse of).

生产日期之于产品，犹出生日期之于人，具有不可更改的严肃性。

The production date is to a product what the birth date is to a person, possessing an unalterable seriousness.

Formal analogy '...之于..., 犹...之于...'.

该项政策旨在杜绝任何形式的生产日期虚报行为。

The policy aims to eliminate any form of false reporting of production dates.

Verb '旨在' (aim to) and '杜绝' (eliminate).

这种对生产日期的极致追求，反映了当代社会的某种焦虑。

This extreme pursuit of the production date reflects a certain anxiety in contemporary society.

Abstract noun phrase '对...的追求'.

生产日期的数字化存证，为打击伪劣产品提供了强有力的技术支撑。

Digital evidence of production dates provides strong technical support for cracking down on counterfeit and substandard products.

Formal phrase '强有力的技术支撑'.

Common Collocations

查看生产日期

标注生产日期

打印生产日期

修改生产日期

确认生产日期

模糊的生产日期

原始生产日期

核对生产日期

生产日期喷码

生产日期范围

Common Phrases

生产日期和保质期

— The two essential dates on any food item. They are used together to calculate the expiry.

请同时关注生产日期和保质期。

生产日期不详

— The production date is unknown or not marked. This is a red flag for quality.

这件商品生产日期不详，请勿购买。

生产日期新鲜

— The production date is very recent, implying the item is very fresh.

这批水果的生产日期非常新鲜。

生产日期延后

— Post-dating a production date to make it look newer than it is. A common fraud.

查处生产日期延后的违法行为。

生产日期清晰

— The date is easy to read. A sign of good packaging standards.

合格的产品必须保证生产日期清晰。

根据生产日期

— Based on the production date. Used for sorting or decision making.

根据生产日期对库存进行排序。

生产日期起计

— Calculated starting from the production date. Used for warranties.

保修期从生产日期起计一年。

更改生产日期

— To change the date. Usually implies a negative or illegal action.

严禁擅自更改生产日期。

查看生产日期处

— Look at where the production date is. Directions for finding the label.

请查看瓶盖上的生产日期处。

生产日期标识

— The production date label or identifier.

这个生产日期标识不符合规范。

Often Confused With

生产日期 vs 保质期

This is shelf life (e.g., 12 months), not the date it was made.

生产日期 vs 有效期

This is the period it is valid, often ending in a 'Valid Until' date.

生产日期 vs 生日

Used for people, never for inanimate products.

Idioms & Expressions

"生生不息"

— Endless growth and reproduction. While not directly about dates, it uses the '生' character from production.

大自然生生不息。

Literary

"老生常谈"

— A platitude; a common saying. Often used for topics like 'check the production date' which are repeated often.

虽然是老生常谈，但看生产日期很重要。

Common

"日新月异"

— Changing with each passing day. Uses '日' and implies rapid production/progress.

科技的发展日新月异。

Formal

"不期而遇"

— To meet by chance. Uses the '期' from '日期'.

我们在超市不期而遇。

Common

"指日可待"

— Can be expected soon. Uses '日'.

新产品的生产日期指日可待。

Formal

"旷日持久"

— Long-drawn-out; protracted. Uses '日'.

这场官司旷日持久。

Formal

"后期之秀"

— A late bloomer or rising star. Uses '期'.

他是这个行业里的后期之秀。

Common

"改头换面"

— To change the appearance (often used for relabeling products with new dates).

这批过期食品改头换面重新出售。

Negative

"有名无实"

— Having the name but not the reality. Used for products with fake dates.

这瓶所谓的名酒其实有名无实。

Formal

"一目了然"

— Clear at a glance. Used for clear production dates.

包装上的生产日期一目了然。

Common

Easily Confused

生产日期 vs 制造日期

Both mean manufacturing date.

生产日期 is more common for food/perishables; 制造日期 is for hardware/machinery.

电脑的制造日期在背面。

生产日期 vs 出厂日期

Often the same day.

出厂日期 specifically refers to when it left the factory gates.

货物出厂日期是昨天。

生产日期 vs 加工日期

Both refer to making something.

加工 refers to processing raw materials (like meat or vegetables).

