shǒu jī
mobile phone
我有一个手机。
wǒ yǒu yī gè shǒu jī.
I have a mobile phone.
我用手机打电话。
wǒ yòng shǒu jī dǎ diàn huà.
I use my mobile phone to make phone calls.
我用手机发短信。
wǒ yòng shǒu jī fā duǎn xìn.
I use my mobile phone to send text messages.
移动电话 (yídòng diànhuà)
mobile phone
手机 (shǒujī)
cell phone
电话 (diànhuà)
phone
座机 (zuòjī)
landline
电脑 (diànnǎo)
computer
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The Chinese word for "mobile phone" is 手机 (shǒujī), which literally means "hand machine". This name reflects the fact that mobile phones are small, handheld devices that can be used to make phone calls, send text messages, and access the internet. The first character, 手 (shǒu), means "hand", while the second character, 机 (jī), means "machine". The word 手机 was coined in the early 1990s, when mobile phones were first introduced in China. It quickly became the standard term for these devices, and is still used today.
