电

• Pinyin: diàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 电 = simplified from 電 (雨 rain + lightning) — electricity, lightning

Meaning

Electricity; electric. Refers to electrical power or is used as a prefix for electronic devices.

As a standalone word, means electricity (没有电, no electricity; 停电, power outage). More commonly appears as the first character in compound words for electronic devices: 电话 (phone), 电脑 (computer), 电视 (TV), 电影 (movie).

Examples

1. 家里没有电了。 There is no electricity at home.
2. 我的手机没电了。 My phone is out of battery.
3. 今天停电了。 The power went out today.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, technology

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 手机没电了。(The phone is out of battery.)
• 停电了怎么办？(What do we do about the power outage?)

Don't Say

• 我没有电 meaning 'I'm out of battery' (People don't have 电 — say 我的手机没电了)

Origin & History

Simplified from 電, which depicted lightning (雨 rain + 电 lightning flash). Lightning was the original natural form of electricity.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal