类型 vs 种类

[Juxi22]

Hello, everyone!
I'm trying to understand the difference between 类型 and 种类. So far, I've gathered that:
- 种类 often is used when we talk about varieties of the same thing: 我喜欢吃所有的苹果种类，我不知道有多少蝴蝶种类
- 类型 is used when talking about your type (life partner): 他不是我喜欢的种类。

But honestly the above seems more like "minor" rules rather than main rules!
So, when would you say those are interchangeable and when they are definitely not?

 

[rickqin]

我觉得你正好说反了。种类，物种的种，适合有生命的；类型，同类事物的不同样式。

 

[Ida1]

我喜欢吃所有的苹果种类

所有的苹果 refers to all kinds of apples. 种类 should be omitted.

我不知道有多少种蝴蝶种类

Or 我不知道有多少种蝴蝶。
我不知道蝴蝶的种类有多少。

种类: kind,category,species,variety.
1. more about creatures
更偏向于描述生物体
2. imply the different
更加强调不同和分类

他不是我喜欢的种类类型。

I know this is a typo.This sentence is totally correct and idiomatic.

类型：type,pattern.
1. Can’t be used to describe creatures.
一般不能用于描述生物体的分类。
2. imply the same
更加强调共性、共通点。

when would you say those are interchangeable and when they are definitely not?

They are definitely not interchangeable.

 

[zhg]

- 种类 often is used when we talk about varieties of the same thing: 我喜欢吃所有的苹果种类，我不知道有多少蝴蝶种类

我喜欢吃所有的苹果种类
我喜欢所有的苹果种类
or 我喜欢吃所有种类的苹果

What you like to eat is apples not kinds.

 

[yhy]

我喜欢吃所有的苹果种类，我不知道有多少蝴蝶种类

I can know the meaning but they're not native. I don‘t use 种类 or 类型 in these sentense.
I'd like to say “只要是苹果我都喜欢吃” (changed a lot as different kinds of apple isn't familiar to me)“我不知道有多少种蝴蝶”.

I cann't distinguish the meaning of 种类 from 类型. But I can imagine they might be different in a certain context.

- 类型 is used when talking about your type (life partner): 他不是我喜欢的种类类型。

You're right. But it's a special meaning of 类型 instead of a general difference. I think 种类 and 类型 have the same meaning.
Maybe, if you can recognize the varieties well (like different species of butterflies), you can use 种类. And if you cann’t differentiate them completely (like different kinds of people), you ought to use 类型.

种类 is a noun. It's an abstract concept about varieties of the same thing, as you said. So 苹果种类 means “appleal(a. is first) species(n. comes after)” , and you can't eat the concept of species. Actually nobody will interpret your sentences as you like eating species, I just feel they're not native.

Seldom did I use 种类 to discribe a certain type of thing. For me, most of the time 种类 is after a number.
有5个种类的苹果。（number 5 is before 种类）
苹果有多少种类？(多少 is asking for a number)
What's more, if you replace 种类 with 种, they'll be better.
有5种苹果。
苹果有多少种？
种 here works as a classifier(instead of a noun), like "there are 5 bottles of water".