电 is a lightning bolt — that's why it means electricity.
The old character drew a bolt of lightning. The modern shape keeps that spark. So 电 powers 电话, 电脑, 电视, and 电影.
电 lightning bolt / electricity
电
Common Usage & Traps
- 电 — electricity
- 电话 — telephone / phone call
- 电脑 — computer
- 电视 — television
- 电影 — movie
- 打电话 — to make a phone call
- 没电了 — out of power / dead battery
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开电话打电话Chinese uses 打 for phone calls. 开电话 sounds like you are opening a phone with your hands.
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没有电了没电了没 already means 'not have'. Adding 有 sounds heavy and textbook when you mean a dead battery or power outage.
Why is 打电话 the natural way to make a call, while 开电话 sounds wrong?
打电话 is the only natural way to make a call; 开电话 sounds wrong.
Chinese uses 打 for phone calls, like 打电话. Use 开 for turning on devices, like 开电脑 or 开电视. English says 'open' or 'make' a call, so learners reach for the wrong verb. Keep 开电话 out of your phone calls.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Making a call | 打电话 | 开电话 |
| Turning on a device | 开电脑 | 打电脑 |
When your computer dies, why is 电脑没电了 natural but 电脑没有电了 sounds stiff?
没电了 is the natural phrase for a dead battery; 没有电了 sounds stiff.
没 already means 'not have', so adding 有 makes it heavy. The 了 shows a change: it had power, now it does not. So natives say 没电了 for a dead battery or power outage. 电脑没有电了 is understandable, but it sounds like a textbook sentence.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Computer battery dead | 电脑没电了 | 电脑没有电了 |
| Power is out | 没电了 | 没有电了 |
Appears in Stories 13 stories
In this dialogue, two people chat while waiting outside a cinema. You'll hear common phrases for talking about hobbies, sports, and movie preferences.
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我在等朋友看 电影 。
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最近我每周都游两三次，但看 电影 是我最大的爱好！
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😄Ａ：你喜欢看老 电影 还是新 电影 ？
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我最喜欢看黑白老 电影 。
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今天我们就要看一个外国黑白老 电影 。
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有的时候，老 电影 比现在的新 电影 有意思。
Follow a day from waking at six-thirty to coming home at eight, then leap across days, months, and years. This simple story helps you practice speaking about routines and life changes with clear time words.
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前天同学 打电话 。
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后天有个好 电影 。
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今天去了 电影院 。
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去年买了新 电脑 。
Follow Xiao Li as he copes with the effects of forest fires near his home in the US and reflects on environmental changes. A thoughtful story for HSK 4 learners.
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电视 新闻说，附近的森林大火已经烧了三天。
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他给爸爸妈妈打了个 电话 ，问他们那边怎么样。
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挂了 电话 ，小李看着窗外，心里有点儿难过。
This is a short dialogue about a shopping trip. A woman buys many things, including food, drinks, furniture, and pet food, while her boyfriend reminds her not to overspend.
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我的男朋友 打电话 给我：“喂？
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我：“上个星期天，你说你喜欢他们的那个桌子和那个 电脑椅 。
Why would a millionaire leave a table of lobster and wagyu untouched? This story explores the hidden rules of business dining and the true cost of staying alert.
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路上他接了个 电话 ，语气一下子变了，变得有点儿凶。
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挂了 电话 他把手机扔在座椅上，长长吐了一口气。
A young man helps an old man look for his cat. But the real surprise is why the old man wanted to find the cat. Read on to learn about kindness and friendship.
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谁看见我的大白猫大白，请 打电话 给三号房间。”
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我写了找猫的话，天天有人 打电话 问我‘老先生，猫找到了吗’。
Join a shopper on a quick trip to the store. You'll learn simple words for shopping and feelings in this easy-to-follow story.
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我想买 电视 。
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这个商店没有我想买的 电视 。
Before you read, think about the questions you ask every day. This simple poem shows you how to ask age, price, time, and more in friendly Chinese.
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看 电视 ，他是谁？
This playful poem will make you smile as you explore how Chinese words like 'computer' and 'phone' can be funnier than they seem. Get ready to enjoy simple HSK 1 vocabulary and a twist of logic!
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超市非常小， 电脑 没脑子， 电话 不能打。
This short, soothing piece is about missing someone on a rainy night. The sentences are simple and repeat often, so you can practice reading while feeling the warm emotion.
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我看着 电脑 ，写下了几个字：小雨，我想你。
This humorous dialogue follows a man who spends all his savings on his girlfriend's Apple phone and a lucky number, leaving him broke. A fun read for HSK 3 learners.
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她还要换一个 电话 号码，我帮她选了一个888的号码——这个号码又要八百块。
Ever wondered where old Beijing's tea-drinking culture has gone? Follow a visitor discovering why locals now avoid famous tea houses—and practice expressing surprise and comparisons in Chinese along the way.
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这是 电影院 ！
This short poem plays with words that sound alike, comparing things that are good to watch, read, hear, or taste. Perfect for practicing basic adjectives like 好 and 真.
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好 电影 好看，好书不好看。
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