A dielectric composition includes a main ingredient having a perovskite structure represented by ABO.sub.3, where A is at least one of Ba, Sr, and Ca and B is at least one of Ti, Zr, and Hf, and a first accessory ingredient. The first accessory ingredient comprises 0.1 mole or more of a rare earth element, 0.02 mole or more of Nb, and 0.25 mole or more and 0.9 mole or less of Mg, a sum of contents of the rare earth element and Nb is 1.5 mole or less.

A piezoelectric thin film 3 contains a metal oxide, the metal oxide contains bismuth, potassium, titanium, iron and element M, the element M is at least one of magnesium and nickel, at least a part of the metal oxide is a crystal having a perovskite structure, and a (001) plane, a (110) plane or a (111) plane of the crystal is oriented in a normal direction dn of the surface of the piezoelectric thin film 3.

A multi-layer ceramic capacitor includes: a first region including a polycrystal including, as a main component, crystal grains free from intragranular pores; a second region that includes a polycrystal including, as a main component, crystal grains including intragranular pores and includes a higher content of silicon than a content of silicon in the first region; a capacitance forming unit including ceramic layers laminated along a first direction, and internal electrodes disposed between the ceramic layers; and a protective portion including a cover that covers the capacitance forming unit and constitutes a main surface facing in the first direction, a side margin constituting a side surface facing in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and a ridge constituting a connection portion, the connection portion connecting the main surface and the side surface to each other. The ceramic layers include the first region. The ridge includes the second region.

A dielectric composition includes dielectric particles and first segregations. The dielectric particles each include a perovskite compound represented by ABO.sub.3 as a main component. The first segregations each include at least Ba, V, and O. A molar ratio (Ba/Ti) of Ba to Ti detected in the first segregations is 1.20 or more.

A dielectric composition includes dielectric particles, grain boundary phases, and segregations. The dielectric particles each include a perovskite compound represented by ABO.sub.3 as a main component. The grain boundary phases are located between the dielectric particles. The segregations exist in a part of the grain boundary phases and include at least Al, Si, and O. A molar ratio (Al/(Al+Si)) of an Al content to a total content of Al and Si in the segregations is 0.45 or more and 0.75 or less.

Provided is a piezoelectric ceramics having a gradual change in piezoelectric constant depending on an ambient temperature. Specifically, provided is a single-piece piezoelectric ceramics including as a main component a perovskite-type metal oxide represented by a compositional formula of ABO.sub.3, wherein an A site element in the compositional formula contains Ba and M.sub.1, the M.sub.1 being formed of at least one kind selected from the group consisting of Ca and Bi, wherein a B site element in the compositional formula contains T1 and M.sub.2, the M.sub.2 being formed of at least one kind selected from the group consisting of Zr, Sn, and Hf, wherein concentrations of the M.sub.1 and the M.sub.2 change in at least one direction of the piezoelectric ceramics, and wherein increase and decrease directions of concentration changes of the M.sub.1 and the M.sub.2 are directions opposite to each other.

A multilayer electronic component includes a body including a dielectric layer and an internal electrode; and an external electrode disposed on the body and connected to the internal electrode, wherein the dielectric layer includes first and second grains, wherein the first grain has a core-shell structure including a shell having an atomic ratio of 2*Sn/(Ba+Ti+Sn) or 2*Hf/(Ba+Ti+Hf) to be 1.0% or more and 5.0% or less, and a core having an atomic ratio of 2*Sn/(Ba+Ti+Sn) and 2*Hf/(Ba+Ti+Hf) to be less than 1.0%, and the second grain has an atomic ratio of 2*Sn/(Ba+Ti+Sn) and 2*Hf/(Ba+Ti+Hf) to be less than 1.0%, and wherein an area occupied by the first grain in an entire area of the first and second grains is 28.3-82.3%.

A lead-free piezoelectric material includes perovskite-type metal oxide containing Na, Nb, Ba, Ti, and Mg and indicates excellent piezoelectric properties. The piezoelectric material satisfies the following relational expression (1): 0.430≤a≤0.460, 0.433≤b≤0.479, 0.040≤c≤0.070, 0.0125≤d≤0.0650, 0.0015≤e≤0.0092, 0.9×3e≤c−d≤1.1×3e, a+b+c+d+e=1, where a, b, c, d, and e denote the relative numbers of Na, Nb, Ba, Ti, and Mg atoms, respectively.

Aluminum titanate-containing particles made up of a conglomerate of multiple partial grains. The aluminum titanate-containing particles are formed by breaking apart ceramic bodies along cracks, which are formed predominantly through the grains, rather than between the grains. Batch mixtures forming the aluminum titanate-containing particles, as well as batch mixtures utilizing the aluminum titanate particles are disclosed. Green bodies, such as green honeycomb bodies having peak intensity ratios (PIRs) in an axial direction of less than or equal to 0.50, ceramic honeycomb bodies, methods of manufacturing green honeycomb bodies, and ceramic honeycomb bodies are provided, as are other aspects.

Provided is a lead-free piezoelectric material reduced in dielectric loss tangent, and achieving both a large piezoelectric constant and a large mechanical quality factor. A piezoelectric material according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is a piezoelectric material including a main component formed of a perovskite-type metal oxide represented by the general formula (1): Na.sub.x+s(1−y)(Bi.sub.wBa.sub.1−s−w).sub.1−yNb.sub.yTi.sub.1−yO.sub.3 (where 0.84≤x≤0.92, 0.84≤y≤0.92, 0.002≤(w+s)(1−y)≤0.035, and 0.9≤w/s≤1.1), and a Mn component, wherein the content of the Mn is 0.01 mol % or more and 1.00 mol % or less with respect to the perovskite-type metal oxide.