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Chinese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "phone" in Chinese?
手机
shǒu jī
In Chinese, "phone" is 手机.
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Pronunciation
Say 'show' (falling tone, rhymes with 'toe') then 'jee' (rising tone, rhymes with 'see'). Two syllables.
Writing and usage
Two characters. 手 means hand (four strokes), 机 means machine or device (six strokes). Literally 'hand machine'.
Example sentence
我在用手机。
I am using my phone.
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How to remember 手机
手机 captures the idea of a device you hold in your hand. The two-character name is compact and descriptive.
Related words
- document 文件 wén jiàn
- keyboard 键盘 jiàn pán
- letter 信 xìn
- light bulb 电灯泡 diàn dēng pào
- paperclip 回形针 huí xíng zhēn
- pen 笔 bǐ
- pencil 铅笔 qiān bǐ
- poster 海报 hǎi bào
- stapler 订书机 dìng shū jī
Browse all Chinese words in the glossary.
Questions about 手机
How do you say "phone" in Chinese?
In Chinese, "phone" is 手机. It is a noun.
How is 手机 written in Chinese?
Two characters. 手 means hand (four strokes), 机 means machine or device (six strokes). Literally 'hand machine'.
How is 手机 used in a sentence?
Use 手机 as you would use the equivalent noun in English. For example: 我在用手机。 (I am using my phone.).
Where can I practice Chinese words for free?
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"Phone" in other languages
Curated by Callan Ratcliffe
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