电 diàn electricity
electricity; lightning
How it came to be
The full form is a rain cloud over a lightning bolt. Simplification took the cloud away and left the bare bolt with its tail still whipping. Nobody renamed it when the meaning moved indoors.
How it is used
- Electricity - and the prefix that builds modern devices: 电脑 (diànnǎo) computer, 电话 (diànhuà) phone, 电视 (diànshì) TV, 电影 (diànyǐng) film.
- Also 'lightning': 闪电 (shǎndiàn).
Words with 电
- 打电话dǎdiànhuàmake a phone callHSK 1
- 电脑diànnǎocomputerHSK 1
- 电视diànshìtelevisionHSK 1
- 电影diànyǐngfilmHSK 1
- 电影院diànyǐngyuàncinemaHSK 1
- 电话diànhuàtelephoneHSK 1
- 电梯diàntīelevatorHSK 3
- 电子书diànzǐshūelectronic bookHSK 3
- 电动车diàndòngchēelectric vehicleHSK 4
- 电视剧diànshìjùTV seriesHSK 4
- 充电chōngdiànto recharge (a battery)HSK 5
- 家电jiādiànhousehold electric applianceHSK 5
- 电动diàndòngelectric-poweredHSK 5
- 电商diànshānge-commerce (short for 电子商务)HSK 5
- 电器diànqìapplianceHSK 5
- 电子版diànzǐbǎnelectronic editionHSK 5
- 电池diànchíbatteryHSK 5
- 电视台diànshìtáitelevision stationHSK 5
- 发电fādiànto generate electricityHSK 6
- 电力diànlìelectrical powerHSK 6
- 电源diànyuánelectric power sourceHSK 6
- 电饭锅diànfànguōelectric rice cookerHSK 6
- 闪电shǎndiànlightningHSK 6
- 来电láidiànincoming telephone call (or telegram)HSK 7
- 电信diànxìntelecommunicationsHSK 7
- 电台diàntáitransmitter-receiverHSK 7
- 电线diànxiànwireHSK 7
- 电网diànwǎngelectricity gridHSK 7
- 贺电hèdiàncongratulatory telegramHSK 8
- 核电站hédiànzhànnuclear power plantHSK 9
- 电讯diànxùntelecommunicationsHSK 9
Example sentences
- 她在清扫电灯。 Tā zài qīngsǎo diàndēng.She's cleaning the electric light.
- 我收到一个电子邮件。 Wǒ shōu dào yīge diànzǐ yóujiàn.I received an e-mail.
- 我去看电影了。 Wǒ qù kàn diànyǐng le.I went to see a movie.
- 我明天打电话给你。 Wǒ míngtiān dǎ diànhuà gěi nǐ.I'll call you tomorrow.