How to Say "Cell Phone" in Chinese

手机

shǒujī

In Chinese, cell phone is 手机 (shǒujī).

手机 is the standard term used for both feature phones and smartphones. If you want to specifically refer to a smartphone, you can use the term 智能手机.

What does it mean word for word?

The term 手机 is a compound of 手 (hand) and 机 (machine), literally meaning "hand machine".

Additionally, 移动电话 serves as a formal way to say cell phone in Mandarin.

In Taiwanese Mandarin, the word for cell phone is typically 手机.

shǒujī

Chinese speakers often use the term 充电宝 (charging treasure) to refer to the portable power banks essential for keeping a 手机 alive.
In China, the phrase 玩手机 (playing with the phone) is commonly used to describe mindless scrolling or wasting time on a 手机.
In China, people often use the word 手机 as a shorthand for their digital life, as the device is used for almost every payment and identity verification via QR codes.

苹果是非凡的手机。
The iPhone is an extraordinary cell phone.
This sentence is useful for describing a specific brand of 手机.
Tatoeba #3780471 by e78xx_xxx, translation #518931 by FeuDRenais
明天我要买手机了。
I'm going to buy a cell phone tomorrow.
This sentence is useful for expressing an intention to purchase a 手机.
Tatoeba #8914905 by crescat, translation #684698 by notrwanda
我正在用手机打电话。
I'm calling from a cell phone.
This sentence is useful for describing the action of making a call using a 手机.
Tatoeba #8777601 by crescat, translation #1890967 by CK
我的手机是新的。
My cell phone is new.
这是我的移动电话。请问你有电话吗？
This is my cell phone. May I ask if you have a phone?
你带了你的手机吗？
Did you bring your cell phone?
7 more sentences on Tatoeba

In a cafe, Zihan is looking for her phone.

梓涵 Zihan

浩然，你看到我的手机了吗？
Hàorán, nǐ kàndào wǒ de shǒujī le ma?
Haoran, did you see my cell phone?
浩然 Haoran

我没看到，梓涵。
Wǒ méi kàndào, Zǐhán.
I didn't see it, Zihan.
梓涵 Zihan

它就在桌子上。
Tā jiù zài zhuōzi shàng.
It is right on the table.
浩然 Haoran

啊，原来在这里。
À, yuánlái zài zhèlǐ.
Ah, so it was here.

Sources

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