應用程序 / 应用程序
yìngyòng chéngxùMainland China
The English word 'app' is translated into Chinese as 應用程序 / 应用程序 (yìngyòng chéngxù). Wiktionary also lists 應用 / 应用 (yìngyòng) and 應用程式 / 应用程式 (yìngyòng chéngshì).
Meaning: small computer application (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 應用程序 / 应用程序 | yìngyòng chéngxù | Mainland China |
| 應用 / 应用 | yìngyòng | |
| 應用程式 / 应用程式 | yìngyòng chéngshì | Taiwan |
The term refers to a small computer application. In technical or formal contexts, you may also encounter the word 软件 (software) to describe mobile apps.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 應用程序 (yìngyòng chéngxù) is composed of 應用 (application) and 程序 (program/procedure).
Which one should you use?
Depending on the region and level of formality, different terms are used. The full formal term in Mainland China is 應用程序 / 应用程序, while the shorter form 應用 / 应用 is used more casually. In common spoken Chinese, many people simply use the English abbreviation APP.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mainland China, the standard terminology is 應用程序 / 应用程序. In Taiwan, the typical term used is 應用程式 / 应用程式.
How do you pronounce it?
yìngyòng chéngxù
Did you know?
- While APP is common in speech, many Chinese users refer to 'mini-programs' (小程序) within platforms like WeChat. These are 'apps within an app' that do not require separate installation from a store.
- The character 程 (chéng) in 程序 is the same character used in the word for 'journey' or 'distance', suggesting a sense of a sequence or a path.
- In Chinese, the word 程序 (chéngxù) used in 應用程序 refers to a 'procedure' or 'order of events'. It is the same word used to describe the formal agenda of a meeting or a legal protocol.
Examples in context
- 昨天我下载了一个新的应用程序。Yesterday, I downloaded a new app.
- 你有什么好用的手机软件推荐吗？Do you have any recommended mobile apps?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “app” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
