n.
mobile phone; cell phone
手机
mobile phone; cell phone
Literally 'hand machine' (手 hand + 机 machine). The standard Chinese word for a mobile phone; measure word is 部 (bù) or 个 (gè).
Common Usage & Traps
- 买手机 — buy a mobile phone
- 用手机 — use a mobile phone
- 玩手机 — play on a phone / scroll on a phone
- 我的手机 — my mobile phone
- 手机没电了 — my phone is out of battery
- 手机号 — mobile phone number
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你的手机是多少你的手机号是多少手机 is the device, not the number. English 'What's your phone?' means number; Chinese needs 手机号 or 电话号码.
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在手机上存照片在手机里存照片Photos and apps are stored inside the phone's memory, not on the glass surface.
Is 一个手机 wrong, or should it always be 一部手机?
一个手机 is fine in casual speech; 一部手机 is the formal standard.
Chinese has special measure words for many nouns, but 个 is the default that works almost everywhere. With phones, textbooks prefer 部 because it sounds more precise. In daily conversation, people say 一个手机 all the time. The story uses 一个手机 because the narrator is speaking casually.
“在北京的一个商店，我买了一个手机。” (At a store in Beijing, I bought a phone.)
“在北京的一个商店，我买了一个手机。” (At a store in Beijing, I bought a phone.)
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Casual speech | 一个手机 | 一部手机 (too formal for chat) |
| Formal writing | 一部手机 | 一个手机 (sounds sloppy) |
Can I use 手机 for 'phone number' or 'phone call'?
手机 is the device in your pocket; 电话 is a call or landline.
English 'phone' covers everything: the device, the number, the call. Chinese splits these. 手机 is your mobile device. 电话 is a phone call or a landline. If you want someone's number, ask for 手机号 or 电话号码. Saying 你的手机是多少 sounds like you're asking for the physical phone's price or size.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile device | 手机 | 电话 (if you mean cell) |
| Phone number | 手机号 / 电话号码 | 你的手机是多少 |
| Phone call | 打电话 | 打电话手机 |
Why do Chinese people say 手机里 for apps and money, but 手机上 for a scratch?
Digital stuff lives 手机里; physical stuff sits 手机上.
Think of your phone as a box. Apps, photos, and WeChat wallet money are stored inside the box, so you use 里. If something is resting on the glass surface, like a scratch or a sticker, use 上. English says 'on my phone' for both, which is why learners mix them up.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Stored data | 手机里 | 手机上 |
| Physical surface | 手机上 | 手机里 |
| WeChat wallet | 手机里没钱了 | 手机上没钱了 |
When I'm scrolling, should I say 我在玩手机 or 我在用手机?
玩手机 means killing time on your phone; 用手机 means using it as a tool.
If you're bored and scrolling through videos, that's 玩手机. If you're using your phone to pay, navigate, or work, that's 用手机. Both are correct, but they describe different activities. English 'I'm on my phone' can mean either one, so context decides.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Scrolling / leisure | 玩手机 | 用手机 (when you mean scrolling) |
| Using a tool | 用手机 | 玩手机 (when you mean work) |
Appears in Stories 6 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
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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B：当然不是吃的苹果，是苹果 手机 ！
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天啊，买完 手机 ，换完新号，我的银行卡上只有一百块了！
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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挂了电话他把 手机 扔在座椅上，长长吐了一口气。
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他 手机 又响了。
Everyday greetings are a gateway to natural Chinese. Practice time-based hellos like “早上好” and “晚安,” learn to address teachers with the respectful “您,” and see how families skip formalities to speak warmly at home.
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手机 问好说早安！
Read this short story about people waiting in the rain for a new phone. You will practice numbers, time, and everyday vocabulary.
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晚上，我坐出租车去大学那边的苹果商店买 手机 。
This short story follows a simple shopping trip in Beijing. You will learn words for buying a phone in Chinese.
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在北京的一个商店，我买了一个 手机 。
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这个 手机 六千多块钱。
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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手机 在手中，飞机真会飞。
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