电话号码
diànhuà hàomǎ
The English phrase 'phone numbers' is translated into Chinese as 电话号码 (diànhuà hàomǎ).
The phrase 电话号码 refers to a sequence of digits used to call someone on a telephone. In casual conversation, people often shorten 电话号码 to just 电话 to refer to a phone number.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 电话 (diànhuà), meaning 'telephone' and 号码 (hàomǎ), meaning 'number'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase 电话号码 does not change its form to indicate plurality, so it can mean both 'phone number' and 'phone numbers' depending on context.
How do you pronounce it?
diànhuà hàomǎ
Did you know?
- In digital shorthand, Chinese users sometimes use the number 520 as a substitute for 'I love you' because it sounds similar in Mandarin, leading some to choose these digits for their 电话号码.
- In China, the number 4 is often avoided in 电话号码 because it sounds like the word for 'death'. Some people will pay extra to avoid having this digit in their personal or business numbers.
- The word 电话 (diànhuà) literally translates to 'electric speech'. This reflects the early 20th-century conceptualization of the technology as electricity carrying a voice.
Examples in context
- 请写下你的电话号码。Qǐng xiě xià nǐ de diànhuà hàomǎ.Please write down your phone number.
- 我不记得他的电话号码了。Wǒ bù jìdé tā de diànhuà hàomǎ le.I don't remember his phone number anymore.
- 这些电话号码都是错的。Zhèxiē diànhuà hàomǎ dōu shì cuò de.These phone numbers are all wrong.
Example conversation
Two friends are exchanging contact information.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen伟，我想存你的电话号码。Wěi, wǒ xiǎng cún nǐ de diànhuà hàomǎ.Wei, I want to save your phone number.
- 伟 Wei没问题，我发给你。Méi wèntí, wǒ fā gěi nǐ.No problem, I'll send it to you.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen谢谢你，晓雯收到了。Xièxiè nǐ, Xiǎowén shōudào le.Thank you, Xiaowen received it.
- 伟 Wei太好了，以后联系。Tài hǎo le, yǐhòu liánxì.Great, let's keep in touch.
