'Blood type' refers to the classification of human blood based on the presence or absence of specific antigens on red blood cells — most commonly the ABO system (A, B, AB, O) and the Rh factor (positive or negative). The character 血 (xuè) means 'blood', while 型 (xíng) means 'type', 'form', or 'model'; together, 血型 literally means 'blood form' or 'blood type'. This term is used in medical contexts, health checkups, blood donation, and family planning discussions.

In daily life, Chinese people often ask about 血型 during casual conversations — sometimes playfully linking it to personality traits (e.g., 'People with type A blood are said to be meticulous'), though this belief is not scientifically supported. It’s also essential for safe blood transfusions and organ transplants. Unlike English, 血型 is always a single compound noun — never split or modified with measure words like 个 unless part of a longer phrase (e.g., 一种血型).