Abstract: A zinc oxide ceramic and a method for producing the zinc oxide ceramics are provided wherein a zinc oxide varistor for a high voltage which has excellent electric characteristics and great reliability for DC loading and surge can be produced in high yield by performing sintering at a temperature of 750.degree. to 1050.degree. C. At least one of B.sub.2 O.sub.3, Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3, GeO.sub.2, LaO.sub.3, MgO, Nb.sub.2 O.sub.5, Nd.sub.2 O.sub.3, PbO, PrO, Sb.sub.2 O.sub.3, SiO.sub.2, SnO.sub.2, Ta.sub.2 O.sub.5, WO.sub.3 and Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 powders and a Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3 powder are mixed. A mixture thus obtained is heat treated at a temperature of 400.degree. to 700.degree. C. and ground to prepare a synthetic powder. 0.5 to 20 parts by weight of the synthetic powder and 0.1 to 5.0 parts by weight of at least one of CoO, MnO.sub.2 and NiO powders are added and ground for 100 parts by weight of a zinc oxide powder. A binder is added to the ground powder to form a sheet.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a ceramic electronic part includes the steps of: firing Pd electrodes or alloy electrodes containing Pd as a primary metal along with ceramics in the atmosphere in which Pd cannot be oxidized within the range (I) of oxidizing temperature of Pd in air; and firing the Pd electrodes or alloy electrodes along with the ceramics in air within the range (II) of deoxidizing temperature of PdO in air. The method can manufacture a ceramic electronic part, such as a multilayer ceramic capacitor, including Pd electrodes or alloy electrodes which contain Pd as a primary metal without forming internal defects inside the ceramic electronic part and reducing its properties.