How to Say "Cell Phone" in Japanese

携帯電話

keitai denwa[ke̞ːta̠idẽ̞ɰ̃β̞a̠]

The Japanese phrase for cell phone is 携帯電話 (keitai denwa).

携帯電話 refers to a portable telephone that can make and receive calls over a radio frequency link.

What does it mean word for word?

The phrase is composed of 携帯 (keitai), meaning 'portable/carrying' and 電話 (denwa), meaning 'telephone'.

携帯電話 is a formal expression. In casual conversation, people often shorten it to just 携帯.

keitai denwa

Even though 'cell phone' is the English term, Japanese culture has a very strong emphasis on 'manner mode' (マナーモード), the specific setting to silence a 携帯 in public.
In the early 2000s, Japanese 携帯 users pioneered 'i-mode', allowing mobile internet access and emojis long before smartphones existed in the West.
The word 電話 (denwa) inside the phrase is composed of the characters for 'electric' and 'speech'.

携帯電話が鳴った。
My cell phone rang.
This sentence is useful for showing the verb 'to ring' with 携帯電話.
Tatoeba #10914904 by bunbuku, translation #10593446 by felidad
携帯電話から電話しています。
I'm calling from a cell phone.
This sentence is useful for showing how to say one is calling from a 携帯電話.
Tatoeba #2110069 by bunbuku, translation #1890967 by CK
友達に携帯電話の番号を教えました。
I gave my cell phone number to a friend.
This sentence is useful for showing how to discuss a 携帯電話 number.
Tatoeba #10899846 by bunbuku, translation #10906174 by SomeHungryBois
私は新しい携帯電話を購入しました。
I bought a new cell phone.
明日友達とケータイで連絡します。
Tomorrow, I'll contact my friend by cell phone.
7 more sentences on Tatoeba

Ren and Himari are sitting in a cafe.

蓮 Ren

携帯電話はどこですか？
Keitai denwa wa doko desu ka?
Where is my cell phone?
陽葵 Himari

テーブルの上にありますよ。
Teeburu no ue ni arimasu yo.
It is on the table.
蓮 Ren

あ、ありました。ありがとうございます。
A, arimashita. Arigatou gozaimasu.
Ah, there it is. Thank you.
陽葵 Himari

よかったです。
Yokatta desu.
I'm glad.

Sources

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