手机

• Pinyin: shǒu jī
• Hanzi breakdown: 手 (hand) + 机 (machine)

Meaning

Mobile phone; cellphone. The standard word for a smartphone or cellular phone.

The most common word for a mobile phone in modern Chinese. Literally 'hand machine', reflecting how it is a device held in the hand. Related terms include 手机号 (phone number) and 看手机 (look at one's phone).

Examples

1. 我的手机在哪儿？ Where is my phone?
2. 他在看手机。 He is looking at his phone.
3. 这个手机多少钱？ How much is this phone?

Usage Guide

Context: technology, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你的手机号是多少？(What's your phone number?)
• 我忘带手机了。(I forgot to bring my phone.)

Don't Say

• 我要打手机给你。(Unnatural — say 我给你打电话 for 'I'll call you'; 打手机 is not standard phrasing)

Origin & History

Compound of 手 (hand) and 机 (machine), literally 'hand machine' — coined when mobile phones first became popular in China.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal