皮革 (pígé) is the standard Mandarin term for 'leather'—material made by tanning animal hides or skins. The character 皮 (pí) means 'skin' or 'hide', referring to the raw outer layer of animals; 革 (gé) originally meant 'tanned hide' and carries the sense of processed, durable material. Together, 皮革 emphasizes the finished product—not raw skin, but treated, flexible, and usable leather used in goods like shoes, bags, jackets, and furniture.

This word is neutral in register and widely used in both spoken and written Chinese. It applies to leather from any animal source (e.g., cow, sheep, goat), though specific types are named with modifiers (e.g., 牛皮 'cowhide', 羊皮 'sheepskin'). Unlike colloquial terms like 皮子 (pízi), 皮革 sounds formal and precise—common in product descriptions, manufacturing contexts, and official labeling.