手提電腦 / 手提电脑
shǒutí diànnǎo
In Chinese, laptop is 手提電腦 / 手提电脑 (shǒutí diànnǎo). Wiktionary also lists 手提計算機 / 手提计算机 (shǒutí jìsuànjī) and 筆記本電腦 / 笔记本电脑 (bǐjìběn diànnǎo).
Meaning: computing: a laptop computer (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 手提電腦 / 手提电脑 | shǒutí diànnǎo | |
| 手提計算機 / 手提计算机 | shǒutí jìsuànjī | Mainland China |
| 筆記本電腦 / 笔记本电脑 | bǐjìběn diànnǎo | Mainland China |
| 筆記本 / 笔记本 | bǐjìběn | Mainland China, short form |
| 筆記型電腦 / 笔记型电脑 | bǐjìxíng diànnǎo | Taiwan |
| 筆電 / 笔电 | bǐdiàn | Taiwan, short form |
The term refers to a laptop computer.
Which one should you use?
While 手提電腦 (shǒutí diànnǎo) is a common way to say laptop, 筆記本電腦 (bǐjìběn diànnǎo) is often used to emphasize the 'notebook' aspect of the device. The short form 筆記本 (bǐjìběn) in Mainland China literally means 'notebook'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In Taiwan, the abbreviation 筆電 (bǐdiàn) is a common informal way to refer to a laptop.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mainland China, the standard term is 筆記本電腦 / 笔记本电脑 and you may also see 手提計算機 / 手提计算机 or the short form 筆記本 / 笔记本. In Taiwan, the standard way to refer to a laptop is 筆記型電腦 / 笔记型电脑.
How do you pronounce it?
shǒutí diànnǎo
Did you know?
- The word 電腦 (diànnǎo), used in many of these terms, literally translates to 'electric brain'.
- The term 手提 (shǒutí) literally means 'hand-carry', a descriptor often used for luggage or handbags rather than just electronics.
- In some older technical contexts, 計算機 (jìsuànjī) was used for 'computer', but today this word often refers to a simple handheld calculator.
Examples in context
- 今天在会议上，我用我的笔记本演示了新的销售策略。(Jīntiān zài huìyì shàng, wǒ yòng wǒ de bǐjìběn yǎnshìle xīn de xiāoshòu cèlüè.)Today, I used my laptop to present the new sales strategy during the meeting.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “laptop” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
