電話

• Reading: でんわ
• Romaji: denwa
• Kanji breakdown: 電 (den) — electricity, lightning; 話 (wa/hanashi) — talk, speech, story
• Pronunciation: /de.ɴ.wa/

Meaning

Telephone call; phone call; telephone. Both the device and the act of calling.

Functions as both a noun and a する verb: 電話する (to make a phone call). One of the most essential communication words. Common phrases: 電話をかける (make a call), 電話に出る (answer the phone), 電話番号 (phone number), 携帯電話 (mobile phone). In modern Japanese, スマホ (sumaho — smartphone) is increasingly used for the device itself.

Examples

1. 友達に電話をかけました。 I called my friend on the phone.
2. 電話番号を教えてください。 Please tell me your phone number.
3. 会議中なので電話に出られません。 I'm in a meeting, so I can't answer the phone.

Usage Guide

Context: communication, daily life, business

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Composed of 電 (electricity/lightning) and 話 (speech/talk), literally 'electric speech' — a word coined when the telephone was introduced to Japan in the late 19th century.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal