麥克風 / 麦克风
màikèfēng
The English word microphone is said in Chinese as 麥克風 / 麦克风 (màikèfēng). If unsure, use 麥克風 / 麦克风. Wiktionary also lists 話筒 / 话筒 (huàtǒng) and 傳聲器 / 传声器 (chuánshēngqì).
Meaning: transducer of sound waves to electricity (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 麥克風 / 麦克风 | màikèfēng |
| 話筒 / 话筒 | huàtǒng |
| 傳聲器 / 传声器 | chuánshēngqì |
| 微音器 | wéiyīnqì, wēiyīnqì |
A microphone is a transducer of sound waves to electricity. The term 麥克風 / 麦克风 is the most commonly used term for a microphone.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Northern China, the informal version 话筒儿 is commonly used.
Did you know?
- The word 麥克風 is a phonetic loanword where the characters 'wheat' 麥, 'pull' 克 and 'wind' 風 are chosen solely for their sound and have no relation to audio equipment.
- The term 麥克風 entered the Chinese language as a loanword via the Shanghainese dialect before becoming standard across the country.
- The word 話筒 / 话筒 literally translates to 'speech tube', giving the impression of a physical pipe used for speaking.
Examples in context
- 请注意，麦克风有问题，请更换话筒。Attention, there is an issue with the microphone, please replace it.
- 我觉得你的话筒儿音量太大。I think your microphone volume is too loud.
- 他拿起麦克风开始演讲。He picked up the microphone and started speaking.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “microphone” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 麥克風, CC BY-SA 4.0.
