联网

• Pinyin: lián wǎng
• Hanzi breakdown: 联 = 耳 + 关 + 糸 (connect/link); 网 = (net/network — visual of a woven net)

Meaning

To connect to a network; to go online; to link systems together. Refers to internet connectivity or the interconnection of devices and systems.

Used in technology and digital contexts: 联网设备 (connected devices), 物联网 (Internet of Things — IoT), 联网功能 (network connectivity feature). Can describe both the act of connecting (手机已联网 — the phone is now connected) and the broader state of being networked.

Examples

1. 这款智能家居设备需要联网，才能通过手机应用程序实现远程操控。 This smart home device needs an internet connection so it can be controlled remotely through a mobile app.
2. 该山区信号覆盖不稳定，学生上网课时频繁出现无法联网的困境。 In the mountainous area, signal coverage is unreliable, and students often find themselves unable to get online during remote classes.
3. 物联网技术使数以亿计的设备实现了互联互通，深刻改变了工业生产方式。 Internet of Things technology has connected hundreds of millions of devices, profoundly changing industrial production methods.

Usage Guide

Context: technology, internet, smart devices, IoT

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 新安装的监控摄像头已成功联网，可以通过手机随时查看实时画面。(The newly installed surveillance cameras have been successfully connected to the network and can now be monitored in real time via mobile phone.)
• 随着万物联网时代的到来，数据安全和个人隐私保护成为社会关注的焦点。(As the era of the Internet of Everything arrives, data security and personal privacy protection have become focal concerns for society.)

Don't Say

• 将'联网'与'上网'完全互换 — 联网侧重于设备或系统之间的连接行为，上网则特指人通过网络进行浏览、通信等活动

Origin & History

联 (connect/link) + 网 (network/web/internet)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal