网

• Pinyin: wǎng
• Hanzi breakdown: 网 = simplified from 網; depicts the interlocking threads of a net

Meaning

Net; web; internet. Refers to both physical nets and the internet.

The original meaning is a physical net for catching fish or animals. In modern usage, it predominantly refers to the internet (上网, go online; 网上, online). Common compounds include 网络 (network), 网站 (website), 网友 (online friend), and 网购 (online shopping).

Examples

1. 今天家里没有网。 There's no internet at home today.
2. 你可以在网上查一下。 You can look it up online.
3. 我每天都要上网。 I go online every day.

Usage Guide

Context: technology, internet, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你家有网吗？(Do you have internet at home?)
• 网上有很多学习资料。(There are many study materials online.)

Don't Say

• 我在网里面 (Don't say you are 'inside the net' — use 在网上 for online activities; 在网里 would literally mean trapped in a physical net)

Origin & History

Simplified from 網. A pictograph depicting the interlocking threads of a net used for catching.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal