Abstract: The particulate matter is the primary ambient air pollutants in China now and even in the future, while its term has not been unified. We summarized deductive process of the particulate matter terms in Chinese national ambient air quality standards and the particulate matter terminology in major countries, regions and organizations. Furthermore, we proposed the terminology of ambient air particulate matter applied to China: particulate matter with size less than or equal to 10 microns and a particle size less than or equal to 2.5 microns particulate matter were named as particulate matter (particle size less than or equal to 10μm) and particulate matter (particle size less than or equal to 2.5μm) respectively; and were referred as inhalable particle and fine particle, the English names for particulate matter (PM₁₀) and particulate matter (PM_2.5).

Key words: particulate matter (PM₁₀), particulate matter (PM_2.5), inhalable particle, fine particulate matter