noun HSK 5
Traditional 專利
zhuān
patent · exclusive right

Meaning

专利 refers to a patent or exclusive legal right granted to an inventor for their invention. It protects intellectual property and gives the holder exclusive rights to make, use, or sell the invention for a specified period. The term is widely used in business, legal, and academic contexts related to innovation and intellectual property rights.

Usage

专利 is commonly used in formal business and legal settings. It often appears in phrases like 申请专利 (apply for a patent) or 专利权 (patent rights). In Chinese business culture, patents are increasingly important as innovation becomes central to economic development. The term can refer both to the legal right itself and to the patented invention.

Examples

  1. 01
    这家公司拥有五十多项专利技术。
    Zhè jiā gōng yōng yǒu shí duō xiàng zhuān shù.
    This company owns over fifty patented technologies.
  2. 02
    他们正在申请新产品的专利保护。
    men zhèng zài shēn qǐng xīn chǎn pǐn de zhuān bǎo .
    They are applying for patent protection for their new product.

Characters

Measure words

  • xiàng一项专利
  • 三个专利

Common collocations

  • 申请专利
    shēn qǐng zhuān
    to apply for a patent
  • 专利
    zhuān quán
    patent rights
  • 获得专利
    huò zhuān
    to obtain a patent
  • 专利技术
    zhuān shù
    patented technology

Origin

专 means 'exclusive' or 'specialized,' while 利 means 'benefit' or 'advantage.' Together they literally mean 'exclusive benefit,' which accurately captures the concept of a patent as an exclusive right that benefits the inventor.

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