汉字News

← 汉字News
Chinese News for Learners
life
shēng huó
生活
·HSK 4

Hormuz (Strait of Hormuz)
Huòěrmùzī
霍尔木兹
crisis
wēijī
危机
to trigger / to cause
yǐnfā
引发
Japan
Rìběn
日本
naphtha (petrochemical feedstock)
shínǎoyóu
石脑油
shortage
duǎnquē
短缺
building materials / construction materials
jiàncái
建材
costs
chéngběn
成本
sharply / significantly
dàfú
大幅
to climb / to surge
pānshēng
攀升

the Strait of Hormuz
Huòěrmùzī Hǎixiá
霍尔木兹海峡
crisis
wēijī
危机
has led to / caused
dǎozhì
导致
Japan
Rìběn
日本
naphtha
shínǎoyóu
石脑油
supply
gōngyìng
供应
severely
yánzhòng
严重
disrupted / blocked
shòuzǔ
受阻
building material
jiàncái
建材
prices
jiàgé
价格
rapidly / sharply
jísù
急速
to rise / to surge
shàngzhǎng
上涨
some
yǒu
analysts
fēnxī rénshì
分析人士
to warn
jǐnggào
警告
Japan
Rìběn
日本
residential homes
zhùzhái
住宅
prices
jiàgé
价格
may / could
kěnéng
可能
to rise
shàngzhǎng
上涨
as much as / up to
duōdá
多达
30 percent
bǎifēnzhī sānshí
30%

April 20, 2026 at 10:00 AM

due to / affected by
shòu
the Middle East
Zhōngdōng
中东
war
zhànzhēng
战争
impact / disruption
yǐngxiǎng
影响
Japan
Rìběn
日本
naphtha (key petrochemical feedstock)
shínǎoyóu
石脑油
supply
gōngyìng
供应
has experienced / emerged
chūxiàn
出现
serious / severe
yánzhòng
严重
shortage
duǎnquē
短缺
construction
jiànzhù
建筑
industry / sector
hángyè
行业
has been hit by / affected by
shòudào
受到
considerable / significant
jiào dà
较大
impact / blow
chōngjī
冲击
naphtha
shínǎoyóu
石脑油
is
shì
building materials
jiàncái
建材
production / manufacturing
shēngchǎn
生产
structural particle
de
key / critical
guānjiàn
关键
raw material / feedstock
yuánliào
原料
widely
guǎngfàn
广泛
used in / applied to
yòng yú
用于
waterproof sheeting / waterproofing materials
fángshuǐ cáiliào
防水材料
pipes / plumbing
guǎndào
管道
paint / coatings
túliào
涂料
and / as well as
insulation / thermal insulation
juérè
绝热
materials
cáiliào
材料
and so on / etc.
děng
currently / at present
mùqián
目前
roof
wūdǐng
屋顶
waterproof sheeting
fángshuǐ cáiliào
防水材料
prices
jiàgé
价格
are projected to
yùjì
预计
will
jiāng
to rise
shàngzhǎng
上涨
50 percent
bǎifēnzhī wǔshí
50%
floor
dìbǎn
地板
insulation / thermal insulation
juérè
绝热
materials
cáiliào
材料
price increase / rise
zhǎngfú
涨幅
also / as well
to reach
40 percent
bǎifēnzhī sìshí
40%
quite a few / many
bùshǎo
不少
construction sites
shīgōng xiànchǎng
施工现场
because / due to
yīn
materials
cáiliào
材料
failed to / unable to
wèinéng
未能
arrive / be delivered
dào huò
到货
and as a result
ér
forced to / compelled to
bèipò
被迫
to halt work / work stoppage
tíng gōng
停工
some
yǒu
analysts
fēnxī rénshì
分析人士
to warn
jǐnggào
警告
if / should
ruò
supply
gōngyìng
供应
continued / ongoing
chíxù
持续
tight / strained
jǐnzhāng
紧张
Japan
Rìběn
日本
residential homes
zhùzhái
住宅
sale price / selling price
shòujià
售价
could / may
kěnéng
可能
to rise
shàngzhǎng
上涨
as much as / up to
duōdá
多达
30 percent
bǎifēnzhī sānshí
30%
Japan
Rìběn
日本
economy / economic
jīngjì
经济
minister
dàchén
大臣
stated / said
biǎoshì
表示
the shortage
duǎnquē
短缺
mainly / primarily
zhǔyào
主要
stems from / is caused by
yuányú
源于
distribution / delivery
pèisòng
配送
link / stage
huánjié
环节
structural particle
de
congestion / bottleneck
yōngdǔ
拥堵
coordinating
xiétiáo
协调
suppliers
gōngyìng shāng
供应商
should be able to
yīng kě
应可
gradually / step by step
zhúbù
逐步
to ease / to relieve
huǎnjiě
缓解
the situation / circumstances
júmiàn
局面
however / but
rán ér
然而
paint / coatings
túliào
涂料
industry
hángyè
行业
representatives
dàibiǎo
代表
noted / pointed out
zhǐchū
指出
currently
mùqián
目前
only / merely
jǐn
approximately
yuē
3 percent
bǎifēnzhī sān
3%
structural particle
de
companies / businesses
qǐyè
企业
are able to
nénggòu
能够
through / via
tōngguò
通过
normal
zhèngcháng
正常
channels
qúdào
渠道
to procure / to source
cǎigòu
采购
successfully obtain
dào
thinner / solvent
xīshìjì
稀释剂
products
chǎnpǐn
产品

