Sourcing glossary
Dangerous goods (DG)
Also known as: DG, hazmat, hazardous materials, DG cargo, 위험물
Goods that can endanger health, safety or property in transport, classified into nine UN hazard classes and shipped under special packing, labeling and documentation rules.
Many ordinary products from China count as dangerous goods: lithium batteries, power banks, perfumes, nail polish, aerosols, some magnets and anything flammable. Sea freight follows the IMDG Code and air freight follows ICAO/IATA rules, and many express couriers and consolidators refuse DG or charge a surcharge.
Tell your forwarder about batteries or chemicals before booking and provide the SDS and, for batteries, the UN38.3 summary. Undeclared DG can be refused, delayed or fined, and puts the whole shipment at risk. See sea vs air vs rail vs express shipping.
Related terms
Guides that use this term
Suppliers
How to Write an RFQ Chinese Suppliers Will Actually Answer
What to put in a request for quotation so a Chinese supplier can price it: the fields, the specs by category, a copy-paste template and a WhatsApp first message.
Updated 2026-10-19 · 7 min read
Compliance
Is Your Order Too Small to Import from China? A Break-Even Test
Why 20 units or a US$100–500 budget rarely pays to import from China: per-shipment fixed costs, a simple break-even test, and six options for small buyers.
Updated 2026-10-19 · 7 min read
Compliance
Buying Branded Goods from China: Counterfeits, Trademarks and Customs
Why Chinese sellers offer 1:1 replicas, what customs does with counterfeit imports in the US, EU and South Africa, and the legal ways to sell branded or own-brand goods.
Updated 2026-10-19 · 8 min read
Suppliers
Is My Chinese Supplier a Scam? 12 Patterns and the Checks That Catch Them
The twelve supplier scams importers meet in China, from the bank-account switch to the vanishing deposit, the check that exposes each, and what to do if you already paid.
Updated 2026-10-14 · 8 min read
Suppliers
China's Biggest Wholesale Markets: What Each Sells and Which One to Visit
The wholesale markets that matter for importers, by product: Yiwu International Trade City, Guangzhou's clothing, bag and toy districts, Huaqiangbei, Keqiao and Guzhen.
Updated 2026-10-14 · 6 min read
Suppliers
China Sourcing Agent: What They Do, What They Cost and When You Need One
What a China sourcing agent actually does, the four types you will meet, typical fees, when an agent beats buying direct, and a checklist to vet one before you pay.
Updated 2026-10-14 · 8 min read
Part of Shipping & Logistics.