停电

• Pinyin: tíng diàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 停 = 亻+ 亭 — to stop; 电 = electricity

Meaning

Power outage; blackout; to have no electricity.

When electricity supply is cut off, either due to maintenance, accidents, or overload. Common experience in daily life. Can be planned (scheduled maintenance) or unexpected.

Examples

1. 昨晚突然停电，冰箱里的食物都坏了。 The power suddenly went out last night, and all the food in the fridge spoiled.
2. 物业通知明天上午九点到十二点停电检修。 The property management notified us that power will be cut tomorrow from 9 AM to noon for maintenance.
3. 夏天用电高峰期，有些地方会拉闸限电，偶尔停电。 During summer peak electricity demand, some areas implement rolling blackouts and occasional outages.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, utilities, emergencies

Tone: practical

Do Say

• 停电了。(The power went out.)
• 什么时候来电？(When will the power come back?)

Don't Say

• 把关闭电器说成'停电' (Turning off appliances is 关电器 or 断电, not 停电 which means power outage)

Origin & History

停 means to stop, 电 means electricity — electricity stops.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal