电工
diangong
The Chinese word for electrician is 电工 (diangong).
电工 is used to refer to a tradesman who works with electrical equipment.
Meaning: tradesman who works with electrical equipment (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of 电 (diàn), meaning electricity and 工 (gōng), meaning worker or laborer.
How do you pronounce it?
diangong
Did you know?
- The character 电 originally depicted a lightning bolt. In ancient Chinese, it referred to the natural phenomenon of lightning long before humans understood how to harness electricity.
- While 电工 is the standard term, you might also hear someone refer to an electrician as a 电工师傅 (diàngōng shīfu). Adding 师傅 (shīfu), which means 'master' or 'skilled person', is a common way to show respect to tradespeople in China.
- The character 工 is a pictograph that originally represented a carpenter's square, the most basic tool of any skilled worker.
Examples in context
- 请帮我安排一位电工 (qǐng bāng wǒ ānpái yí wèi diàngōng)Please arrange an electrician for me.
- 我需要找一个电工。Wǒ xūyào zhǎo yīgè diàngōng.I need to find an electrician.
- 那个电工正在修理线路。Nàgè diàngōng zhèngzài xiūlǐ xiànlù.That electrician is repairing the wires.
- 他是一名经验丰富的电工。Tā shì yī míng jīngyàn fēngfù de diàngōng.He is an experienced electrician.
Example conversation
At home, a light bulb and wire issue occurs.
- 雨婷 Yuting浩然，灯坏了，你找电工了吗？Hàorán, dēng huàile, nǐ zhǎo diàngōng le ma?Haoran, the light is broken, did you find an electrician?
- 浩然 Haoran我刚才打电话给电工了。Wǒ gāngcái dǎ diànhuà gěi diàngōng le.I just called the electrician.
- 雨婷 Yuting他什么时候能到？Tā shénme shíhòu néng dào?When can he arrive?
- 浩然 Haoran他说半小时后就到。Tā shuō bàn xiǎoshí hòu jiù dào.He said he will arrive in half an hour.
