代碼 / 代码
dàimǎ
To say code in Chinese, meaning computer code, use 代碼 / 代码 (dàimǎ). If unsure, use 代碼 / 代码. Wiktionary also lists 碼 / 码 (mǎ).
Meaning: instructions for a computer (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 代碼 / 代码 | dàimǎ |
| 碼 / 码 | mǎ |
代码 is the standard word for source code and other instructions written for a computer.
What does it mean word for word?
代 means to stand in for, and 码 means code or number.
Which one should you use?
碼 / 码 (mǎ) on its own also means code, but for programs people say 代码. To encode something is 编码, and writing programs is 编程.
Is it said differently in some regions?
代碼 is the traditional form used in Taiwan and Hong Kong, and 代码 is the simplified form used in mainland China.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
It is pronounced dàimǎ, with a falling tone and then a dipping tone.
Did you know?
- In modern internet slang, 碼 is used as a verb meaning to 'bookmark' or reply to a post simply to find it again later.
- The word 碼 is used to express both a 'pixel' in digital images and the physical measurement of a 'yard'.
- The word 碼 / 码 can also be used to mean a 'dock' when combined into the word 碼頭 / 码头 (mǎtóu).
Example sentences for Chinese are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “code” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 碼, CC BY-SA 4.0.