肉类的加工日期很重要。

生产日期 vs 包装日期

Usually the same as production date.

Packaging might happen later than production in some industries (like wine).

茶叶的包装日期比采摘日期晚。

生产日期 vs 灌装日期

Specific to liquids.

Used for things put into bottles (wine, oil, soda).

这瓶油的灌装日期是三月。

Sentence Patterns

这是 [Noun]。

这是生产日期。

[Noun] 在哪里？

生产日期在哪里？

如果不 [Verb]，就 [Result]。

如果不看生产日期，就可能买到过期的。

根据 [Rule]，必须 [Action]。

根据法律，必须标注生产日期。

由于 [Reason] 而受到 [Result]。

由于涂改生产日期而受到罚款。

对 [Object] 进行 [Action]。

对生产日期进行核对。

[A] 之于 [B]，犹 [C] 之于 [D]。

生产日期之于产品，犹生日之于人。

旨在 [Goal]。

该政策旨在规范生产日期的标注。

Word Family

Nouns

生产 (Production)

日期 (Date)

生产者 (Producer)

生产力 (Productivity)

生产线 (Production line)

Verbs

生产 (To produce)

产出 (To yield)

日期化 (To date - rare)

Adjectives

生产的 (Productive/Manufacturing-related)

定期的 (Periodic/Regular)

保质期 (Shelf life)

有效期 (Validity period)

批号 (Batch number)

厂家 (Manufacturer)

包装 (Packaging)

How to Use It

frequency

Extremely high in daily life, shopping, and industry.

Common Mistakes

Thinking 生产日期 is the 'Best Before' date. → Adding the shelf life to the 生产日期.
This is the most common error. If you see a date on a Chinese product, it is almost always the day it was made, not the day it expires.
Using '生产时间' (shēngchǎn shíjiān). → 生产日期 (shēngchǎn rìqī).
While 'shíjiān' means time, 'rìqī' is the specific term for a calendar date on labels.
Pronouncing '产' (chǎn) as 'shān'. → chǎn (with a strong 'CH' sound).
Mispronouncing the aspiration can make the word hard for native speakers to recognize.
Writing the date as Day/Month/Year. → Year/Month/Day.
Chinese always uses the descending order (Big to Small). Writing it differently after '生产日期' will confuse people.
Asking a person for their '生产日期'. → 生日 (shēngrì).
生产日期 is for objects and manufacturing. Using it for people sounds like you are calling them a robot or a product.

Tips

Reach for the Back

Supermarket staff in China usually put the products with the oldest production dates at the front. If you want the freshest milk or bread, reach to the back of the shelf to find a more recent 生产日期.

Check the Ink

If the production date looks like it has been wiped off and re-printed, or if the ink is very smudged, be cautious. This could be a sign of tampering. Legitimate dates are usually very crisp.

Learn the Duo

Never learn 生产日期 alone. Always learn it with 保质期 (bǎozhìqī - shelf life). They are a pair. One tells you the start, the other tells you the duration.

Gift Giving

When buying high-end gifts like tea or supplements for Chinese friends, check the 生产日期. Giving something with a very old production date might be seen as slightly disrespectful, even if it's not expired yet.

Customs Check

If you are bringing food back from China, customs in your home country might look for the date. Knowing how to point out the 生产日期 can help you explain that the food is still safe.

Contract Precision

In business contracts, specify that the 生产日期 must be within a certain number of days of the shipping date to ensure you aren't receiving old stock.

Apps for Checking

Some Chinese apps allow you to scan the barcode or the date itself to verify the product's authenticity and check the 生产日期 against the manufacturer's database.

Medicine Dates

For medicine, the 生产日期 is often on the individual foil blister pack, not just the outer box. Always double-check both.

Noun Order

Remember that in Chinese, the 'owner' comes first. It's 'Milk's production date' (牛奶的生产日期), not 'the production date of milk'.

Mental Math

Practice adding months to dates in Chinese. If the date is 2023.05.10 and the shelf life is 18 months, can you quickly find the expiry? (It's 2024.11.10).

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a 'SUN' (日) shining on a 'FACTORY' (生产) to show the 'DATE' (日期). 'Shēng' is like the 'Birth' of the product.

