This document specifies methods for the chemical analysis of zirconium oxide powders used as the raw material for fine ceramics. It stipulates the determination methods of the zirconium, aluminium, barium, calcium, cerium, cobalt, gadolinium, hafnium, iron, magnesium, potassium, silicon, sodium, strontium, titanium and yttrium contents in zirconium oxide powders for fine ceramics. The test sample is decomposed by acid pressure decomposition or alkali fusion. Contents of zirconium and yttrium are determined by using either a precipitation and gravimetric method or an inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry (ICP–OES) method. Contents of aluminium, barium, calcium, cerium, cobalt, gadolinium, hafnium, iron, magnesium, potassium, silicon, sodium, strontium and titanium are determined by using an ICP–OES method.