充电

• Pinyin: chōng diàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 充 = 亠 + 允 (phonetic), meaning to fill; 电 = simplified form of 電 (lightning), meaning electricity

Meaning

To charge; to recharge. The act of supplying electrical energy to a battery or device.

Literally means charging a device's battery, but also widely used figuratively to mean 'recharging oneself' — taking a break, learning new skills, or recovering energy. This figurative usage is very common among younger speakers.

Examples

1. 手机快没电了，我需要充电。 My phone is almost out of battery — I need to charge it.
2. 他利用假期给自己充电，学了很多新知识。 He used the holiday to recharge himself and learned a lot of new things.
3. 这个地方可以给电动车充电。 This place can charge electric vehicles.

Usage Guide

Context: technology, everyday, figurative

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 出门前记得给手机充电。(Remember to charge your phone before going out.)
• 周末我想好好休息，给自己充充电。(I want to rest well this weekend and recharge myself.)

Don't Say

• 给水杯充电 (Don't say 充电 for non-electronic items — unless it actually has a battery, like a heated mug)

Origin & History

充 means to fill; 电 means electricity. Together they mean to fill up with electricity — to charge.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal