二維碼 / 二维码
èrwéimǎ
In Chinese, the phrase for "qr code" is 二維碼 / 二维码 (èrwéimǎ).
The term refers to a 2-D barcode. In daily life, instead of saying "scan the QR code," people often use the verb-object construction 掃碼 (sǎomǎ), which literally means "scan code."
Meaning: 2-D barcode (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term 二維碼 literally means "two-dimensional code": 二 means "two", 維 means "dimension" and 碼 means "code."
Which one should you use?
The form 二維碼 uses traditional characters, while 二维码 uses simplified characters used in mainland China.
How do you pronounce it?
èrwéimǎ
Did you know?
- In digital social culture, sending money via a QR code is often referred to as sending a 紅包 (hóngbāo), or 'red envelope', a term rooted in the traditional custom of giving physical red envelopes for luck.
- In China, the concept of the 二維碼 is so integrated into social life that people often share their personal contact information by letting others scan a personal QR code instead of exchanging phone numbers.
- The character 維 (wéi) used in 二維碼 is also used in the Chinese word for 'dimension' in physics, which links the everyday phrase to high-level mathematical terminology.
Examples in context
- 我们可以用手机扫描二维码以获取更多信息。We can use our mobile phones to scan the QR code and get more information.
- 可以扫码支付吗？Can I pay by scanning the code?
- 用手机扫二维码就可以登录了。You can log in by scanning the QR code with your mobile phone.
- 我们的广告上附有二维码供扫描。Our advertisement contains a QR code for scanning.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “qr code” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
