shùjùkù: 数据库 - Database

• Keywords: 数据库, shujuku, Chinese for database, what is a database in Chinese, technology in Chinese, computer science Chinese, 数据, shuju, data, 库, ku, warehouse, SQL in Chinese, tech terms in Mandarin
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese tech term 数据库 (shùjùkù), the direct translation for “database”. This page breaks down its simple, literal meaning (“data warehouse”) and explores its critical role in modern China's tech industry, from e-commerce giants like Alibaba to the apps you use every day. Discover practical example sentences for business and IT contexts, understand common mistakes, and learn related vocabulary to discuss technology in Mandarin Chinese.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shùjùkù
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: N/A (Technical Term)
• Concise Definition: An organized collection of structured data, typically stored electronically in a computer system.
• In a Nutshell: 数据库 (shùjùkù) is the standard, universal term for “database” in Chinese. It's a non-metaphorical, direct translation used in all technical and business contexts. Think of it as the digital brain that stores and organizes all the information for a website, application, or company. If you work in tech or business, this is a must-know vocabulary word.

• 数 (shù): This character means “number” or “figure.” In a modern context, it's the core of the word for “data.”
• 据 (jù): This character means “evidence” or “basis.”
• 库 (kù): This character means “warehouse,” “storehouse,” or “treasury.” It implies a large, organized place for storage.

The characters combine in a very logical way. 数据 (shùjù) is the modern Chinese word for “data” (literally “numbers and evidence”). Adding 库 (kù), “warehouse,” creates 数据库 (shùjùkù), a “data warehouse.” This literal construction makes the term easy to remember and understand.

Unlike ancient terms steeped in philosophy, the significance of 数据库 (shùjùkù) is entirely modern. Its widespread use reflects China's meteoric rise as a global technology superpower over the past three decades. In the West, “database” is a standard technical term. In China, it's the same, but the *scale* is staggering. The term 数据库 is intrinsically linked to the backbone of modern Chinese life:

• E-commerce: Alibaba's Taobao and JD.com run on some of the largest and most complex databases in the world, handling billions of transactions.
• Social Media & Payments: Tencent's WeChat (微信) uses a colossal database to manage over a billion users' chats, payments, and social feeds.
• Government & Infrastructure: The Chinese government uses massive databases for everything from citizen identification to the management of its vast high-speed rail network.

So, while the word itself is a direct technical translation with no deep cultural ambiguity, its “significance” is tied to the massive, data-driven systems that underpin the entire Chinese economy and society. Discussing 数据库 is discussing the engine of modern China.

数据库 is used almost exclusively in technical, business, or formal contexts. You won't hear it in casual chat about the weather, but it's essential for any conversation involving technology.

• In IT and Business: This is the standard, non-negotiable term. It's used in meetings, technical documents, and job descriptions (e.g., 数据库管理员 - shùjùkù guǎnlǐyuán - Database Administrator). Its connotation is neutral and formal.
• In Educated Conversation: Tech-savvy individuals use it just as in English. If a popular app or website goes down, someone might speculate, “可能是他们的数据库出问题了” (Kěnéng shì tāmen de shùjùkù chū wèntí le - “Maybe their database has a problem”).
• Connotation: The term is strictly neutral. It's a technical object, like “server” or “algorithm.”

