sourcing
sourcing — noun
1. The activity of obtaining materials, products, or services from particular suppl
The activity of obtaining materials, products, or services from particular suppliers, countries, or channels as part of running a business.
Ethical sourcing has become a priority for many clothing companies around the world.
ethical sourcing (common modifier + noun)
The company's global sourcing strategy helps it keep its production costs low.
global sourcing strategy
The conference focused on the sustainable sourcing of raw materials for the electronics industry.
Sourcing fresh ingredients from local farms is central to the new restaurant's menu.
The hotel group won an award for its responsible sourcing of coffee and tea.
- procurement
More formal and broad; covers the entire purchasing process, including negotiation and contracts.
- supply
Refers to the availability or flow of items; less focused on the active act of obtaining.
文法句型
sourcing of + noun
sourcing from + place / supplier
用法筆記
The noun 'sourcing' is related to the verb 'source' (obtain from a particular place). It is widely used in business contexts with modifiers such as 'ethical sourcing', 'global sourcing', 'local sourcing', and 'sustainable sourcing'. The gerund form ('Sourcing fresh ingredients…') can also appear at the start of a sentence as a subject.
常見錯誤
sourcing — verb
1. The -ing form of source, meaning to obtain materials, products, services, or par
The -ing form of source, meaning to obtain materials, products, services, or parts from a particular place, company, or country, especially as part of a business operation.
The bakery is sourcing all its flour from local mills this year.
be + sourcing + object + from + supplier
Our company is currently sourcing new suppliers for its packaging materials.
sourcing + object + for + purpose
The furniture maker has been sourcing all his wood from sustainably managed forests.
The charity relies on staff who are experienced in sourcing medical supplies quickly.
Amara's job involves sourcing electronic parts from factories in several countries.
文法句型
sourcing + object + from + supplier
be + sourcing + object
用法筆記
'Sourcing' is the -ing form of the verb 'source' (to obtain from a supplier). It can function as a present participle in continuous tenses (e.g., 'The company is sourcing materials…') or as a gerund acting as a noun (e.g., 'Sourcing fresh ingredients is vital'). The base form 'source' follows regular verb conjugation: source — sourced — sourced.
常見錯誤
2. The -ing form of source, meaning to state, show, or indicate where a piece of in
The -ing form of source, meaning to state, show, or indicate where a piece of information, a quotation, or an idea originally came from, usually in writing.
The journalist is sourcing every factual claim in her article from official records.
is sourcing + object + from + origin
The first-year students are learning how to source their information for a group report on local election data.
The graphic designer forgot about sourcing the images she used in the company brochure.
The hospital's safety committee spent ten days sourcing all the infection-rate statistics for its 2024 annual report.
Dr. Okafor always emphasizes the importance of sourcing every direct quotation in his students' term papers.
- citing
The -ing form of 'cite'; more common in academic contexts and refers specifically to naming a source.
- attributing
Emphasizes giving credit to the original author or creator.
文法句型
sourcing + object + to / from + origin
sourcing + object + properly
用法筆記
This sense is common in academic writing and journalism. 'Sourcing' here is the -ing form of the verb 'source' (meaning 'to cite or attribute'). It is often used in the pattern 'sourcing + object + to/from + origin' or with adverbs like 'properly', 'correctly'. Distinguish from verb sense 1: this sense is about attributing the origin of information, not about obtaining physical materials.