燃料

ねんりょう

fuel

JLPT N1

Character Breakdown

Understanding 燃料 (ránliào)

燃料 literally means 'fuel'—a substance that burns to produce energy. It is commonly used in contexts related to vehicles, factories, and energy sources. When you hear 燃料, think of gasoline, diesel, coal, or even renewable energy sources like solar power.

Usage and Collocations

  • 燃料 (jiā ránliào): to refuel, commonly used for vehicles or machines.
  • 燃料消耗 (ránliào xiāohào): fuel consumption, often used in industrial or environmental discussions.
  • 清洁燃料 (qīngjié ránliào): clean fuel, referring to environmentally friendly energy sources.

Practical Notes

燃料 is a noun and usually appears as the object of verbs like (add/refuel) or 消耗 (consume). It is a formal term often used in technical, scientific, or news contexts rather than casual conversation.

Avoid confusing 燃料 with 能源 (néngyuán), which means 'energy' in a broader sense. 燃料 specifically refers to the material that burns to produce energy.

Summary

Use 燃料 when talking about substances that provide energy through burning, especially in technical or environmental contexts. Remember common phrases like 燃料 and 燃料消耗 to sound natural and precise.

Example Sentences

Cars need to be refueled to run.

Solar energy is a kind of clean fuel.

The factory's fuel consumption increases year by year.