Green Consumption and China's Low-Carbon Transition
Explore Chinese expressions whose meaning depends on cultural, social, or policy context.
Natural English: Clean Plate Campaign
A public initiative against food waste in restaurants and canteens. In this slogan, 光 means to finish or clear, while 盘 refers to the plate; the phrase also plays on 光盘, the Chinese word for an optical disc. The campaign is generally framed as awareness-building around ordering and finishing appropriate portions.
餐厅在墙上张贴了光盘行动的宣传海报。
The restaurant put up Clean Plate Campaign posters on the wall.
Natural English: trade-in (in policy contexts, the trade-in program)
In general use, exchanging an old product for a new one, often as a commercial trade-in. In current policy discussion, and in this topic, it refers to the government-supported consumer-goods trade-in program under which buyers of qualifying items in specified categories may be eligible for subsidies.
根据2026年以旧换新政策，购买符合条件的一级能效冰箱可以享受补贴。
Under the 2026 trade-in program, consumers buying an eligible Grade 1 refrigerator may receive a subsidy.
Natural English: Grade 1 energy efficiency
Grade 1 generally marks the highest efficiency tier under the applicable Chinese energy-efficiency standard for a given product. The number of grades can vary by product category. In this topic, references to trade-in subsidies for Grade 1 appliances apply to the specific qualifying household categories mentioned on the page.
这台冰箱达到一级能效标准。
This refrigerator meets China's Grade 1 energy-efficiency standard.
Natural English: greenwashing
The common Chinese equivalent used in reporting and policy commentary for greenwashing — presenting products, brands, or activities as more environmentally friendly than they actually are. Word-for-word, 漂 suggests "bleach/rinse" and 绿 "green," but the term functions as a settled translation of the English concept rather than a literal image.
部分企业的环保宣传可能构成漂绿。
Some companies' environmental claims may amount to greenwashing.
Natural English: China's carbon-peaking and carbon-neutrality goals ("dual-carbon" goals, in shorthand)
双碳 is the Chinese shorthand for two stated targets: reaching peak carbon-dioxide emissions before 2030 (碳达峰) and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060 (碳中和). "Dual-carbon goals" is a compact rendering of the shorthand; the fuller English phrase is often clearer for readers meeting the concept for the first time.
绿色消费与双碳目标密切相关。
Green consumption is closely linked to China's carbon-peaking and carbon-neutrality goals.