自动化 (zìdònghuà) — automation

自动化 (zìdònghuà)

自动化 refers to the use of technology to perform tasks with minimal or no human intervention. It is central to discussions of industrial production, artificial intelligence, and the future of work.

Meanings

1. [noun] automation; the process or state of being automated
2. [verb] to automate; to make (a process) automated

Example Sentences

工厂引入自动化生产线后，效率大幅提升，人工成本显著降低。 Gōngchǎng yǐnrù zìdònghuà shēngchǎn xiàn hòu, xiàolǜ dàfú tíshēng, réngōng chéngběn xiǎnzhù jiàngdī. After factories introduced automated production lines, efficiency improved greatly and labour costs decreased significantly.

人工智能的普及正在加速各行各业的自动化进程，深刻改变劳动力市场。 Rén gōng zhìnéng de pǔjí zhèngzài jiāsù gè háng gè yè de zìdònghuà jìnchéng, shēnkè gǎibiàn láodònglì shìchǎng. The spread of artificial intelligence is accelerating the automation process across all industries, profoundly changing the labour market.

不少研究人员担心，过度自动化可能导致大规模失业问题。 Bùshǎo yánjiū rényuán dānyōu, guòdù zìdònghuà kěnéng dǎozhì dà guīmó shīyè wèntí. Many researchers worry that excessive automation may lead to large-scale unemployment.

企业通过自动化数据处理流程，将原来需要数天完成的工作压缩至几小时。 Qǐyè tōngguò zìdònghuà shùjù chǔlǐ liúchéng, jiāng yuánlái xūyào shù tiān wánchéng de gōngzuò yāsuō zhì jǐ xiǎoshí. By automating data processing workflows, enterprises have compressed work that previously took several days down to a few hours.

智能家居设备实现了家庭场景的高度自动化，让生活更加便捷舒适。 Zhìnéng jiājū shèbèi shíxiànle jiātíng chǎngjǐng de gāodù zìdònghuà, ràng shēnghuó gèng jiā biànjié shūshì. Smart home devices have achieved a high degree of automation in home settings, making life more convenient and comfortable.

农业自动化不仅降低了农业生产成本，也缓解了农村劳动力短缺的问题。 Nóngyè zìdònghuà bùjǐn jiàngdīle nóngyè shēngchǎn chéngběn, yě huǎnjiéle nóngcūn láodònglì duǎnquē de wèntí. Agricultural automation has not only reduced agricultural production costs but also alleviated the problem of rural labour shortages.

Collocations

Usage Notes

自动化 is a -化 suffixed noun, meaning the process or state of becoming automatic (自动 -- automatic, self-moving). The -化 suffix is productive in Chinese: 现代化 (modernisation), 数字化 (digitalisation), 自动化 (automation). All follow the same pattern of describing a transformation process.

At B2 level, discussions of 自动化 almost always involve the theme of 就业 (employment) -- whether automation creates or destroys jobs. This makes 自动化 a key vocabulary item for opinion essays on technology and society.

Memory Hook

自 (self) + 动 (move/act) + 化 (-isation; process of becoming) -- the process of things moving and acting by themselves: automation.