Visual Association

Imagine a milk carton with a giant birthday candle on it. The date on the candle is the 生产日期.

Word Web

Food Safety Factory Calendar Labels Milk Medicine Freshness

Challenge

Go to your fridge, find a Chinese product, and say the 生产日期 out loud in Chinese (Year-Month-Day).

Word Origin

The term is a modern compound. '生产' became a standard term for industrial production in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as China modernized. '日期' has been used for centuries to denote a specific day.

Original meaning: The literal 'birth-yield sun-period,' referring to the scheduled time of a product's creation.

Sino-Tibetan (Chinese).

Cultural Context

Be polite when asking staff to find the date; they are often very busy.

Westerners often look for 'Best Before'. In China, you must do the math yourself using the production date.

The 3.15 Gala (Consumer Rights Day) often features this word. Chinese Food Safety Law (中华人民共和国食品安全法). Standard GB 7718 (National Standard for General Rules for the Labeling of Prepackaged Foods).

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Supermarket Shopping

生产日期在哪里？
这个生产日期太久了。
我要最新的生产日期。
看不清生产日期。

Factory Quality Control

打印生产日期。
核对批号和生产日期。
生产日期喷码错误。
记录生产日期。

Hospital/Pharmacy

药品的生产日期。
检查疫苗的生产日期。
生产日期在盒底。
生产日期超过三年。

Legal/Consumer Rights

涂改生产日期。
没有生产日期的产品。
投诉生产日期问题。
法律规定的生产日期标注。

Import/Export

翻译生产日期。
报关单上的生产日期。
生产日期符合标准。
检查货物的生产日期。

Conversation Starters

"请问，这个牛奶的生产日期在哪儿？"

"你买东西的时候会看生产日期吗？"

"这家超市的生产日期都很新鲜。"

"如果生产日期被涂改了，你该怎么办？"

"你知道怎么计算保质期和生产日期吗？"

Journal Prompts

今天我在超市发现一个产品的生产日期竟然是明天的！这可能是什么原因？

描述一次你因为没看生产日期而买到过期食品的经历。

为什么你认为在包装上清楚地标注生产日期对社会很重要？

如果你是一家工厂的经理，你会如何确保生产日期的准确性？

对比一下你家乡和中国的食品日期标注方式有什么不同。

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

Chinese regulations emphasize transparency about when a product was made. By providing the production date and the shelf life (保质期), the consumer has full information about the product's age. This is seen as more informative than just an expiration date, as it allows the buyer to choose the freshest possible item from the shelf.

It varies by product. For bottled drinks, it's often on the cap or the 'shoulder' of the bottle. For bagged snacks, it's usually on the back seal or the bottom. For milk cartons, check the top fold. It is often stamped in black or blue ink.

Chinese dates always follow the Year-Month-Day order. So, 20231005 is October 5, 2023. Sometimes you will see '2023年10月05日', which is the same thing but with the characters for Year, Month, and Day included.

In China, a product without a production date, manufacturer, or brand is called a '三无产品' (Three-Nos Product). It is illegal to sell these, and they are considered unsafe. You should not buy them and can report the store to the authorities (dial 12315).

Usually, no. Clothing labels use '执行标准' (execution standard) and '安全类别' (safety category). You might see a '检验员' (inspector) stamp with a date, but '生产日期' is mostly for food, medicine, and electronics.

Legally, no. Once a product is packaged, the date is fixed. Falsifying or 're-stamping' a production date is a serious criminal offense in China, often targeted by food safety inspectors.

They are nearly identical. 生产日期 is the general term used for almost everything, especially consumer goods. 制造日期 (zhìzào rìqī) sounds more 'industrial' and is typically used for cars, computers, and appliances.

Usually just the date. However, for very short-lived products like fresh milk or 'to-go' meals, it might include the hour (e.g., 2023/10/05 08:00).

You say '过期了' (guòqī le). You can check this by seeing if the time since the 生产日期 is longer than the 保质期.

No, often the numbers are just stamped on the package. But the characters '生产日期' will be printed on the label nearby so you know what the numbers refer to.