In Jinkoki published in 1627, the terms micro and nano are defined as (bi) and (jin) in Japanese, both of which mean very tiny quantities down to 10⁻⁶m∼10⁻⁹m. This does not mean that the micro and nanotribology is the dust science of tribology. Micro and nanotribology studies the intrinsic processes of physical, chemical and mechanical phenomena occurring at the surfaces and interfaces.

The tribological aspects determined by size are widely spread. Wear depth, for example, pertains to the unit of daily life, fluid film thickness in hydrodynamic lubrication is in micrometer units, the atomic manipulation treats...