jízhuāngxiāng: 集装箱 - Shipping Container, Container

• Keywords: 集装箱, jizhuangxiang, shipping container in Chinese, container, cargo container, intermodal container, containerization, China global trade, logistics in Chinese, freight, 货柜, huogui
• Summary: Discover the meaning of 集装箱 (jízhuāngxiāng), the Chinese word for a shipping container. This guide breaks down the characters 集 (to gather), 装 (to pack), and 箱 (box) to reveal the word's logical structure. Learn about the immense cultural and economic significance of the 集装箱 as a symbol of China's role as the “world's factory.” This entry provides practical example sentences for business and logistics, clarifies the difference between 集装箱 and its synonym 货柜 (huòguì), and explores related vocabulary for international trade.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jí zhuāng xiāng
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: A large, standardized, reusable steel box used for the intermodal transport of goods; a shipping container.
• In a Nutshell: 集装箱 (jízhuāngxiāng) is the standard Mandarin Chinese term for the large metal boxes you see on ships, trains, and trucks. It's a very literal and descriptive word that is essential for any conversation about logistics, manufacturing, or international trade. While it's a technical term, its presence is a powerful and visible symbol of modern global commerce.

• 集 (jí): This character means “to gather,” “to collect,” or “to assemble.” Its traditional form (集) depicts a bird (隹) on a tree (木), evoking an image of birds gathering together.
• 装 (zhuāng): This character means “to load,” “to pack,” or “to install.” It's composed of parts that suggest putting things into a container or putting on clothes (the 衣 radical means clothing).
• 箱 (xiāng): This character means “box,” “case,” or “chest.” The bamboo radical (竹) on top hints at the materials used for early boxes.

When combined, the meaning is perfectly logical: 集 (gather) + 装 (pack) + 箱 (box) = A box that you gather goods and pack them into.

The term 集装箱 itself is a modern, technical word, but its cultural significance in contemporary China is profound. It's a tangible symbol of China's economic miracle and its transformation into the “world's factory” (世界工厂, shìjiè gōngchǎng). In the West, a “shipping container” is primarily a logistical tool, an object of commerce. In China, while it serves the same function, the image of a port stacked high with colorful 集装箱 carries a heavier weight. It represents the export-driven economic policies that have lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty, the country's integration into the global economy, and its manufacturing prowess. For many, it's a visual shorthand for national development, hard work, and global reach. You cannot discuss China's modern history without acknowledging the role of the humble 集装箱. This contrasts with the Western view, where the container is more of a background element of consumerism. In China, it's often a foreground symbol of production and national economic strength.

集装箱 is used in any context related to shipping, freight, and logistics. It is a neutral, standard term appropriate for both formal business documents and casual conversations.

• Logistics and Trade: This is its primary use. You will hear it constantly when discussing booking shipments, port operations, customs clearance, and freight costs.
• Architecture and Design: In recent years, “container architecture” (集装箱建筑, jízhuāngxiāng jiànzhù) has become a trendy, modern style. People use repurposed containers to build creative cafes, offices, and even homes (集装箱房屋, jízhuāngxiāng fángwū).

The term is almost always used literally and has a neutral connotation.

