占线 zhànxiàn the (phone) line is busy
How to remember 占线: 占 occupy + 线 line = the (phone) line is busy.
Characters
How it is used
- (Of a phone line) busy/engaged. 电话占线 (diànhuà zhànxiàn) the line is busy.
- 占 = to occupy, 线 = line - literally 'the line is occupied'. Used when a call can't get through: 一直占线 (yìzhí zhànxiàn) busy the whole time.
- A telephone-specific term; for a person being busy you'd say 忙 (máng), not 占线.