天线

• Pinyin: tiān xiàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 天 = 一 + 大 — sky; 线 = 纟(silk) + 戋 — thread, wire

Meaning

Antenna. A device for receiving or transmitting radio signals.

Refers to antennas on TVs, radios, satellites, and mobile devices. Colloquially, 有天线 means having inside connections or being well-informed about gossip or information channels.

Examples

1. 老式电视机顶上都有两根天线，调整角度才能收到清晰的画面。 Old TVs all had two antennas on top — you had to adjust the angle to get a clear picture.
2. 卫星天线被台风吹歪了，现在电视信号不稳定。 The satellite dish got knocked crooked by the typhoon, so the TV signal is unstable now.
3. 他在公司里天线很灵，什么消息都能第一时间知道。 He's very well-connected in the company and always knows the news first.

Usage Guide

Context: technology, colloquial

Tone: practical

Do Say

• 调一下天线。(Adjust the antenna.)
• 他天线很灵。(He's very well-connected/informed.)

Don't Say

• 把WiFi路由器叫'天线' (Don't call a WiFi router a 天线 — it's 路由器, though it has antennas)

Origin & History

天 refers to the sky where signals travel, 线 means wire or line — a wire reaching toward the sky.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal