4.1 Technology Vocabulary

Devices

电脑 (diànnǎo) = computer (lit. 'electric brain'), 手机 (shǒujī) = cell phone, 网 / 网络 (wǎng / wǎngluò) = internet, 网站 (wǎngzhàn) = website, 电子邮件 (diànzǐ yóujiàn) = email.

Actions

上网 (shàngwǎng) = to go online, 下载 (xiàzài) = to download, 发 (fā) = to send, 搜索 (sōusuǒ) = to search, 打字 (dǎzì) = to type.

Note

Many tech words are compounds of familiar characters: 电脑 = 'electric + brain,' 手机 = 'hand + machine.' 发短信 (fā duǎnxìn) = to send a text message.

Key terms

电脑 / 手机

diànnǎo / shǒujī — computer / cell phone

网 / 网站

wǎng / wǎngzhàn — internet / website

上网 / 下载

shàngwǎng / xiàzài — go online / download

发 / 搜索

fā / sōusuǒ — to send / to search

电子邮件

diànzǐ yóujiàn — email

Try an AP-style question

"电脑 (diànnǎo)" is…

1. television
2. phone
3. electricity
4. computer