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commerce
shāng yè
商业
·HSK 3

naphtha (petrochemical feedstock)
shínǎoyóu
石脑油
shortage
duǎnquē
短缺
to push up / to drive up
tuīgāo
推高
building material costs
jiàncái
建材
cost
chéngběn
成本
，
Japan
Rìběn
日本
residential housing
zhùzhái
住宅
homebuilders / construction firms
jiànshāng
建商
to announce
xuānbù
宣布
to raise prices
tí jià
提价
。

due to / because of
yīn
因
naphtha
shínǎoyóu
石脑油
supply
gōngyìng
供应
tightness / strain
jǐnzhāng
紧张
，
Japan
Rìběn
日本
multiple / several
duō jiā
多家
residential housing
zhùzhái
住宅
homebuilders / construction companies
jiànshè shāng
建设商
announced
xuānbù
宣布
plans to
jìhuà
计划
to raise / to increase
tígāo
提高
house / home
fángwū
房屋
selling price
shòujià
售价
，
pipes / plumbing
guǎndào
管道
and
hé
和
paint / coatings
túliào
涂料
costs
chéngběn
成本
sharply
dàfú
大幅
have risen
shàngzhǎng
上涨
。

April 20, 2026 at 11:00 AM

due to / because of
yīn
因
naphtha
shínǎoyóu
石脑油
supply
gōngyìng
供应
tight / strained
jǐnzhāng
紧张
，
Japan
Rìběn
日本
multiple / several
duō jiā
多家
residential housing
zhùzhái
住宅
homebuilders / construction companies
jiànshè shāng
建设商
already / have
yǐ
已
announced
xuānbù
宣布
plans to
jìhuà
计划
to raise / to increase
tígāo
提高
housing
fángwū
房屋
selling price
shòujià
售价
。
naphtha
shínǎoyóu
石脑油
shortage
duǎnquē
短缺
has caused / making
shǐ
使
pipes / plumbing
guǎndào
管道
and
hé
和
paint / coatings
túliào
涂料
structural particle
de
的
procurement / purchasing
cǎigòu
采购
costs
chéngběn
成本
sharply / significantly
dàfú
大幅
to climb / to surge
pānshēng
攀升
。
homebuilders
jiànshè shāng
建设商
stated / said
biǎoshì
表示
，
these
zhèxiē
这些
materials
cáiliào
材料
structural particle
de
的
prices
jiàgé
价格
increase / price rise
zhǎngfú
涨幅
have already
yǐ
已
far exceeded / gone well beyond
yuǎn chāo
远超
the past / any previous period
yǐwǎng
以往
。
some / certain
bùfen
部分
homebuilders
jiànshè shāng
建设商
have already
yǐ
已
to pause / to suspend
zàntíng
暂停
new
xīn
新
projects
xiàngmù
项目
structural particle
de
的
contract signing
qiānyuē
签约
，
waiting for
děngdài
等待
raw materials
yuán cáiliào
原材料
supply
gōngyìng
供应
to recover / to return to normal
huīfù
恢复
normal
zhèngcháng
正常
。
because
yīnwèi
因为
materials
cáiliào
材料
did not
méiyǒu
没有
arrive / be delivered
dào huò
到货
，
some
yīxiē
一些
construction work
shīgōng
施工
had no choice but to
bùdébù
不得不
mid-way / partway through
zhōng tú
中途
to stop / to halt
tíngzhǐ
停止
。
therefore / so
suǒyǐ
所以
within the industry
yè nèi
业内
people / insiders
rénshì
人士
expect / forecast
yùjì
预计
，
if
rúguǒ
如果
this kind of
zhè zhǒng
这种
situation
qíngkuàng
情况
continues
chíxù
持续
to go on / to continue
xiàqu
下去
，
newly built
xīnjiàn
新建
homes / housing
zhùzhái
住宅
structural particle
de
的
prices
jiàgé
价格
will
jiāng
将
across the board / overall
quánmiàn
全面
to be raised / to be revised upward
shàng tiáo
上调
。

New Words

shínǎoyóu
石脑油
naphtha
duǎnquē
短缺
shortage
jiàncái
建材
building materials
chéngběn
成本
cost
jiàgé
价格
price
zhǎngfú
涨幅
price increase
yuán cáiliào
原材料
raw materials
施工
施工
construction work

News in English

Business

Japan Homebuilders Plan Price Hikes as Naphtha Shortage Drives Up Pipe and Paint Costs

Multiple Japanese homebuilders have announced plans to raise housing prices after naphtha shortages caused by the Hormuz crisis sharply increased the cost of pipes, paint, and other key construction materials.

Due to tight naphtha supply, multiple Japanese residential construction companies have announced plans to increase housing prices. Naphtha shortage has caused procurement costs for pipes and paint to surge sharply. Construction companies stated these material price increases have far exceeded any previous period. Some construction companies have already suspended new project contract signings, waiting for raw material supply to return to normal. Because materials failed to arrive, some construction projects had to stop mid-way. Industry insiders predict that if this situation continues, newly built home prices will see across-the-board increases.

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xiāoshòu
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shōugòu
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jiéyīng
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gǎizào
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three-year
sān nián
三年
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xíngdòng
行动
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