• Example 1:
  • 那个港口堆满了五颜六色的集装箱。
  • Pinyin: Nàge gǎngkǒu duīmǎnle wǔyánliùsè de jízhuāngxiāng.
  • English: That port is piled high with colorful shipping containers.
  • Analysis: A simple descriptive sentence. 堆满 (duīmǎn) means “piled full,” a common verb used with containers in a port.
• Example 2:
  • 我们需要为这批货物预订一个四十英尺的集装箱。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen xūyào wèi zhè pī huòwù yùdìng yīgè sìshí yīngchǐ de jízhuāngxiāng.
  • English: We need to book a 40-foot container for this shipment of goods.
  • Analysis: This is a typical business sentence. It shows how to specify the size of a container, using 英尺 (yīngchǐ) for “feet.”
• Example 3:
  • 工人们正在把货物装进集装箱。
  • Pinyin: Gōngrénmen zhèngzài bǎ huòwù zhuāng jìn jízhuāngxiāng.
  • English: The workers are loading the goods into the container.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses the 把 (bǎ) construction to show the action of “loading” (装) being performed on the goods (货物).
• Example 4:
  • 这艘货船可以装载超过一万个集装箱。
  • Pinyin: Zhè sōu huòchuán kěyǐ zhuāngzài chāoguò yī wàn ge jízhuāngxiāng.
  • English: This cargo ship can carry over ten thousand containers.
  • Analysis: 装载 (zhuāngzài) means “to load/carry capacity.” The measure word for 集装箱 is typically the general-purpose 个 (ge).
• Example 5:
  • 由于海关检查，我们的集装箱被扣留了。
  • Pinyin: Yóuyú hǎiguān jiǎnchá, wǒmen de jízhuāngxiāng bèi kòuliú le.
  • English: Our container was detained due to a customs inspection.
  • Analysis: A common problem in international shipping. This sentence uses the passive voice with 被 (bèi) to show something happened to the container.
• Example 6:
  • 他用旧的集装箱改造了一个很酷的咖啡馆。
  • Pinyin: Tā yòng jiù de jízhuāngxiāng gǎizào le yīgè hěn kù de kāfēiguǎn.
  • English: He used an old shipping container to convert into a very cool cafe.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the modern architectural use of the term. 改造 (gǎizào) means “to transform” or “to remodel.”
• Example 7:
  • 集装箱运输大大降低了全球贸易的成本。
  • Pinyin: Jízhuāngxiāng yùnshū dàdà jiàngdī le quánqiú màoyì de chéngběn.
  • English: Container transport has greatly reduced the cost of global trade.
  • Analysis: Here, 集装箱 is used as part of a compound noun, 集装箱运输 (container transport), to describe the entire system.
• Example 8:
  • 卡车司机正在把集装箱从港口运到仓库。
  • Pinyin: Kǎchē sījī zhèngzài bǎ jízhuāngxiāng cóng gǎngkǒu yùn dào cāngkù.
  • English: The truck driver is transporting the container from the port to the warehouse.
  • Analysis: A good example showing the “intermodal” nature of containers, moving from port to truck to warehouse.
• Example 9:
  • 你可以通过这个号码追踪你的集装箱的位置。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ kěyǐ tōngguò zhège hàomǎ zhuīzōng nǐ de jízhuāngxiāng de wèizhì.
  • English: You can track the location of your container via this number.
  • Analysis: 追踪 (zhuīzōng) means “to track,” a key verb in modern logistics.
• Example 10:
  • 一个空的集装箱有多重？
  • Pinyin: Yīgè kōng de jízhuāngxiāng yǒu duō zhòng?
  • English: How much does an empty container weigh?
  • Analysis: A practical question. 空的 (kōng de) means “empty.”

• 集装箱 (jízhuāngxiāng) vs. 货柜 (huòguì): This is the most important distinction. 货柜 (huòguì), literally “goods container,” is a direct synonym. In Mainland China, 集装箱 is the more formal and standard term, used in official documents and news reports. 货柜 is more colloquial and is the preferred term in Taiwan and Hong Kong. If you're doing business in Mainland China, use 集装箱, but you will be understood if you use 货柜.
• 集装箱 (jízhuāngxiāng) vs. 箱子 (xiāngzi): A common beginner mistake is to confuse 集装箱 with the general word for “box,” 箱子 (xiāngzi). A 箱子 can be a cardboard box, a suitcase, or a wooden chest. A 集装箱 is ONLY the large, metal shipping container used for freight. You cannot use them interchangeably.
  • Incorrect: 我把书放在一个集装箱里。(Wǒ bǎ shū fàng zài yīgè jízhuāngxiāng lǐ.) - I put the books in a shipping container. (This is grammatically correct but logically absurd unless you are shipping thousands of books).
  • Correct: 我把书放在一个箱子里。(Wǒ bǎ shū fàng zài yīgè xiāngzi lǐ.) - I put the books in a box.

• 货柜 (huòguì) - A direct synonym for 集装箱, more common in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Southern China.
• 港口 (gǎngkǒu) - Port, harbor. The place where containers are transferred between ships and land.
• 物流 (wùliú) - Logistics. The entire industry and process of managing the flow of goods, in which containers are a key component.
• 海运 (hǎiyùn) - Sea transport, ocean freight. The primary method for moving containers internationally.
• 货船 (huòchuán) - Cargo ship, freighter. The vessels that carry thousands of containers.
• 报关 (bàoguān) - To declare goods at customs. A critical step for any international container shipment.
• 运费 (yùnfèi) - Shipping fee, freight cost. The price paid to transport a container.
• 仓库 (cāngkù) - Warehouse. A place where goods are stored before being loaded into or after being unloaded from a container.
• 码头 (mǎtóu) - Dock, pier, wharf. The specific structure within a port where ships moor to load and unload containers.
• 供应链 (gōngyìngliàn) - Supply chain. The broader network of organizations, people, and activities involved in moving a product from supplier to customer.