浏览器

• Pinyin: liú lǎn qì
• Hanzi breakdown: 浏览 = browse; 器 = 口×4 + 犬 (instrument, device)

Meaning

Web browser. A software application used to access and navigate the internet.

The standard term for internet browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, or Safari in Chinese. Essential vocabulary in technology and digital literacy contexts. Also used figuratively in discussions of internet access and censorship.

Examples

1. 他更新了浏览器版本之后，网页加载速度明显提升了不少。 After he updated his browser, page loading speed noticeably improved.
2. 公司的IT部门建议员工使用安全性更高的浏览器访问内部系统。 The company’s IT department recommends that employees use a more secure browser to access internal systems.
3. 不同浏览器对网页的渲染方式存在细微差异，前端开发者必须加以考虑。 Different browsers render webpages slightly differently, and front-end developers have to account for that.

Usage Guide

Context: technology, digital, internet

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 请在浏览器地址栏输入网址以访问该网站。(Please enter the URL in the browser address bar to access the website.)
• 清除浏览器缓存可以解决很多网页显示异常的问题。(Clearing the browser cache can resolve many webpage display issues.)

Don't Say

• 把浏览器和搜索引擎混用 — 浏览器 is the application used to access the web, while 搜索引擎 is a search engine service within it (Don't confuse 浏览器 with 搜索引擎 — the former is the browser application, the latter is the search engine)

Origin & History

浏览 (to browse) + 器 (tool, device) — the tool used for browsing.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal