shǒujī: 手机 - Mobile Phone, Cell Phone

• Keywords: shouji, 手机, Chinese for mobile phone, Chinese word for cell phone, how to say phone in Chinese, shou ji pinyin, smartphone in China, WeChat, mobile payment China.
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese word 手机 (shǒujī), meaning “mobile phone” or “cell phone.” This guide goes beyond a simple translation, exploring the deep cultural significance of the 手机 in modern China, where it acts as a digital wallet, ID, and social hub. Discover how to use the term in practical daily conversations, from asking for a phone number to using mobile payments, and understand its central role in China's “cashless” society.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shǒujī
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: 1
• Concise Definition: A handheld, portable telephone; a mobile phone or cell phone.
• In a Nutshell: 手机 (shǒujī) is the standard, everyday word for a mobile phone. It's a literal and logical compound word, making it easy to remember. In China, a 手机 is more than just a communication device; it is the indispensable remote control for modern life, integrating payment, social media, transportation, and more into a single piece of hardware.

• 手 (shǒu): This character means “hand.” Its pictograph origin is a simple drawing of a hand with five fingers. It's one of the most basic and common characters in Chinese.
• 机 (jī): This character means “machine,” “engine,” or “device.” It's a key component in many technology-related words, such as 飞机 (fēijī - airplane, literally “fly machine”) and 洗衣机 (xǐyījī - washing machine, literally “wash clothes machine”).
• How they combine: Together, 手 (shǒu) and 机 (jī) create 手机 (shǒujī), which literally translates to “hand machine.” This is a perfect and straightforward description of a mobile phone, a machine you hold in your hand.

In the West, a smartphone is a tool for convenience. In China, a 手机 (shǒujī) is the key to participation in society. The cultural significance of the 手机 cannot be overstated. It is the epicenter of personal finance, social interaction, and daily logistics. While an American might use their phone for banking or social media, in China, the integration is far deeper. The country has largely become a cashless society, not through credit cards, but through mobile payment apps like WeChat Pay (微信支付 Wēixìn Zhīfù) and Alipay (支付宝 Zhīfùbǎo). From street food vendors to luxury malls, everything is paid for by scanning a QR code with your 手机. This turns the 手机 into a digital wallet and de facto ID. Without a functioning smartphone with these apps, simple tasks like hailing a taxi, renting a bike, ordering food, or even entering some buildings can become incredibly difficult. This contrasts with the West, where cash and credit cards remain universally accepted alternatives. The Chinese 手机 is a “super-app” portal, with WeChat (微信) acting as an all-in-one platform for messaging, social media, payments, and official services. Therefore, to understand modern China is to understand the absolute centrality of the 手机.

The term 手机 (shǒujī) is used constantly in all registers of speech, from casual conversation to formal settings. It is a neutral, factual term.

You'll hear 手机 (shǒujī) used when talking about the device itself, its battery life, its brand, or its functions. It's the go-to word with no exceptions.

Conversation in China is filled with actions that presume the use of a 手机. Phrases like “Scan the QR code” (扫码 sǎo mǎ) or “I'll pay with my phone” (我用手机付 wǒ yòng shǒujī fù) are extremely common and directly reference the device's integrated functions.

Common frustrations are a universal language. You will often use 手机 to talk about problems like having no battery (没电了 méi diàn le), no signal (没信号 méi xìnhào), or a broken screen (屏幕碎了 píngmù suì le).

• Example 1:
  • 我买了一个新手机。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ mǎi le yí ge xīn shǒujī.
  • English: I bought a new mobile phone.
  • Analysis: A simple, common sentence demonstrating basic ownership. `个 (ge)` is the standard measure word for a 手机.
• Example 2:
  • 你的手机号码是多少？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ de shǒujī hàomǎ shì duōshǎo?
  • English: What is your mobile phone number?
  • Analysis: The most direct way to ask for someone's number. `号码 (hàomǎ)` means “number.”
• Example 3:
  • 不好意思，我的手机没电了。
  • Pinyin: Bùhǎoyìsi, wǒ de shǒujī méi diàn le.
  • English: Excuse me, my phone is out of battery.
  • Analysis: A crucial phrase for any traveler. `没电了 (méi diàn le)` literally means “has no electricity anymore.”
• Example 4:
  • 他一天到晚都在玩手机。
  • Pinyin: Tā yì tiān dào wǎn dōu zài wán shǒujī.
  • English: He's playing on his phone all day long.
  • Analysis: `玩手机 (wán shǒujī)` means “to play on the phone,” which covers games, social media, and general browsing. It often carries a slightly negative or time-wasting connotation.
• Example 5:
  • 在中国，你可以用手机付钱，非常方便。
  • Pinyin: Zài Zhōngguó, nǐ kěyǐ yòng shǒujī fùqián, fēicháng fāngbiàn.
  • English: In China, you can use your mobile phone to pay, it's extremely convenient.
  • Analysis: This sentence explains the cultural significance of mobile payments. `用 (yòng)` means “to use,” and `付钱 (fùqián)` means “to pay money.”
• Example 6:
  • 我到处都找不到我的手机！
  • Pinyin: Wǒ dàochù dōu zhǎo bú dào wǒ de shǒujī!
  • English: I can't find my phone anywhere!
  • Analysis: `找不到 (zhǎo bú dào)` is a resultative complement, meaning the action of “looking” (找) did not result in “finding” (到).
• Example 7:
  • 上课的时候，请把手机调成静音。
  • Pinyin: Shàngkè de shíhou, qǐng bǎ shǒujī tiáo chéng jìngyīn.
  • English: During class, please set your phone to silent.
  • Analysis: A common instruction in formal settings. `把 (bǎ)` is a structure used to show disposal of an object. `调成静音 (tiáo chéng jìngyīn)` means “to adjust into silent mode.”
• Example 8:
  • 你拿出手机，我扫一下你的微信。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ ná chū shǒujī, wǒ sǎo yíxià nǐ de Wēixìn.
  • English: Take out your phone, I'll scan your WeChat QR code.
  • Analysis: A perfect example of practical, modern usage. This is how people add contacts in China.
• Example 9:
  • 这个地方信号不好，我手机上不了网。
  • Pinyin: Zhè ge dìfang xìnhào bù hǎo, wǒ shǒujī shàng bu liǎo wǎng.
  • English: The signal is bad in this place, my phone can't get online.
  • Analysis: `上不了网 (shàng bu liǎo wǎng)` is a common way to say “cannot access the internet.”
• Example 10:
  • 别一直当“低头族”，放下手机跟我们聊聊天！
  • Pinyin: Bié yìzhí dāng “dītóuzú”, fàngxià shǒujī gēn wǒmen liáoliao tiān!
  • English: Don't be a “smartphone zombie,” put down your phone and chat with us!
  • Analysis: This sentence uses the modern slang `低头族 (dītóuzú)` (the “head-down tribe”) to criticize someone for being glued to their phone.

A common point of confusion for learners is the difference between 手机 (shǒujī) and 电话 (diànhuà).

• 手机 (shǒujī): This specifically means a physical mobile phone/cell phone. It is a noun and cannot be used as a verb.
  • Correct: 我的手机是苹果牌的。(Wǒ de shǒujī shì Píngguǒ pái de.) - My phone is an Apple brand.
  • Incorrect: 我手机你。(Wǒ shǒujī nǐ.) - This is grammatically incorrect.
• 电话 (diànhuà): This is a broader term. It can mean:

1. A telephone in general, including landlines.

  2.  The concept of a "phone call."
  *   **Example (landline):** 我办公室的**电话**坏了。(Wǒ bàngōngshì de **diànhuà** huài le.) - My office telephone is broken.
  *   **Example (phone call):** 我要打个**电话**。(Wǒ yào dǎ ge **diànhuà**.) - I need to make a phone call.

The Mistake: Do not use 手机 when referring to a landline or the act of calling. Always use 手机 for the mobile device and 打电话 (dǎ diànhuà) for the action of “making a call.”

• 电话 (diànhuà) - The broader term for “telephone” or “phone call,” including landlines.
• 智能手机 (zhìnéng shǒujī) - The specific term for “smartphone” (literally “intelligent hand machine”). 手机 is often used as a synonym in casual speech.
• 充电 (chōngdiàn) - To charge (electronics). A verb you'll use often with your 手机.
• 充电宝 (chōngdiànbǎo) - Power bank/portable charger (literally “charging treasure”). An essential accessory for any 手机 user.
• 号码 (hàomǎ) - Number. Used in 手机号码 (shǒujī hàomǎ) to mean “phone number.”
• 微信 (Wēixìn) - WeChat, the essential “super-app” installed on nearly every 手机 in China.
• 支付宝 (Zhīfùbǎo) - Alipay, the other dominant mobile payment platform.
• 扫码 (sǎo mǎ) - To scan a QR code, a primary daily activity done with a 手机.
• 信号 (xìnhào) - Signal (for cellular or Wi-Fi). You might say “手机没信号” (shǒujī méi xìnhào).
• 低头族 (dītóuzú) - “The head-down tribe,” a popular slang term for people who are always looking down at their phones.