• Example 1:
  • 我们需要一个数据库来存储所有的用户信息。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen xūyào yī gè shùjùkù lái cúnchǔ suǒyǒu de yònghù xìnxī.
  • English: We need a database to store all the user information.
  • Analysis: A very common and straightforward sentence you would hear in a project planning meeting.
• Example 2:
  • 网站访问不了，好像是数据库连接出错了。
  • Pinyin: Wǎngzhàn fǎngwèn bùliǎo, hǎoxiàng shì shùjùkù liánjiē chūcuò le.
  • English: The website is inaccessible; it seems there was a database connection error.
  • Analysis: A typical sentence for troubleshooting a technical problem. `出错了 (chūcuò le)` means “an error occurred.”
• Example 3:
  • 他是一名经验丰富的数据库管理员。
  • Pinyin: Tā shì yī míng jīngyàn fēngfù de shùjùkù guǎnlǐyuán.
  • English: He is an experienced database administrator.
  • Analysis: This shows the term used as part of a job title, `数据库管理员 (shùjùkù guǎnlǐyuán)`.
• Example 4:
  • 保护公司数据库的安全至关重要。
  • Pinyin: Bǎohù gōngsī shùjùkù de ānquán zhìguān zhòngyào.
  • English: Protecting the security of the company's database is critically important.
  • Analysis: `至关重要 (zhìguān zhòngyào)` is a formal way to say “extremely important,” often used in business contexts.
• Example 5:
  • 我需要从数据库中查询上个季度的销售数据。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xūyào cóng shùjùkù zhōng cháxún shàng gè jìdù de xiāoshòu shùjù.
  • English: I need to query last quarter's sales data from the database.
  • Analysis: This example shows the common action `查询 (cháxún)`, “to query,” performed on a database.
• Example 6:
  • 设计一个高效的数据库结构是项目成功的第一步。
  • Pinyin: Shèjì yī gè gāoxiào de shùjùkù jiégòu shì xiàngmù chénggōng de dì yī bù.
  • English: Designing an efficient database structure is the first step to a successful project.
  • Analysis: This highlights the use of `数据库` in the context of system design and architecture. `结构 (jiégòu)` means “structure.”
• Example 7:
  • 我们的新系统使用了NoSQL数据库技术。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen de xīn xìtǒng shǐyòng le NoSQL shùjùkù jìshù.
  • English: Our new system uses NoSQL database technology.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates how to talk about specific types of databases, simply by putting the type (like NoSQL, MySQL, Oracle) before the term.
• Example 8:
  • 请把这些新客户的信息输入到数据库里。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng bǎ zhèxiē xīn kèhù de xìnxī shūrù dào shùjùkù lǐ.
  • English: Please enter the information of these new clients into the database.
  • Analysis: A common office command related to data entry. `输入 (shūrù)` means “to input” or “to enter.”
• Example 9:
  • 为了提高性能，我们给数据库增加了索引。
  • Pinyin: Wèile tígāo xìngnéng, wǒmen gěi shùjùkù zēngjiā le suǒyǐn.
  • English: To improve performance, we added indexes to the database.
  • Analysis: A more technical example showing a common database optimization technique. `索引 (suǒyǐn)` means “index.”
• Example 10:
  • 我们公司每天晚上都会自动备份整个数据库。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī měitiān wǎnshàng dōu huì zìdòng bèifèn zhěnggè shùjùkù.
  • English: Our company automatically backs up the entire database every night.
  • Analysis: `备份 (bèifèn)` means “to back up,” a critical operation for any database.

• Mistake: Confusing `数据库` (database) with `数据` (data).
  • `数据库 (shùjùkù)` is the container system. `数据 (shùjù)` is the content inside it.
  • Incorrect: `这个数据库很有用。` (This database is very useful.) This can be correct, but if you mean the *information* is useful, you should be more specific.
  • Correct: `这个数据库里的数据很有用。` (The data in this database is very useful.)
  • Correct: `我们的数据库很大。` (Our database is large - referring to the system's size/complexity).
  • Correct: `我们的数据量很大。` (Our data volume is large - referring to the amount of data).
• Mistake: Using `数据库` for a simple spreadsheet.
  • While an Excel file stores data, `数据库` implies a more robust, queryable system like SQL Server, MySQL, or Oracle. For a simple spreadsheet, you would use more specific terms.
  • Incorrect: `我把数据放在一个数据库里了，你看看我的Excel。` (I put the data in a database, take a look at my Excel.)
  • Correct: `我把数据放在一个表格 (biǎogé)里了。` (I put the data in a spreadsheet/table.)
  • Correct: `我把数据放在 Excel文件 (Excel wénjiàn) 里了。` (I put the data in an Excel file.)

• 数据 (shùjù) - Data. The information that is stored inside a `数据库`.
• 服务器 (fúwùqì) - Server. The computer hardware/software that a `数据库` often runs on.
• 后端 (hòuduān) - Back-end. In web and application development, the `数据库` is a core component of the back-end infrastructure.
• 软件 (ruǎnjiàn) - Software. A database management system (DBMS) is a specialized type of software.
• 程序员 (chéngxùyuán) - Programmer/Developer. People who write code to interact with, read from, and write to a `数据库`.
• 查询 (cháxún) - To query/inquire. The primary action of requesting and retrieving specific data from a `数据库`.
• 信息 (xìnxī) - Information. A broader term than `数据`. Data becomes information when it is processed and given context.
• 管理员 (guǎnlǐyuán) - Administrator. When combined, `数据库管理员 (shùjùkù guǎnlǐyuán)` is a Database Administrator (DBA).
• 备份 (bèifèn) - Backup. The process of copying data from a `数据库` to ensure it can be restored in case of failure.