New Words

Huòěrmùzī
霍尔木兹
Hormuz
wēijī
危机
crisis
zhànzhēng
战争
war
yǐngxiǎng
影响
impact
fángshuǐ cáiliào
防水材料
waterproof sheeting
túliào
涂料
paint/coatings
juérè
绝热
insulation
pèisòng
配送
distribution/delivery

News in English

Lifestyle & Culture

Hormuz Crisis Triggers Japan Naphtha Shortage as Building Material Costs Surge Sharply

The Hormuz crisis has severely disrupted Japan naphtha supply, pushing up building material costs, with analysts warning that Japanese home prices could rise by as much as 30 percent.

Due to Middle East conflicts, Japan is experiencing severe naphtha shortages, significantly impacting the construction industry. Naphtha is a key raw material for building material production, widely used in waterproof sheeting, pipes, paint, and insulation materials. Currently, roof waterproofing material prices are projected to rise 50%, while floor insulation material price increases reach 40%. Many construction sites have been forced to halt work due to materials failing to arrive. Some analysts warned that if supply shortages continue, Japanese residential sales prices could rise as much as 30%. Japan's economic minister stated the shortage is mainly caused by distribution bottlenecks, and coordinating with suppliers should gradually ease the situation. However, paint industry representatives noted that currently only about 3% of companies can procure thinner products through normal channels.

More in Lifestyle & Culture

Beijing
běi jīng
北京
international
guójì
国际
book
túshū
图书
fair
bólǎnhuì
博览会
opens
kāimù
开幕

Beijing International Book Fair Opens with Literary Programming

research
yánjiū
研究
shows
biǎomíng
表明
controlled
shòukòng
受控
fire
huǒ
whirl
wōxuàn
涡旋
clean
qīnglǐ
清理
oil pollution
yóuwū
油污

Controlled Fire Whirls Show Promise for Oil Spill Cleanup

Scripps Research
sīkèlǐpǔsī yánjiū suǒ
斯克里普斯研究所
develops
kāifā
开发
fentanyl
fēntàiyuē
芬太尼
vaccine
yìmiáo
疫苗

Experimental Fentanyl Vaccine Offers New Overdose Prevention Path

World Cup
Shi jie bei
世界杯
venues / stadiums
chang guan
场馆
large-scale
da gui mo
大规模
to deploy / set up
bu shu
部署
AI (artificial intelligence)
AI
AI
facial
mian bu
面部
recognition
shi bie
识别
technology
ji shu
技术

2026 FIFA World Cup Venues Deploy Large-Scale AI Facial Recognition Systems