标准 (biāozhǔn)

An established benchmark, norm, or criterion that serves as a reference for quality, behavior, or measurement -- also used as an adjective meaning "standard" or "normal."

Meanings

[noun] standard, criterion, benchmark, norm
[adjective] standard, orthodox, correct (as in standard Mandarin pronunciation)

Example Sentences

她的普通话发音非常标准，让外国学生十分羡慕。 Tā de pǔtōnghuà fāyīn fēicháng biāozhǔn, ràng wàiguó xuéshēng shífēn xiànmù. Her Mandarin pronunciation is very standard, making foreign students very envious.

这款产品必须符合国家质量标准才能上市销售。 Zhè kuǎn chǎnpǐn bìxū fúhé guójiā zhìliàng biāozhǔn cái néng shàngshì xiāoshòu. This product must meet national quality standards before it can be sold on the market.

制定统一的行业标准有助于规范市场秩序。 Zhìdìng tǒngyī de hángyè biāozhǔn yǒuzhù yú guīfàn shìchǎng zhìxù. Formulating unified industry standards helps regulate market order.

不同国家对食品安全的标准存在一定差异。 Bùtóng guójiā duì shípǐn ānquán de biāozhǔn cúnzài yīdìng chāyì. Different countries have certain differences in their food safety standards.

他始终坚持以高标准要求自己的工作质量。 Tā shǐzhōng jiānchí yǐ gāo biāozhǔn yāoqiú zìjǐ de gōngzuò zhìliàng. He has always insisted on holding himself to high standards in his work quality.

国际标准化组织负责制定全球通用的技术标准。 Guójì biāozhǔnhuà zǔzhī fùzé zhìdìng quánqiú tōngyòng de jìshù biāozhǔn. The International Organization for Standardization is responsible for formulating globally applicable technical standards.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
达到标准 (dádào biāozhǔn)	to meet/reach a standard
国家标准 (guójiā biāozhǔn)	national standard
行业标准 (hángyè biāozhǔn)	industry standard
标准普通话 (biāozhǔn pǔtōnghuà)	standard Mandarin
制定标准 (zhìdìng biāozhǔn)	to set a standard
高标准 (gāo biāozhǔn)	high standard

Usage Notes

标准 is used in virtually every domain of life -- language, manufacturing, food safety, education, and ethics. As an adjective it commonly modifies 普通话: 标准普通话 means Mandarin spoken according to the official phonological norm, which in China is 普通话 (Putonghua).

In business and policy, 标准 is closely linked to regulation: 符合标准 (to meet standards), 低于标准 (below standard), and 超出标准 (above standard) are all common constructions.

Memory Hook

标 = a marker/target (something pointed to as a reference point). 准 = accurate/precise. A 标准 is the marker you aim at -- the precise reference point that defines what is correct or acceptable.